ford focus 1.6 or 1.8 tdci?

macpete · 24-10-2008 6:21pm #1

friend of mine is looking for a focus diesel 05/06 which engine is best 1.6 tdci or 1.8 tdci, all advice welcome.

E92 · 24-10-2008 6:58pm

The 1.6 is miles better, *provided* it's the 108 bhp version we're talking about.

The 1.6 was available with either 89 bhp or 108 bhp, so obviously the more powerful model is the one to go for, but I know Ford withdrew that better version at the same time they brought in the 1.8 TDCi which isn't a nice engine at all.

As I prefer petrol it would be the 1.6 petrol in the Ghia model I'd have(the LX and Zetec have a 1.6 option but it is less powerful and frugal because it is less advanced technologically speaking).

Henry Ford III · 24-10-2008 9:30pm

1.8TDCI is ok. An older design with cast iron block and 8v, but it still goes well enough. I had 2 of the 1.6TDCI's (110bhp) and they were good too.

I've driven both 1.6 petrol engines (100bhp and 115TI-VCT) and in real life it's almost impossible to tell them apart.

eagerv · 24-10-2008 10:03pm

I find the 1.8 diesel suffers from bad Turbo lag, dont remember the 1.6 being as bad. Both engines quite rough compared to some, but lively.

JJJJNR · 25-10-2008 1:55am

funny was walking past a focus recently and challenged my ears, diesel or petrol... I thought petrol but it was actually a TDCI. It was really quiet when at idle.

maidhc · 25-10-2008 12:20pm

JJJJNR wrote: »

funny was walking past a focus recently and challenged my ears, diesel or petrol... I thought petrol but it was actually a TDCI. It was really quiet when at idle.

For all its faults, the old 8v TDCi is very quiet on idle once warm, much more so than some more modern diesels.

It does suffer a little from turbo lag, and definately has a narrower power band than a 16v. Loads of power from 1300rpm though, which makes it easy to drive.

eringobragh · 25-10-2008 12:40pm

I was in an 02 1.8 TCDCI Ghia Model and it could move fast. No reving out when the foot was put down.

maidhc · 25-10-2008 12:53pm

E92 wrote: »

but I know Ford withdrew that better version at the same time they brought in the 1.8 TDCi which isn't a nice engine at all.

I don't agree with you there btw...

It is a quick little engine, with good fuel economy, good reliability, reasonably refined, quiet, good emissions. Power delivery could be more linear, but we are a sad bunch of loosers if this is all we spend our days talking about. It is a good engine, and moves a focus as quick as most sane people will require for less than the cost of a 1.4.

Thus, it is a nice engine.

eringobragh · 25-10-2008 12:56pm

maidhc wrote: »

I don't agree with you there btw...

It is a quick little engine, with good fuel economy, good reliability, reasonably refined, quiet, good emissions. Power delivery could be more linear, but we are a sad bunch of loosers if this is all we spend our days talking about. It is a good engine, and moves a focus as quick as most sane people will require for less than the cost of a 1.4.

Thus, it is a nice engine.

agreed. On that note The 1.4 is seriously underpowered!

E92 · 25-10-2008 2:01pm

maidhc wrote: »

I don't agree with you there btw...

It's able to move yes, but with 113 bhp it would bloody well want to be able to do so.

At the end of the day, the 1.6 has a wider powerband, so it *feels* quicker, it is more refined, more frugal, it doesn't deliver power in lumps and it's more willing to rev.

It isn't as bad as VAG's 1.9 TDI, as it is somewhat more civilised since it makes less of a racket, but it isn't a whole pile better either, and the 1.6 is cheaper to tax, more frugal, feels faster, and it's meant to be more reliable too. Oh and the 1.8 does 53.3 mpg versus the 1.6's 62.7 mpg, which is quite a difference I think you'll agree.

An engine isn't good just because it has more power, power is important but it is only one of many things that makes an engine good.

Plug · 25-10-2008 2:12pm

E92 wrote: »

An engine isn't good just because it has more power, power is important but it is only one of many things that makes an engine good.

