Focus 1.8TDCI

Rudolph Claus

Anyone here got one of these engines in their focus, Im considering a focus car/van with the newer TDCi 115bhp engine as opposed to the TDDI 90 bhp engine. I mainly want to know what the mpg figures are for these engines and if anyone here has 1 and can tell me what miles they are actually getting from their focus diesels that`d be great. Plus, reliability wise what are they like? Any common problems/issues? Have they timing belts or chains, i believe the mondeo has a timing chain these days, maybe the TDCI focus engine has too?
Ill be hoping to buy a TDCI with 30-40000 miles on it and probably keep it 3yrs doing about 15k miles a year.

And what are they like for towing stuff, well capable or a bit sluggy?
Cheers!

bazz26

Nuttzy wrote:

Anyone here got one of these engines in their focus, Im considering a focus car/van with the newer TDCi 115bhp engine as opposed to the TDDI 90 bhp engine. I mainly want to know what the mpg figures are for these engines and if anyone here has 1 and can tell me what miles they are actually getting from their focus diesels that`d be great. Plus, reliability wise what are they like? Any common problems/issues? Have they timing belts or chains, i believe the mondeo has a timing chain these days, maybe the TDCI focus engine has too?
Ill be hoping to buy a TDCI with 30-40000 miles on it and probably keep it 3yrs doing about 15k miles a year.

And what are they like for towing stuff, well capable or a bit sluggy?
Cheers!

I think there are two versions of the TDCi available in the Mk1 Focus, a 100bhp and 115bhp. I think most Focus car vans have the 100bhp version.

You are probably better off going to the UK for one where the 115bhp is more common and cheaper than here.

Rudolph Claus

The TDDI is 90/100bhp and the TDCI is 1115bhp isnt it? Some of the newer vans of aound 03 have the TDCI engine which is the 1 i want. There doesnt seem to be many car/vans in the north or the uk.

maidhc

I have an 03 Focus 3dr car with the 115ps engine. I bought it (in Ireland) in Jan 06 with 60k on the clock for 11k ( a massive undervalue.. I think the dealer didn't realise it was a TDCI!). Since then I have put on 20k.

I have a full service history, and apart from an EGR valve and a camshaft sensor it has never had any surgery. It does between 50-60 mpg depending on the kind of driving, and on the current tank i'll get about 55.

It pulls like a train, and driving my grandfathers 06 1.9 TDI (105bhp) passat feels murderously slow in comparison, especially for overtaking. It is also very quiet for a diesel.

It is very easy to stall though, and the TDCIs have a history of needing new flywheels and starter motors. In fact I suspect my starter motor is not as good as it should be.

Overall, I love the car and I love driving it.

R.O.R

There are very few of the Focus Vans around with the 1.8Tdci engine in. They were always special order rather than the old model Focus with 100ps or the new 1.6Tdci with 90ps.

If you can find one of the very early new model Focus's there will be some with the 110ps version of the 1.6Tdci engine before it was discontinued.

You won't find the Focus Van in the UK or NI, it's particular to ROI. Ford don't actually make a Focus Van, they come in to Ireland as 3dr hatches and are converted to vans in Ireland.

The 90ps 1.6Tdci is plenty in the Focus Van, but a friend does have one of the rare 1.8Tdci vans - new model in black with the alloys and blacked out windows rather than panelled. Pretty nippy.

Gary ITR

I'm driving the 115 tdci at the moment. Not too pushed by it. The Golf tdi is head and shoulders above it. I find the clutch very heavy and it hasn't got the acceleration of the golf

Rudolph Claus

Hmmm, intersting ponts, good to hear from people that actually own these cars. I was considering the Golf Tdi vans too but they seem very expensive and all seem to have big miles. 9/10grand will only buy a 00-02golf van with about 80-100k miles on them and these seem to be the basic of the basic with 90bhp engines and no spec whatsoever. I know where theres a nice focus van of 2004 with 55kmiles going for E9500, and its the TDCi engine, seems good value compared to the golf.


@maidhc - Im surprised to hear its easy to stall the focus, i had diesels before and thought they were impossible to stall myself, as they`re not like petrols needing to be revved when moving off.

@Onkle - I would of thought the TDCI to be decently powered. Which golf van did you drive that you`re comparing it with, the 90/110/130bhp version? I reckon i should go and test drive a golf and a focus to see what i think. Some people say the golf is very "soft" on the suspension with the back of it hopping/bouncing over every little hump/pothole in the road?

Gary ITR

It was the tdi 110, 5 door car though. I find the clutch horrible in the focus and i don't find it very comfortable. Only redeeming feature is the heated front screen

maidhc

Onkle wrote:

It was the tdi 110, 5 door car though. I find the clutch horrible in the focus and i don't find it very comfortable. Only redeeming feature is the heated front screen

A Focus TDCi 115 is normally considered to be able to give the 130bhp golf a decent run for its money.

