Mate's got a Focus ST170 and there is a silver box behind the inlet manifold that sounds like a load of stripped plastic gears.

What is it?

What does it do?

Is it going to be expensive?

 

That's the control box for the variable inlet

If lucky there's just a plastic quadrant broken on the inlet and the cable is just flapping about.

The sound is the unit cycling back and forth as the cable is not connected to the inlet.

Can unplug the unit on the bulkhead to stop the noise but that will put on the EML

 

I've disconnected the unit which has silenced the noise but has brought up the EMS light. It will be booked into Ford asap to be sorted but will running without being connected cause any problems or cause any potential harm.

 

Its expensive.

Disconnecting it will just reduce engine performance but it will be safe.

 

What are we talking about when we say expensive? £150 expensive or engine out shit your pants expensive?

 

If he's lucky it will just need a new plastic quadrant (crap) fitting to the manifold and the dtc's clearing

If not it'll be a new control unit as well as the gears can fail in them if they're run too much with the cable off.

Crap design if you ask me.

 

Garage charged my friend £180 + vat but I am not sure if that was
replaced or repaired.
I would get an estimate first

 

Ok cheeRS. £200 isn't the end of the world and it is about time something broke on one of his cars as he's been a lucky sod

Thanks for the advice/info

 

Oranoco get your self over on the ffoc site,
they're a good lot and would have come across this before,they might even be able to sort you out, without having to go to the stealers.

 

CheeRS mate I'll register on there and ask.

 

edited double post lol

 

Yep sounds like the inlet manifold problem thats common on ST170's.

From what i heard if its not the quadrant snapped you need a whole new inlet and its wasnt cheap (rumored around £500+ from ford )

 

Yes, Ive come across this before as work @ Ford main stealers

 

As far as I'm aware you can't ask Questions on there without paying the membership fees. As you only want one piece of advice I would register on www.focusowners.com and it's 100% free.

 

Steve PM STDave on fordport mate, tell him I told you to speak to him, he works in the ford spares local to me and is quite happy to do mail order, he'll beat any price you can get, and may be able to advise you aswell.

 

CheeRS Gary will get hold of my mate first though as it may be in at Fords as I type