Like reliability, the 1.8 is more reliable than that 1.6.

Tony Broke · 25-10-2008 3:10pm

Plug wrote: »

Like reliability, the 1.8 is more reliable than that 1.6.

Isnt the 1.6 tdci the award winning Peugeot/Citroen engine?

Henry Ford III · 25-10-2008 4:13pm

Tony Broke wrote: »

Isnt the 1.6 tdci the award winning Peugeot/Citroen engine?

Yes it is.

maidhc · 25-10-2008 4:24pm

E92 wrote: »

At the end of the day, the 1.6 has a wider powerband, so it *feels* quicker, it is more refined, more frugal, it doesn't deliver power in lumps and it's more willing to rev.

The 1.6 is a fine engine, and possibly the best 1.6 engine in existance of both fuelling persuasions. I think the informed opinion is the 1.6 HDI is better than the 1.8 TDCI.

My point is the 1.8TDCI is a good engine nothing more, nothing less. It is an old design, but one which has aged very well.

macpete · 26-10-2008 11:38am

looks like the 1.6tdci is the one to go for.Is that the same engine in the pugeot 407? heard bad reports about turbos going on 05 407,s around 50klms.any truth in that.

Zonda999 · 26-10-2008 11:50am

E92 wrote: »

. Oh and the 1.8 does 53.3 mpg versus the 1.6's 62.7 mpg, which is quite a difference I think you'll agree.
.

Thats a pretty raw deal for the irish motorist, aint it!! In the countrys best selling car too..

Afaik too, aint the 1.8 in the B tax band whereas the 1.6 would be in the A band?? Why the hell would ford do that?? It makes no sense at all!! No mention of the 1.6 here. And another thing i noticed there is that the 2.0 Tdci powershift here is only 110 bhp:eek::eek:.LESS than the 1.8!!!.That engine in the uk is definitly 140bhp.Ridiculous. Can us irish not handle the extra power or what??

Jeez, I thought we were past the day of paddy specials!!

**Rant Over**

maidhc · 26-10-2008 12:26pm

Zonda999 wrote: »

Thats a pretty raw deal for the irish motorist, aint it!! In the countrys best selling car too..

In reality the 1.8 and 1.6 seem to be close enough fuel consumption wise. A friend of mine has a c4 hdi, and we both tend to get in the 50s. Everything in his car bar then engine falls off though!

Plug · 26-10-2008 12:35pm

Tony Broke wrote: »

Isnt the 1.6 tdci the award winning Peugeot/Citroen engine?

Must be, but I can tell you the 1.8L is more reliable from what I see.

Longrangedriver · 26-10-2008 1:44pm

macpete wrote: »

looks like the 1.6tdci is the one to go for.Is that the same engine in the pugeot 407? heard bad reports about turbos going on 05 407,s around 50klms.any truth in that.

Quite possible, but I have a 07 Focus 1.6 TDCi 90 bhp engine(remapped to 118bhp-ish) with 102k kms on clock in mine, and its booked in for Wednesday with possible turbo failure/problem. I was going to Cork on the M8 on Thursday last, and went to overtake a 40foot, as I pulled out it felt sluggish, whilst moving by the truck the car wouldn't take off, it was like a truck taking a truck:mad:

Before someone says the wind/gradient could be a factor, it was happening on different slopes/conditions, and if someone got in way I'd lose all the power I had made up.

I rang the dealer as its still under warranty, and he said get it straight back in, and what made it sound worse was that he reminded me that I had breakdown cover.:( Also what makes it different to the turbo problem I had in my old 04 115bhp TDCi was no smoke or lights on dashboard.

Plug · 26-10-2008 2:01pm

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Quite possible, but I have a 07 Focus 1.6 TDCi 90 bhp engine(remapped to 118bhp-ish) with 102k kms on clock in mine, and its booked in for Wednesday with possible turbo failure/problem. I was going to Cork on the M8 on Thursday last, and went to overtake a 40foot, as I pulled out it felt sluggish, whilst moving by the truck the car wouldn't take off, it was like a truck taking a truck:mad:

Before someone says the wind/gradient could be a factor, it was happening on different slopes/conditions, and if someone got in way I'd lose all the power I had made up.