Clutch in my Focus is the same as in any other car.

@Nuttzy
It is very easy to stall. We also have an old mondy with the same basic block, and while that only develops 88bhp and moves with all the speed of a slug, it cannot be stalled. The VW PD 105 in the passat can also stall violently.

You didn't consider a Corolla Van with the 2.0D4D? I'm sure it is artificially limited to 90bhp, but that it can be increased back up to about 120bhp. Sweet engine too.

BostonB

I had a Focus TDCI (1.6 I think) on holidays and I thought it was ok, nippy enough but nothing really remarkable about it. But equally no real niggles other than the boot (hatchback) was a little small. Decent ride etc. A good alrounder. You needed to rev it a bit to get the power out which was surprising for a diesel. But has enough poke IMO.

Theres been a few posts about stalling Ford Diesels, and it seems to be an engine managment issue, and you can find some info on it on the web if you look about. Some smaller diesels can be stalled easily if the turbo hasn't spun up, but thats not the issue with the fords. Lots of comments about reliability issues on the recent VW TDI's though.

maidhc

BostonB wrote:

Theres been a few posts about stalling Ford Diesels, and it seems to be an engine managment issue, and you can find some info on it on the web if you look about. Some smaller diesels can be stalled easily if the turbo hasn't spun up, but thats not the issue with the fords. Lots of comments about reliability issues on the recent VW TDI's though.

Stalling is common to ALL common rail diesels. In the case of the Ford the ECU cuts the engine if the revs fall below 700rpm to prevent the DMF being destroyed due to resonance. Originally this was 800rpm but Ford changed the software sometime in 2003.

I'll echo reliability issues with VW. The Passat is very poorly built, and once you see beyond to silcone damping the dash is very cheap and squeaky.

BostonB

maidhc wrote:

Stalling is common to ALL common rail diesels. ...

There was a thread about this before. I've forgotten though. Why common rail diesels? I thought it was down to specific niggles on specific models, like the ECU on some Fords, rather than a characteristic of the technology.

maidhc

BostonB wrote:

There was a thread about this before. I've forgotten though. Why common rail diesels? I thought it was down to specific niggles on specific models, like the ECU on some Fords, rather than a characteristic of the technology.

Why common rails I don't know, but everyone I know who drives them says the same thing. Even my local mechanic says they all do. Maybe I am overstating how easy they are to stall, but they stall pretty easy if you drop the clutch in a hurry. Funnily enough when we had an A4 TDI PD 100 it was much harder to stall than the Passat with a 105bhp version of the same engine.

But you get used to it, I havn't stalled the Focus in a month or more.

BostonB

I usually look to the torque at low rpm, is it similar?

Rudolph Claus

Am i correct in saying they`re are 3 engines i need to be aware of in the focus van, (Im only interested in the old focus model, dont like the look of the new one) A TDDi 90bhp, a TDCi 100bhp and also a TDCi 115bhp?

Do these engines have a timing belt or chain?

maidhc

Nuttzy wrote:

Am i correct in saying they`re are 3 engines i need to be aware of in the focus van, (Im only interested in the old focus model, dont like the look of the new one) A TDDi 90bhp, a TDCi 100bhp and also a TDCi 115bhp?

Yes. The car had the three anyway. I don't know if the van was sold with all 3

Nuttzy wrote:

Do these engines have a timing belt or chain?

Both actually. Belt needed to be changed at 100k.

Rudolph Claus

maidhc wrote:

Yes. The car had the three anyway. I don't know if the van was sold with all 3



Both actually. Belt needed to be changed at 100k.

I thought the idea of a chain is do to away with having a belt and the need to change belts.

Can I ask ou how much it cost to get them chanaged?
Also, would you happen to know if there is a few different shades of re on the focus or is there only 1 red colour used on them. I like the van in red and they all seem tobe the same shade but i`d like to be sure so ill know what to ask the seller regards the exact colour.
Cheers for your help by the way.

maidhc

Nuttzy wrote:

I thought the idea of a chain is do to away with having a belt and the need to change belts.

Can I ask ou how much it cost to get them chanaged?

Dunno. There is a chain driving the fuel pump, but the "cam belt" is a belt.

I was quoted €350 by a main dealer. Haven't got it done yet as my local mechanic said there was no point until it is 5yrs/100k. I expect him to charge in the region of €200 to do the job.

Nuttzy wrote:

Also, would you happen to know if there is a few different shades of re on the focus or is there only 1 red colour used on them. I like the van in red and they all seem tobe the same shade but i`d like to be sure so ill know what to ask the seller regards the exact colour.
Cheers for your help by the way.

No idea about the colours.