Koshington

Hi, ive had this mk1 focus about a month now (02 plate 92K, 1.8 TDDI) and occasionally I have trouble starting it. Wether it's warm or cold. Engine appears to crank ok, just dosent appear to catch.
If I leave it a bit and try again it will start sometimes first time, sometimes after a few more goes.

Sometimes I have smelt diesel, as if it's flooded (as you would expect after it had been cranked for a few failed attempts) and when it does finally go, a puff of smoke exits the exhaust (due to the excess build up of fuel?)

It only happens once in 20 starts.
Can anyone please shed some light on the possible problem and estimated UK cost?

Thanks.

Icurus

I have limited experience of diesels, but do run a 1.8 TDDi Connect, so had to learn a few things!

In order to fire up, basically you need fuel, compression and timing.

Now the fact that it does run ok when it gets going would suggest that the mechanical timing is ok, and that the compression is also good, otherwise you would not have the expected power when driving etc.

So that leaves just fuel, or the control of the fuel pump's timing, which I believe is electrical.

So you might have an intermittent electrical fault that is not 'firing' the injectors, or an air leak, which I think is less likely, as they do not tend to fix themselves, then re-appear!

Could also be a leaking injector that's allowing the fuel to flow straight through it, thus not getting squirted into the engine?

Koshington

Thanks for the advice.
You know now you've mentioned it, I've always thought that this car dosent have a lot of go in it, up hills it does struggle a lot but I'm not a very good judge as ive been driving a porsche Carrera 4 for the last 10 years. 0n the motorway it sits happily at about 80pmh and moves with the flow of other traffic on 'A' roads, not up to the pulling off power of newer cars on the road though

What kind of work needs to be done if it's lack of compression? (I'm a complete newbie here)

Thinking of taking to some kind of diagnostic place now.

Icurus

Well you can get a compression test done to determine the state of the head gasket etc, or a leak down test to ascertain the valve seats/piston rings condition.

Since the problem is intermittent, its going to be a pain to pin down! A diesel specialist should be able to carry out a leak test on the injectors and generally give the system a check over. he might even know the common problems with this engine.

Hell yeah, I bet the diesel Focus feels a bit sluggish compared to a Carrera 4!!

My connect is only the 75PS version

Koshington

o o sounds expensive
In this current financial climate, I have a bigger smile on my face now than I ever had doing 165mph!!

Thanks for your advice

Icurus

The Tddi engine is pretty robust, not a lot goes wrong with them.

There not going to set the world on fire, but are dependable and can return good mpg

rabman6

Hi did you solve your problem?I have a 2002 tddi 1.8.And i am having the same problem.In the morning the engine starts first time.if i drive it a short distance and stop it "it takes about 10 seconds to start and when its hot it starts on the button.I have changed the heater plugs and a cranck sensor is on the way.Cheers

Koshington

No, problem persist even after visit to garage and two call outs to the AA.
However I do have more information on it.
We have found that when it fails to start there is no power to the glow plugs 'rail'. And we have changed over the relay with the rear heater one (as they are the same) it appears that the relay once activated does not ground and complete the circuit to fire up the glow plugs.
As a workaround I have run a wire from the pin that should ground and manualy connect it to the negative battery terminal for a few seconds, then jump in the car and away it goes! I hear the relay click when connected and I've tested with a meter that the current flows to the plugs.
If I don't find a solution soon I may run the wire into the car so that I can operate it via a switch so that I don't have to keep opening the bonnet on the occasions when it chooses not to start in the normal way.
Has anyone else had this problem??

Thanks.

johnny99

Glow plug relay ?

John

Koshington

I swoped the glow plug relay over with the rear heater one. Still no power at the rail.

Icurus

There is not much to that electrical circuit looking at TIS,

Koshington

Thanks Icurus, So looking at that diagram (and I'm no electrician) K13 (relay) could also effect the behaviour of the glow plug relay, which I know is working. I'll go and check which pin I've run this new wire from and check if there's power coming in on pin 1 of the glow plug relay.
Is the PCM the cars computer? (the expensive part!) as I'm hoping it's not that, as well as this problem has been gradually getting worse, which I'd expect from something more manual, where as with a computer Id expect it to either work or not.

Icurus

Doh, I forgot you have a Focus, that pic was for my Connect, but the Focus one is very similar;



Sounds like you have a 'loose' wire, or one that has high resistance, possibly due to corrosion?

vitaliuoks

hi there
this is my first time here.so i have a problem with my focus tddi reg.2000 with starting to.when it's cold it's not starting and it looks like the battery is dead.i tryed to change it but when i put it on the same thing happened with the brand new battery.it's starts well on the jump leads.so as i understand it's not a battery.could anybody help me please.
p.s. sorry for the mistakes

uruk hai

To be honest if it starts well on jump leads but not with just the battery it would seem to suggest that the battery simply doesn't have enough grunt when it comes to cold cranking ampage !

Was it the same from the first time you started with the new battery ?

vitaliuoks

To be honest if it starts well on jump leads but not with just the battery it would seem to suggest that the battery simply doesn't have enough grunt when it comes to cold cranking ampage !

Was it the same from the first time you started with the new battery ?

yes it was exatly the same with the brand new battery.

uruk hai

I would try and find out what the specs of the battery are or the alternatives are the starter or glow plugs ?

vitaliuoks

i'm going to see a mechanic tomorow so i'll see what will happends.hopefully it would be no need to change a car

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

Also check cables to the starter and earth for good clean connections and integrity.

oli49521

from recent experience i have been advised against jump starting the focus diesel as they have a very weird set up on the electrical side called a smart charge system where they dont like jump starting it's a very complex system but very interesting if you have the time to read about it

Irene Smiley

I have the same as when mine is hot it won't start for about hour or so or when it go,s cold it will start I have changed the crank sencor I need to find out more info

Irene Smiley

Can some 1 help I have a Ford Focus 1.8 tddi it starts fine but when it gets hot it won't start I have changed the crank sencor any other help out there thanks