TDCi Mondeo lumpy idle... eek!
- Thread starter MrFunex
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Soldato
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Noise and slight vibrations at idle can be caused by a few things:
The aux drivebelt reasonating - pop the bonnet and see if the belt is flapping at all. There is a modified belt, tensioner and pulley available to fix this. If the noise and vibration disappears at the slightest touch of the throttle then this is probably it.
Sticky EGR valve - remove it and clean it. If you're running a tuning box the EGR valve will gum much quicker because it'll be producing more soot. Same goes for the inlet manifold.
Ford MAF sensors are generally very reliable and don't often cause problems. The idle speed cannot be set - it is controlled purely by the ECU.
The Ford TDCi's are always a bit noisy when cold, if it's running OK on the move I wouldn't worry too much. It could just be a bad batch of diesel.
The aux drivebelt reasonating - pop the bonnet and see if the belt is flapping at all. There is a modified belt, tensioner and pulley available to fix this. If the noise and vibration disappears at the slightest touch of the throttle then this is probably it.
Sticky EGR valve - remove it and clean it. If you're running a tuning box the EGR valve will gum much quicker because it'll be producing more soot. Same goes for the inlet manifold.
Ford MAF sensors are generally very reliable and don't often cause problems. The idle speed cannot be set - it is controlled purely by the ECU.
The Ford TDCi's are always a bit noisy when cold, if it's running OK on the move I wouldn't worry too much. It could just be a bad batch of diesel.
Soldato
The how to get the dealer on your side approach
How about just booking it in for inspection and update rather than running around demanding stuff...
Not that I'd be that quick to get the software updated, the last software update they put on my 2.2 TDCI destroyed all 4 injectors.
This is the problem. I'd take a car with a slight rough running cold idle over one that might be fixed or might destroy itself and present me with a £2000 bill...
Think I'm gonna wait until the existing tank of diesel has been used and see how the car is with a fresh batch.
Think I'm gonna wait until the existing tank of diesel has been used and see how the car is with a fresh batch.
Associate
Soldato
The ECU controls the calibration of the injectors and the new software update screwed the calibration destroying all 4 as once miss calibrated they won't come back...or at least thats how it was described to me.
Associate
re: injectors problems and Ford admitting it, not true, mine is a Dec 2003 reg, and only managed to do 27,500 with all the problems I have had with the fuel system. Only just had some major work done in December last year to fix it again, and after just a couple of 1000 during winter, bang, breakdown, no warning lights or flashing glowplugs lights, just died, AA found no fuel coming through from filter. Ford main dealer diagnosed, two more injectors have gone, sofar thats , low lift pump, high pressure pump, replace all fuel lines, egr valve, injectors 3, then 1, now 2 & 4. Ford had the cheek to say I had used contaminated fuel. Having to pay for injector reprogramming each time, plus main dealer labour rates.
No goodwill offered from Ford customer relations, despite throwing endless money at it myself to fix it, plus immaculate service history.
TDCi Engine performance itself is good, pulls strong, excellent >50 mpg economy, just very unreliable , ime. My interior looks immaculate for a 2003 car, hardly used.
[edit] I would echo the above about EGR valve. Remove clean it up, and put in a blanking plate, exhaust pipe side.
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Associate
Whoever told you that was a clueless fool...
The unique calibration data is held on a label on each individual injector, it is then coded into the DCU via various diagnostic tools (Ford, Delphi etc...). The only influence the DCU has over the injector is by controlling the pulse width (open duration) to it and the system pressure.
There is no logical reason why the calibration codes could not have been re-entered after the software update!?
Soldato
Well they were all working fine when I took it in for a service, they did a software update which ford recalled with a few hours as the dealers had about a dozen+ cars all with failed injectors from this new update. It took nearly 2 weeks to get replacements as the injectors that were needed went onto back order as they needed so many so quickly.
Soldato
give the MAF a clean
Right, thought I'd keep this thread updated as I've just been to the garage...
There would seem to be a very very small leak in one of the pipes leading to the common rail unit. After a reaonable drive, there is a very slight misting of diesel on the insulation underneath the bonnet and a bit of grime on one of the copper bolts that connects the whole lot together. The local indy suggested I pop the car into Fords so they can run a diagnostic on it (£99). It's possibly worth it for piece of mind on my part. The car doesn't show any fault codes or any warning lights. After a drive of an hour plus, at standstill there is a very faint odour of diesel. The engine is noticeably rather rattly on idle, so perhaps just one cylinder isnt working as it should do...
