Focus 2002 1.8 TDCI Problems - Ford Forums

njos · 10-21-2007, 12:29

Thanks guys for any advice you can give me. I am not a mechanic and have very limited knowledge of cars so please try and keep your advice jargon free as much as possible.

Here we go....
Problem one:
A few months ago i noticed the clutch was sounding noisy with a rattle sound but it only did it very occasionally. This is now all of the time and when i took it to the garage they said that it was the Dual Master Flywheel and advised that i didn't need to change it yet as it is very expensive and i was fine driving it. Only when the noise gets so bad should i get it changed, however he did also say that it would probably be advisable to get the clutch changed at the same time due to the amount of work to get it in and out.
Problem Two:
About four weeks ago i was driving the car when the glow plug light (the light you wait to extinguish before turning the key to start) started to flash whilst driving and then chugging along. I took it straight to the garage and it was put on the computer and apparently the injectors were reconfigured and everything was fine.
Problem Three:
Starting: Sometimes it doesn't always start first time and can clunk a bit. Now there is also a bit of a noise which i can only describe as some sort of belt noise. Occasionally it has completely not started when turning the key but this is very occasionally and hasn't happened in the last three weeks.
When you pull off the car starts to chugg for a few miles then settles down. During this time there are no flashing lights on the dashboard and there is a lack of power. Very recently this problem has also been happening when starting the car in the middle of the day and not just in the morning on first start up. The colder weather also seems to be making it worse.
I have taken the car to a Ford Garage for this chugging problem and they have said that no fault code was shown on the computer, they also said they had checked the egr valve and it appeared to be working fine. They have now given the car back and have said that at a long shot this could be associated to the Flywheel problem but they don't guarantee it. But other than that they haven't got a clue what the problem is.
I have now been quoted £739 to have the Flywheel and clutch changed at an independent garage which i have said yes to.

I am a little annoyed by these problems as the car is great and very disappointed that a Ford garage haven't been able to diagnose the problem correctly. If any of you have any ideas or advice it would be much appreciated.

Thanks Nick

fastbysuzuki · 10-22-2007, 07:10

hi as for the noise and the advise on the duel mass flywheel + clutch i would say was sound advise it is an expensive job to have the flywheel done and it makes sense to put a clutch and relese bearing in whilst doing it as far as the other probs you are having i leave it to the more experianced members to answer step in Mr fordtech

Fordtech. · 10-22-2007, 10:39

Yes, due to the CKP getting its signal from the flywheel, and also the backlash associated with a faulty DMF transferring through to the front of the engine ie drive belts, I'd say it was causing most, of not all of your concerns.

njos · 10-22-2007, 11:29

Thank you guys for your advice, it has reassured me. I will report back when the work has been done and tell you if this has cleared up all of the problems.

njos · 11-11-2007, 14:51

Guys just had the DMF and a new Clutch and all problems have gone except one.

The chugging seems to be just as bad as it has ever been, i am dreading letting the local ford garage have back as they didn't really have a clue the last time. Has anyone got any ideas.

Nick

Fordtech. · 11-12-2007, 04:46

Any garage with diagnostic capabilities will be able to see if there's a code present for the 'chugging'- were you told what the initial code was when the glow-plug light was flashing?

njos · 11-20-2007, 09:19

They didn't tell me what the initial code was but it was something to do with the injectors needing to be reconfigured.
After that was done the light didn't come on and it was less frequent, but then got gradually worse without the light flashing. When it was put on the diagnostic machine again it didn't bring up any code.

Nick

njos · 12-04-2007, 11:17

As an update, the car now doesn't start first time in the morning at all. Sometimes when trying to start the car the glow plug light will flash. The chugging seems to have settled down but does occur still, although there seems to be no pattern to it.

Fordtech. · 12-05-2007, 04:08

Another diagnostic run is needed, can you report back with the code.