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Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power - Fixed #

Posted by Bradley Kingsley on March 11, 2014, 4:43 pm

Year of Manufacture *: 2004
Engine Size and Code *: 1.8 tdci duratorque
( Optional ) Scanner Used: snap on, launch x431 (no codes)
( Optional) Fault Codes: none

I have a 1.8 tdci or dci focus in with driving problems.

It will sometimes be a problem starting but mainly the problem is the loss of power and thick black smoke. this will sometimes happen when pulling out of a junction or booting uphill. you can dip the clutch let the revs drop then sometimes it will clear completely and off it goes.

I have blocked the egr, changed filter and added fuel treatment( forte) checked all wiring smoked all inlet , cleaned maff, airtemp sensor, checked spill on injectors, removed imv and cleaned, removed fuel reg and cleaned. im starting to pull my hair out now. no codes whatsoever.
the only thing that seems to have made a difference is filter and conditioner but problem still there.

on live data stationary jabbing throttle the rail pressure can hit 139000kpa 13900bar but once it did hit 180000kpa. one time on cranking it did not start but in about 4 turns of the engine it read 800bar i then turned key off then cranked again and it read 245bar and started instant.
any help or ideas welcome.
regards brad 07745564068.

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Mark Carter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT1428' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 12, 2014, 1:08 am, in reply to "focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."
Mark Carter

>>> and added fuel treatment( forte)<<<

Does that earn you points as a good garage?

Question: what generates black smoke?

Once you have answered the question go back and look at ALL your live data.

Mark

Modern cars, Its all wizardry and witchcraft

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Bradley Kingsley <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=ukat3153' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 12, 2014, 8:53 am, in reply to "Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."
Bradley Kingsley

Too much fuel or too little oxygen?

However can excess rail pressure cause over fuelling?

If turbo is at fault why only occasionally. Actuators have been checked. Turbo bearing feel good. No leaks.

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Bradley Kingsley <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=ukat3153' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 13, 2014, 12:07 am, in reply to "Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."

I need to know what to look for?
Are you trying to say I'm on the wrong track?
Can over pressurising on fuel cause smoke or would you expect it to knock instead.

I'm trying to understand why it's so intermittent and if it is only turbo that would cause this? Could map,maf ect be at fault?

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Mark Carter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT1428' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 13, 2014, 12:55 am, in reply to "Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."
Mark Carter

Do we throttle a diesel?

What is the displacement of the engine?

What is the AMM there for ?

Has it been poorly re-mapped?

Do you understand ALL the live data you are looking at?

Modern cars, Its all wizardry and witchcraft

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Bradley Kingsley <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=ukat3153' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 13, 2014, 9:52 pm, in reply to "Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."
Bradley Kingsley

Mark you are asking a lot that to be honest that I am not sure of, that's why I am asking, I am trying to learn as much as I can but obviously i don't know enough or this post would not exist.
What live data readings would you expect?

Are you trying to imply you know what it is? Or isn't?

Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power.

Posted by Mark Carter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT1428' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 13, 2014, 10:15 pm, in reply to "Re: focus intermittent black smoke and loss of power."
Mark Carter

Fair point, although most of the questions are fundamental ones.

Can you give me the history of the vehicle?

Do you Know if it has been re-mapped?

Can you post some related live data?

Modern cars, Its all wizardry and witchcraft

Re: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #

Posted by Barnaby Donohew <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT1702' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 14, 2014, 9:31 pm, in reply to "Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #"

Hi Bradley,

Mark did give you the pointers you need: the main one being the cause of the black smoke, which comes from an incorrect air/fuel mixture ratio. Therefore you want to make sure your air mass, boost pressure and rail pressures are all within spec. for the engine load and rpm in which the fault occurs: in this case it seems to be when you're booting it. Personally I have no idea of what the values should be - I'm rubbish at remembering them but I do know where to look (e.g. Bosch ESI). You can find air mass calculators for a given engine load, EGR quantity, boost pressure, engine speed and capacity online. They'll give you a ball park figure of what to expect but make sure you get the units right when comparing to your serial data (e.g. g/s kg/hour etc - it's a minefield). You'll need to know all the values I just listed so a logging scanner would be very useful for this type of thing.

It is likely that the powertrain control module thinks all is well and it is doing the right thing, hence no fault codes. So you need to work out which sensor, if any, is misleading the ECU. Are the values that the sensors are giving to the control module accurate (plausible)? This was Marks main point really about looking at live data: have a really good look at the ...air.../fuel related sensors and see if they make sense.

If they do make sense and you know the engine hasn't been mapped then start questioning the operation of the actuators.

Hope this helps,
Barney.

Re: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #

Posted by Andy Watkins <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT5346' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 15, 2014, 9:37 am, in reply to "Re: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #"

Before you get to involved look at the air supply, I have had Focus's with oil wipe rag down the induction pipe, cannot remember whether Diesel or not but the induction pipe was on the top of the bonnet slam panel

Re: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #

Posted by sean savage <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/ukautotalk8/info/user=UKAT5559' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 17, 2014, 1:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #"
Sean Savage

bad for boost hoses splitting. Uually the top one with the boost pressure sensor part of it.

Fixed #

Posted by Bradley Kingsley on November 7, 2014, 8:42 pm, in reply to "Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi 2004 - Intermittent black smoke and loss of power #"
Edited by board administrator November 10, 2014, 1:05 pm

Hi

Took turbo off and got it reconditioned, seems to have been the prob,wasn't much movement but the proof is in the pudding.

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