Hi all

I'm having a drama with my 99 focus 1.8

In the last couple of days, I've notived a loud "whooshing" type noise whenever I give it any throttle. My immediate thought was a blowing exhaust and sure enough, there was no pressure when you put your hand over end of tailpipe (standard). I found a hole in the mid section pipe, at the top of the bend above the rear axle so booked it in to the garage to have it replaced.
Fast forward to this morning and they phone to say that it hasnt solved the problem. Any ideas what this might be? Before this happened I had agreed to sell to my brother and he has sold his car, he is due to receive mine tonight! Hopefully the garage will be able to source the problem but I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this before? The noise is definately passenger side because if I open the drivers side window I can barely hear it, but its very clear on passenger side.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

We can now add hesitation under full throttle to the list, fine under normal loads but feels under powered... Anyone?

 

blocked cat??

 

Air leak? Check all the vacuum pipes for damage etc.

 

It doesn't make the noise at idle, only under load :-/

 

id be looking for a blocked cat too

 

The noise, I can confirm with help of brother is definately coming from back box. So something exhaust related. Would that account for a lack of power?

 

Oh yes,if the fumes are restricted then the engine can't breathe properly so the car will be right down on power.
It's usually a blocked or partially blocked cat on these although you maybe lucky and find its just the baffles in the back box.
Garage should have spotted this though?
I'd look to take it elsewhere in the future fella,they sound shit.

 

The backbox is about 1500 miles old. My brother now owns the car (problem!) Bit of a twatty situation as he sold his car already having agreed a price for mine with me, I use it for the last time camping last week and this happens!
I've left him £250 of what he was going to pay me to sort it out... Hopefully it's just a cheap cat change, he will pass on what he doesn't spend

 

Blocked back box was the winner, all sorted and my brother now owns the car he was meant to own when the sale went through last week! Thanks all for your advice