Has anybody used a conversion kit to replace a manufacturers set up.
I have a 2004 Focus 1.8 TDCI and have been diagnosed of a need to replace a noisy DM Flywheel/Clutch assembly, at a large cost by my local Ford dealership.
Have located a conversion kit at a cost of £280 and need feedback from anybody with any useful comments and or information

 

what noise does your car make on startup? if yes, is it only from hot?

mine has this annoying screech, listen to the sound on 11 seconds (not my car in vid).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn6iVgCrBY8

 

I take it u mean convertion to a solid 1 peice flywheel ? if so get it the dual mass are fooking shit. I have replaced loads at work last 1 was a volvo and the flywheel alone was around £700

 

updated video

 

The Warm Start Up is like the engine is going to fall apart. Cold Start Up is also a problem Ford dealership say there's nothing wrong. I wish

 

Thanks Mate.

 

That's my video!!! How on earth did you find that with such an ambiguous name?! haha

PS Very sorry for not getting back to you with an answer...

 

what was the problem in the end?

 

be carefull fitting dmf conversion kits to diesels petrols are fine but some motor factors now refuse to sell kits for diesel engines due to them causing premature crankshaft failure ive had this on a transit we fitted one to and ended up costing us a small fortune to put right. fit at your own risk

 

I don't know, I haven't had it fixed yet

I'd assume its the flywheel so after reading a few threads on this forum, I'm going to replace it with a solid flywheel and do away with the terrible DMF!

 

The DMF isn't particularly terrible. It serves a very valid purpose, and you risk damaging the engine if you go solid (although crank failure is rare, it does, and has happened.

I haven't looked into the cost of a solid conversion for the Focus, but for the Mondeo it costs about the same as a DMF, and it only becomes a cost saving when you next need to change the clutch, which could be 100k away!!

 

my car makes that horrible screech sound as well when it starts up, about 11 seconds into your video!

my DMF has been replaced but it still does it, its coming from the left side where the belts are as its like a very loud screech when the engine fires up, from research it looks like its the auxillery tensioner so you may want to try that option first! it only does it when the engine is hot as well

 

Solid flywheel aint a good idea on a diesel due to the vibrations

As mentioned about crank failure etc etc has happened and problems still occur.

Ive heard of transits snapping the crank in half with the conversion...................Doesnt add up to cheap if it fucks up bigtime

 

The DMF's fail when drivers plant their foot in higer gears, and the revs are less than 2000rpm. This is when the massive vibrations are generated and this is what the DMF dampens. If driven properly, i.e. no labouring in higher gears with foot welded to the floor, I'm sure a SMF will not snap a crank

Just my view. The VAG TDi lads tend to do a SMF conversion when going for high power, but due to the agricultural nature of the TDi engine, there are massive vibrations at idle with the clutch released. With the much smoother TDCi's, I think a SMF is a great idea.

Thanks for the advice by the way paceo! I'll look into that.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb9Z6O_Czow

 

i have just put a solid mass flywheel on my focus tdci and so far its great there is a littile more vibration at certain speeds from the gearbox but as long as you do not labour it to heavly i do not see any probs coming at the monent i have just done 1000mls and i tow a trailor sometimes with the family of 4 and dog onborad i say go for it!
np

 

[QUOTE=paceo;4992430]my car makes that horrible screech sound as well when it starts up, about 11 seconds into your video!

I have cured a fault like this on
a diesel focus before, there is a free wheeling pulley on the alternator these go faulty and don't free wheel. Not to bad to change.

 

Make sure done correctly there is one of the pully wheels to be changed at the same time and its to do with the frequency noise of the engine that all i was told by a expert !

 

I think the biggest cause of failure of DMF is starting the engine with the clutch pedal pressed down,the load is put fully onto the flywheel

 

SKODA UK recommend solid flywheels for their taxi fleet.

 

does anyone know if these DMF units cause starting problems?

i have noticed my folks car struggles to start sometimes (have changed the glowplugs) and when it does struggle it sounds like its misfiring, could the DMF cause the cam/crank signals to go out of sync

i have noticed it is easier to start without the clutch pedal pressed down