Please help with my st problem!
17-02-2011, 07:36 AM
#1
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Please help with my st problem!
could somebody please help with a fault on my focus ST 225
i have a 2006 focus ST 225, only 30k miles, no previous problems until now
one day i notice a whining noise coming from under the bonnet which is while idling and goes up and down with revs through all speed ranges. Next day my car completely breaks down and wont start. recovery truck has to take me to a garage where i find out my battery is completely fried. new battery fitted so car works again but whining noise is still there.
next day i ring ford and ask what the problen is and they tell me its the oil filter housing diaphragm and gonna be £355. Also checked these forums and everyone saying the same thing. I then order a 2nd hand housing and have it fitted by a local garage which in total came to £300 as there was no breather pipe or gaskets with the 2nd hand housing.
I pay my cash and pick up my car and the noise is still there. Could this be a different problem altogether? Im going to take the original housing to bits today and see if the diaphragm is damaged.
ok ive just inspected my original housing and the diaphragm is fine so i have absolutely no idea what is causing this whining, on top of being £300 down for no reason.
i have a 2006 focus ST 225, only 30k miles, no previous problems until now
one day i notice a whining noise coming from under the bonnet which is while idling and goes up and down with revs through all speed ranges. Next day my car completely breaks down and wont start. recovery truck has to take me to a garage where i find out my battery is completely fried. new battery fitted so car works again but whining noise is still there.
next day i ring ford and ask what the problen is and they tell me its the oil filter housing diaphragm and gonna be £355. Also checked these forums and everyone saying the same thing. I then order a 2nd hand housing and have it fitted by a local garage which in total came to £300 as there was no breather pipe or gaskets with the 2nd hand housing.
I pay my cash and pick up my car and the noise is still there. Could this be a different problem altogether? Im going to take the original housing to bits today and see if the diaphragm is damaged.
ok ive just inspected my original housing and the diaphragm is fine so i have absolutely no idea what is causing this whining, on top of being £300 down for no reason.
Last edited by michael__ST; 17-02-2011 at 08:17 AM. Reason: new info
17-02-2011, 08:17 AM
#2
Advanced PassionFord User
you have a dead alternator by sounds of it fella.
check the charge rate when its running.should be ove 14 volts
check the charge rate when its running.should be ove 14 volts
Last edited by B19 JUB; 17-02-2011 at 08:19 AM.
17-02-2011, 08:48 AM
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yeah its funny when my car broke down originally the guy fixing it said he was 99% sure it was the alternator, but then he changed the battery?????
i wanted to avoid the ford dealerships as they are so expensive but the smaller garages just dont seem to be able to diagnose this fault, thanks for the reply!
i wanted to avoid the ford dealerships as they are so expensive but the smaller garages just dont seem to be able to diagnose this fault, thanks for the reply!
17-02-2011, 12:28 PM
#4
Advanced PassionFord User
yeah its funny when my car broke down originally the guy fixing it said he was 99% sure it was the alternator, but then he changed the battery?????
i wanted to avoid the ford dealerships as they are so expensive but the smaller garages just dont seem to be able to diagnose this fault, thanks for the reply!
i wanted to avoid the ford dealerships as they are so expensive but the smaller garages just dont seem to be able to diagnose this fault, thanks for the reply!
17-02-2011, 12:51 PM
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alternator killed the battery more than likely.reason its ok for now is the strength of the new battery but in time alternator will kill that too.put a multimeter across the battery see what the voltage is when running.should be around 14.1 volts.also normally when alternators go they give out a weird smell from that area as the regulator inside is knackered
17-02-2011, 03:09 PM
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If there is room and you can get to the aux belt. Try and take it off and see if the noise is still there when the engine is running without the belt on. If its gone you know the noise is something to do with the belt.
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17-02-2011, 04:59 PM
#8
PassionFord Post Whore!!
next day i ring ford and ask what the problen is and they tell me its the oil filter housing diaphragm and gonna be £355. Also checked these forums and everyone saying the same thing. I then order a 2nd hand housing and have it fitted by a local garage which in total came to £300 as there was no breather pipe or gaskets with the 2nd hand housing.
I pay my cash and pick up my car and the noise is still there. Could this be a different problem altogether? Im going to take the original housing to bits today and see if the diaphragm is damaged.
ok ive just inspected my original housing and the diaphragm is fine so i have absolutely no idea what is causing this whining, on top of being £300 down for no reason.
I pay my cash and pick up my car and the noise is still there. Could this be a different problem altogether? Im going to take the original housing to bits today and see if the diaphragm is damaged.
ok ive just inspected my original housing and the diaphragm is fine so i have absolutely no idea what is causing this whining, on top of being £300 down for no reason.
a) no matter how good the ford dealer was on the phone it is impossible to acurately diagnose things over the phone. You were probably speaking to a call centre worker whose technical knowledge is limited.
b) you checked on forums and it was quite common? as you have proved yourself you can't always follow advise read on the internet cos just sometimes it's wrong. One persons split diaphgram noise is another persons power steering pump is another persons clutch release bearing. You see where i'm going with this?
i wanted to avoid the ford dealerships as they are so expensive but the smaller garages just dont seem to be able to diagnose this fault, thanks for the reply!