I shall keep you updated with any progress!
There would seem to be a very very small leak in one of the pipes leading to the common rail unit. After a reaonable drive, there is a very slight misting of diesel on the insulation underneath the bonnet and a bit of grime on one of the copper bolts that connects the whole lot together. The local indy suggested I pop the car into Fords so they can run a diagnostic on it (£99). It's possibly worth it for piece of mind on my part. The car doesn't show any fault codes or any warning lights. After a drive of an hour plus, at standstill there is a very faint odour of diesel. The engine is noticeably rather rattly on idle, so perhaps just one cylinder isnt working as it should do...
I shall keep you updated with any progress!
Associate
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Hi, I just bought a Ford Focus 1.8 style 2008 tdci, first Ford ever.
I am so unsettled as I think I’ve bought a lemon, it really struggles to pull in any gear until it’s boosting, on idle if I accelerate it sounds almost hindered, as if it were on 3 cylinders but not stalling.
It’s just not right you know, seems a little rocky and shakes on idle.
Any help will be very well received
I am so unsettled as I think I’ve bought a lemon, it really struggles to pull in any gear until it’s boosting, on idle if I accelerate it sounds almost hindered, as if it were on 3 cylinders but not stalling.
It’s just not right you know, seems a little rocky and shakes on idle.
Any help will be very well received
Associate
Most common faults are leaks in the system (sometimes air will be drawn in at the filter and not leak fuel, hard to diagnose especially without a pressure gauge. make sure it's a genuine filter too) and the suction control valve (bad connection often rather than the valve itself) on the pump which regulates pressure. Pumps and injectors do fail but nowhere near as often compared to the faults I've mentioned.
Unless you have a very obvious problem it's a specialist job really, common rails need diagnostic gear for accurate testing i.e. scan tool, pressure gauges and a leak-back test kit.
Unless you have a very obvious problem it's a specialist job really, common rails need diagnostic gear for accurate testing i.e. scan tool, pressure gauges and a leak-back test kit.
Associate
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- 18 Aug 2019
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Over the last few days the idle when engine is cold has become a bit lumpy. This goes away after it's been running for a few mins.
Now I'm conscious of injector failures with these engines are a known problem, even more so because I have a tuning box fitted (a few months ago). However, I recently added a bottle of Wynns (I think) diesel injector cleaner as it was suggested by a friend as being a good idea to prolong the life of the injectors.
Was wondering if any of you have had lumpy idle issues when using these kinds of additives on a mondy or any other car, or whether I should start saving for a not unsubstantial repair billIt's a tad inconvenient that the fuel economy is so good on the car, I'll have to do another 550-600 miles before I can refuel with fresh diesel!
It's the 130bhp mondy if that helps diagnosis... though I might take it into a friendly local garage for a check-up next weekend.
Associate
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- 18 Aug 2019
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Yes have simpler thing got something at add a to help clean injectors when I filled up for a trip to Scotland I noticed when I accelerated hard in slightly to low a gear I got a sound from the engine like it was "pinking" and when starting from cold it seems to rev a bit on its own I filled with lower grade diesel and am hoping it clears up when I fill with better diesel later no warning lights though
Associate
Turbo electrics like to desolder themselves, even new units.I'll have a go at running on cold idle without the tuning box tomorrow morning.. and no spark plugs i'm afraid.. dieselCheers for the advice - maybe it just needs an "Italian tune-up"... I've been driving about rather gently over the past few weeks.
It's not that uncommon. The wifes parents had a small fleet of TDCi 130 Mondeos & they were sometimes needing replacements in as little as 25k, i put it down to the fact they just ran them on tesco diesel as i've seen the state that some of the EGR valves were in for example, absolutely caked in gunk. I ran my own TDCi exclusively on V-Power & when I stripped it that engine was clean, i actually sold the Injectors as they were still spot on even with moon miles.
I've long gotten rid of that Mondeo and MOT data suggests it failed to live well after my ownership, and at all beyond 2014. I remember it being a lazy engine and during normal use it rarely saw above 2.5k rpm - there simply wasn’t any point in revving it out; it did work better with an occasional thrash to the redline though.