I have an M-reg Mk1 mondeo 1.6 zetec and.. incase you missed the title, she pours out white smoke under load and.. she doesn't want to go past 50mph it's the latter part that's pissing me off if i'm honest!! she accelerates with no problem upto 50 but as soon as i change from 3'rd into 4'th or 5'th, she just won't pull. Any ideas, or is it rebuild time ? she's on 120k.

Scrapping it isn't on the list of things to do - so no silly comments.

 

sounds like a head gasket but i dont know about the 50mph thing.

 

I thought head gasket.. but it's not over heating.. no problem starting and none of the other tell tail signs be handy if it is just the hg though - only takes an hour'ish to do that !!

 

u could try give it a compresion test
or get that AA coverage where they pay the first £500 of a brakedown. i took it out itl like £36 extra
then leave it a week or so then just roll it out and have them take it to a ford garage and get it fixed abit cheaper

 

Compression test came back normal, she only smokes now if i hold it in 3'rd going down a hill but........ the water in the header tank is now black.. i'm still thinking the head gasket is fubar, but she just made it home from plymouth again ( 275 miles ) without missing a beat, no problems with accelerating or anything

i'm confussed

 

im not to sure on fords,but when i had a clio the h/g was gone,it never overheated or anything else,is it new enough to have a limp mode to stop you damaging anythhin else? thats why it wont let you go over 50mph?

 

t'was motoring along quite happily at 70 today on the motorways on the way home ! i unplugged the maf and it stopped doing the hole 50mph bit !

i might lob my spare 130spec 1.8 in it rather than rebuilding the 1.6

oh and no, i don't think it has limp home mode

 

will you spammers just fuck off