And again as you prove, you haven't really saved yourself anything in the long run. Ford dealers may be slightly more expensive than the small back street workshops but they're expensive for a reason, the training, tools and know-how means your car would of been fixxed before now and may not of even cost £300.
As previously said from what you're saying i too would suspect alternator but without actually seeing it and running some diagnostic tests it's impossible to be sure. Sorry to go off on one but being in a ford dealer this is the kinda thing i'm hearing everyday..
17-02-2011, 05:09 PM
#10
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I was warned off about the alternator and informed a dealership would charge a grand plus!! Is this true?
I wont let a dealership touch my car. Overpriced crap service! Plus they screw you on labour charges. £360 they wanted for a full service! £150 at the garage i have been using for the past 5 years. Only thing he couldnt do that Ford would of done is software update/aircon re charge.
Must admit I am going to change garage as one local to me one of the mechanics has a nice Fezz on cossy rims and he is putting RS running gear in it. If he is into the blue oval I would trust him a bit more than a dealership.
Although Motorsport Developments might be getting my custom purely on rep.
I wont let a dealership touch my car. Overpriced crap service! Plus they screw you on labour charges. £360 they wanted for a full service! £150 at the garage i have been using for the past 5 years. Only thing he couldnt do that Ford would of done is software update/aircon re charge.
Must admit I am going to change garage as one local to me one of the mechanics has a nice Fezz on cossy rims and he is putting RS running gear in it. If he is into the blue oval I would trust him a bit more than a dealership.
Although Motorsport Developments might be getting my custom purely on rep.
17-02-2011, 05:26 PM
#11
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I wont let a dealership touch my car. Overpriced crap service! Plus they screw you on labour charges. £360 they wanted for a full service! £150 at the garage i have been using for the past 5 years. Only thing he couldnt do that Ford would of done is software update/aircon re charge.
17-02-2011, 05:34 PM
#13
Advanced PassionFord User
you could unplug the alternator then start it to see if the noise stops.that will indicate its at fault
oh on a major service at a ford dealers the software update and air con regas arent part of a major service and are seperate chargeable items
oh on a major service at a ford dealers the software update and air con regas arent part of a major service and are seperate chargeable items
17-02-2011, 05:34 PM
#14
PassionFord Post Whore!!
On the servicing side the usual air filter, pollen filter,fuel filter, oil filter,5w30 and general check over. I don't know the full list of what is required and what is done.
Do services come with a warrenty?
And £150 cant be bad for a full service if thats what MD said they do it for. Where I will take it this year.
17-02-2011, 05:35 PM
#15
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Didnt know that! i just heard the price they gave me and thought fuck that!
17-02-2011, 05:37 PM
#16
Advanced PassionFord User
I think theres a very important lesson to be learnt there and it seems it's getting increasingly common for people to ask main dealers to diagnose cars over the phone then fix it themself/use a back street garage quite often replacing wrong bits causing unecessary expense.
a) no matter how good the ford dealer was on the phone it is impossible to acurately diagnose things over the phone. You were probably speaking to a call centre worker whose technical knowledge is limited.
b) you checked on forums and it was quite common? as you have proved yourself you can't always follow advise read on the internet cos just sometimes it's wrong. One persons split diaphgram noise is another persons power steering pump is another persons clutch release bearing. You see where i'm going with this?
From what i've read it seems you didn't give the smaller garage a chance to diagnose the fault as you supplied the part and got them to fit it?
And again as you prove, you haven't really saved yourself anything in the long run. Ford dealers may be slightly more expensive than the small back street workshops but they're expensive for a reason, the training, tools and know-how means your car would of been fixxed before now and may not of even cost £300.
As previously said from what you're saying i too would suspect alternator but without actually seeing it and running some diagnostic tests it's impossible to be sure. Sorry to go off on one but being in a ford dealer this is the kinda thing i'm hearing everyday..
a) no matter how good the ford dealer was on the phone it is impossible to acurately diagnose things over the phone. You were probably speaking to a call centre worker whose technical knowledge is limited.
b) you checked on forums and it was quite common? as you have proved yourself you can't always follow advise read on the internet cos just sometimes it's wrong. One persons split diaphgram noise is another persons power steering pump is another persons clutch release bearing. You see where i'm going with this?
From what i've read it seems you didn't give the smaller garage a chance to diagnose the fault as you supplied the part and got them to fit it?
And again as you prove, you haven't really saved yourself anything in the long run. Ford dealers may be slightly more expensive than the small back street workshops but they're expensive for a reason, the training, tools and know-how means your car would of been fixxed before now and may not of even cost £300.
As previously said from what you're saying i too would suspect alternator but without actually seeing it and running some diagnostic tests it's impossible to be sure. Sorry to go off on one but being in a ford dealer this is the kinda thing i'm hearing everyday..
numerous times we had cars coming in with various problems which hadnt been sorted by an independant garage after they had chucked loads of parts at it.somethings are better to get done by professional companies
17-02-2011, 05:42 PM
#17
Advanced PassionFord User
ac recharge is advised every 2 years i believe as the system maybe sealed but overtime can seap gas out through joints and refridgerant can become stale
17-02-2011, 05:45 PM
#19
PassionFord Post Whore!!
