jmurray01

Ah, the engine that just cannot seem to run right!! As the title says, the issue I'm having is missing/stumbling when you command more than light acceleration below 2,000RPM. I've replaced the plugs, leads and coil pack, to no avail. Then it went in for a timing belt and they noticed the de-phaser/variator was worn out (rattling on cold start-up and generally noisy), so at much expense had that part ordered from Ford and replaced. Great, I thought, now it MUST be fixed! Got it back and no, still exactly the same (only now quiet on cold start-up). The only thing I can think that's left to be an issue is the fuel pump, or the "lifetime" fuel filter that the garage advised the car has (when I asked them to change it). It has 175k on the clock, and I personally would have changed the fuel filter about 4 times by now, so if it is one of those ridiculous "lifetime" filters then I'm not surprised it is restricting flow. That said, my logic would suggest a fueling issue would be most prevalent at higher RPMs, but in this case anything from 2k-redline is absolutely fine, it's below 2k that it chugs along. Hoping someone else has had this issue and may be able to shed some light...

I can tell you an EV will never sit on my driveway, I'd rather take the bus. Thankfully I've always driven 10-30 year old cars and will continue to do so, so for me not much will change. My only wish is that we had 1 political party in the UK who would stand up for our rights to buy petrol and diesel powered vehicles and buy the fuel for said cars, but sadly all have gone climate mad. It's a real shame.

I've been away from the forum for a while (again!), and even when I was here this engine was not of interest because I never planned on owning one. Technically I never have owned one, but my mother does and therefore I'm responsible for it. Makes sense if you know my mother! Anyway, she bought it with 170k on the clock (mostly long journeys) towards the end of last year and since then it has been a good car. Got through the MOT with no welding (shock horror) or any major repairs, so decided as it has a clean body (intact front wings) and undercarriage to try and preserve it for a few years. As a result today it went in for a new timing belt/water pump/thermostat and underseal. All great except the slight rattle for a second or two on cold start up I'd heard and written off as lifters, the mechanic thought was a "dephaser" and having googled it, I think it probably is also. I think they are also referred to as a cam variator. Apparently Ford are the only source of a replacement, which is close to £300. My mother in her wisdom decided against this which given the value of the car already being outweighed by the pre-arranged job, I can understand. I suspect if that is the problem, which is almost certainly is, then it was caused by poor maintenance as when she got it the oil was black, which never bodes well. That's also why I wrote off the rattle, which I thought would go away after changing the oil a couple of times and perhaps flushing it on the next change. So after writing an essay as I usually do, I have 2 questions for those more in the know than I. Will using engine flush, then changing the oil and adding a valve/lifter additive perhaps help at least preserve the failing part? Is there a cheaper source of the "dephaser" for replacement at a later date? Also (I know 3 is more than 2) does anyone have an idea how long the rattle lasts before it "goes", and when it does is it a case of valves hitting the pistons or just running very poorly? If anyone recalls my last posts, they were around her previous Focus, a (same year) TDCI, which after some chaos replacing the fuel filter, promptly broke down from a failed high pressure fuel pump. That was scrapped as the cost would have been more than it was worth, plus it was slightly rotten. Although in hindsight I'm wishing we'd spent the money on that instead 🤣

I can't answer that question, but personally I'd go by feel. If you pull it on at low speeds and it stops well and holds on hills without being yanked all the way up, I'd say it is alright. Perhaps someone can give an answer on the percentage though which I'd also be curious to know truth be told.

I never trust MOT brake tests, aside from identifying binds and imbalances, they are next to useless. As said above, depends on the MOT tester and equipment also, with handbrake some pull it tighter than others therefore getting a better/worse result and same with the service (foot) brake. My mother's Focus has a crap handbrake (which I was certain would have failed) but it passed with no advisories, yet unless you pull it on far harder than my mother would/could, it won't hold on a hill without being in gear. Go figure!

Just to bring closure to this thread, after throwing a hissy fit and refusing to work on the car, I went back to it and fixed it 🤣 Put a new O ring in the filter, had to reuse the gasket but made sure it was screwed tightly, fill the inlet pipe, spray of carb cleaner (I know...) and off she went. Of course since then in true Ford spirit the EML came on. I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with the fuel filter charade 😬

Update: Disconnected and primed the hose going to the injectors and after a couple of tries it started. Success, or at least until the car had driven around locally and then 20 miles from home, upon which after being turned off for an hour decided to go back to not starting!!! Obviously the car and my tools are now 20 miles apart which is just splendid. Frankly I think now I'm ready to put this in the hands of a mechanic and accept my limited mechanical abilities are just that, very limited.

I've got the battery on charge now, so hoping that since fuel did seep out when I loosened the injector pipe a good crank with a fully charged battery might do it. If not I'll loosen 2 injector pipes, crank and then tighten up and see if that works as I read that online. That said I also read online that loosening the injector pipes at all can screw it up (not sure what "it" would be) so if anyone could clarify that before I do any more potential damage that would be great. Ah the joys of modern diesels...

In hindsight I have done something incredibly stupid... A couple of weeks ago I replaced the fuel filter, filled up the housing and after a few cranks the engine started and all was well. Afterwards the car would run fine but after sitting a couple of days it would start then stall and re-start with minor difficulty. Today I took the top off the filter housing again and found the issue was the o-ring hadn't seated properly, so sorted that and erroneously thought as I hadn't removed the filter (and didn't see any fuel spill) that I could get away without filling the housing up as i didn't have a can of diesel to hand. Alas it started for a few seconds and then just cranked and cranked. After a few attempts I went and got diesel and filled the housing, but it still just cranks until the battery fails. Obviously I know I've got an air lock in the system, and without looking online cracked off the main fuel union where it goes to the separate injector pipes, which did release a bit of air then fuel and nipped it back up again. After looking online I've seen posts saying NOT to do that Further to that the engine still won't start and now the battery is too flat so I'll need to charge it back up or jump it. Definitely not the Friday morning I hoped for. HELP!!

I know, I really do think I was born in the wrong year!!

I do like spending boxing day watching Carry On films and eating crap!!

I'm the same, plus it helps protect the in tank fuel pump on modern cars from overheating.

Sorry to hear you contracted COVID Zain! One of my friends and her husband caught it too but thankfully they fully recovered. Next year has to be better!

I do like that tomorrow Christmas will come and go and then that will be one less thing for people to go mad about! Also I must admit I did like doing an unintentional burnout in the rear wheel drive Volvo earlier today when pulling out of an icy junction 🙄😂

Well that's an anti-climax 🤣