My aircon is still working tip top and its mapped so any updates would probably be removed when i re-upload the map?
Best stop talking as it would appear I have changed the subject of a help thread to a servicing one.
Sorry to the original poster.
Best stop talking as it would appear I have changed the subject of a help thread to a servicing one.
Sorry to the original poster.
17-02-2011, 05:51 PM
#21
Advanced PassionFord User
lol carlos i imagine michael dont mind as its still in relation to a vehicle he has and imagine loves.bit off topic i know but arent forums about given advice and experiences with different subjects.
upto the reader of the topics to think which info is correct for the issue or situation he/she is dealing with
17-02-2011, 05:54 PM
#22
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Fair enough.
I have an 06 ST3. Owned since last April and so far fault free! (apart from the clutch not handling my remap and slipping)
But loving the amount of advice, experience and knowledge on her and other forums.
I have an 06 ST3. Owned since last April and so far fault free! (apart from the clutch not handling my remap and slipping)
But loving the amount of advice, experience and knowledge on her and other forums.
17-02-2011, 06:00 PM
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As said check the alt, multi meter set to volts one wire on red batt lead other on a earth volts should stay constant 13-14 volts with the engine being reved .if you need a new one look at re-cons and do the work yourself its not hard better than being ass feked by so-called pros.
17-02-2011, 06:44 PM
#25
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17-02-2011, 06:46 PM
#26
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Covers things like a filter falling off?
Surely that is some sort of blag to make it sound better. How can you place a warrenty on oil in the engine, airfilter failuer? etc.
Sorry if I sound daft like.
Surely that is some sort of blag to make it sound better. How can you place a warrenty on oil in the engine, airfilter failuer? etc.
Sorry if I sound daft like.
17-02-2011, 06:52 PM
#27
PassionFord Post Whore!!
I think you'd have difficulty putting a warranty on the engine oil but yes, if the oil filter dropped off/wasn't fitted correctly you would have some comeback even if you were elsehwere in europe.
17-02-2011, 06:55 PM
#28
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Didnt think they came with a warranty.
Although years ago when I left school i did a bit at an audi/VW dealership. One lad forgot to tighten the sump plug on a Sharan. Dumped th oil a mile away lol.
New engine was fitted for that one.
Although years ago when I left school i did a bit at an audi/VW dealership. One lad forgot to tighten the sump plug on a Sharan. Dumped th oil a mile away lol.
New engine was fitted for that one.
17-02-2011, 07:02 PM
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Ok everyone point taken about trying to diagnose the fault over the phone I obviously completely regret that now however if it had of been the diaphragm I would have saved some cash. I'll get ford to check the alternator. When the guy fitted the new battery he did mention it was charging at over 14. It's now been running a couple of weeks since the breakdown but the whining is killing me. Thanks for all the advice guys!
17-02-2011, 08:32 PM
#30
Having a good reliable mechanic is the best bet and dont do to much internet diagnostics as you can end up going down the wrong route.
I am sure Ford can do the job, but having had mechanic mates in maindealers, it seems to be if in doubt, replace it and see if that sorts it, if not, move on which can get expensive and very hard to prove you didn't need all the parts fitted.
I am sure Ford can do the job, but having had mechanic mates in maindealers, it seems to be if in doubt, replace it and see if that sorts it, if not, move on which can get expensive and very hard to prove you didn't need all the parts fitted.
17-02-2011, 08:42 PM
#31
In my opinion a mechanic is a mechanic, weather it is a Ford dealership or not. Yes, ford may have the help of computers to look things up more in depth, but a private garage normally have mechanics with a lot more experience!
I'd rather give my car to a mechanic at a back street garage with 30 years experience than an apprentice at ford with 2 months under his belt and a computer!
I'd rather give my car to a mechanic at a back street garage with 30 years experience than an apprentice at ford with 2 months under his belt and a computer!
17-02-2011, 10:07 PM
#32
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Also,you can't just check it's putting out 14v,modern fords have smart charging and there is a set way of checking it,but problem is most likely the alternator as they're pish on focus's,along with clutches,oil diaphragms
17-02-2011, 11:40 PM
#33
PassionFord Post Whore!!
If you want to avoid using a main dealer try taking it to your local auto electricians, they should hopefully be able to confirm whether it's your alternator or not.
18-02-2011, 07:25 AM
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Excellent! i'll get it sorted and post the outcome, thats when i get some more cash to pay for it. The total is £900 so far for tyres, M.O.T, service, battery and oil filter hosing so im skint. Does anyone know if all focus alternators are the same and is would it be ok to use a refurbished alternator on an ST?
18-02-2011, 09:33 AM
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22-02-2011, 07:43 AM
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well, after a good look at the problem by the guy from ford, it would seem it is in fact the alternator that is making the noise, also checked the battery and its only charging at 11.8 which is more proof, thought the first garage who replaced the battery should have picked up on this but never mind. Thanks for all the help everyone!