I rang the dealer as its still under warranty, and he said get it straight back in, and what made it sound worse was that he reminded me that I had breakdown cover.:( Also what makes it different to the turbo problem I had in my old 04 115bhp TDCi was no smoke or lights on dashboard.

Yes thats what we get a lot with them 1.6 tcdi's. Lack of power at times. Though usually its not the turbo.

maidhc · 26-10-2008 2:10pm

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Quite possible, but I have a 07 Focus 1.6 TDCi 90 bhp engine(remapped to 118bhp-ish) with 102k kms on clock in mine, and its booked in for Wednesday with possible turbo failure/problem. I was going to Cork on the M8 on Thursday last, and went to overtake a 40foot, as I pulled out it felt sluggish, whilst moving by the truck the car wouldn't take off, it was like a truck taking a truck:mad:

It sounds like a blown/disconnected intercooler hose to be honest! It happened me on the mondeo before, and the most it could do flat out was 90 mph. I reattached it in blanchardstown while the girlfriend went shopping.

Longrangedriver · 26-10-2008 2:15pm

Plug wrote: »

Yes thats what we get a lot with them 1.6 tcdi's. Lack of power at times. Though usually its not the turbo.

Never had a lack of power even at 90bhp, and its the first time in 18 months anything has happened, someone did say it could be injectors?, but its always good to go on any climb or overtake. I did check the turbo hose myself and couldn't see anything, and didn't notice any liquid/oils around the injector cables.

Should find out on Wednesday what the read is anyway, hopefully.

Longrangedriver · 26-10-2008 2:18pm

maidhc wrote: »

It sounds like a blown/disconnected intercooler hose to be honest! It happened me on the mondeo before, and the most it could do flat out was 90 mph. I reattached it in blanchardstown while the girlfriend went shopping.

Never mind 90mph, I couldn't even get 60mph at times. I'll have a go later and check the hose again, could have missed something.

maidhc · 26-10-2008 2:33pm

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Never mind 90mph, I couldn't even get 60mph at times. I'll have a go later and check the hose again, could have missed something.

Sorry, not 90mph... 50! duh!

It was very disconcerting on the m50!

Plug · 26-10-2008 3:07pm

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Never had a lack of power even at 90bhp, and its the first time in 18 months anything has happened, someone did say it could be injectors?, but its always good to go on any climb or overtake. I did check the turbo hose myself and couldn't see anything, and didn't notice any liquid/oils around the injector cables.

Should find out on Wednesday what the read is anyway, hopefully.

The injector seals could have blown. Lots of labour!

Row · 26-10-2008 9:43pm

Plug wrote: »

The injector seals could have blown. Lots of labour!

Replaced one of the injector seals on my 04 1.6 hdi a few months ago,
There was a strong smell/fumes in the car and in engine bay when the bonnet was opened (while running).
discovered blackish/carbon around no 2 injector,cleaned of carbon removed
injector repalced copper and oil seals replaced and its fine since.
parts are cheapish around 25 euro for all seals,took around 2-3 hours.

"looks like the 1.6tdci is the one to go for.Is that the same engine in the pugeot 407? heard bad reports about turbos going on 05 407,s around 50klms.any truth in that."

well there are know that turbo's can go on the 1.6 hdis but turbos can also go on Bmw's,Vag engines,
so its the luck of the draw...

Longrangedriver,
could be maf (mass air flow) sensor but it also could be alot of things..
can you get it plugged into to an error code reader and see if it comes back with any error codes?
Row.

Longrangedriver · 27-10-2008 5:11pm

Row wrote: »

Replaced one of the injector seals on my 04 1.6 hdi a few months ago,
There was a strong smell/fumes in the car and in engine bay when the bonnet was opened (while running).
discovered blackish/carbon around no 2 injector,cleaned of carbon removed
injector repalced copper and oil seals replaced and its fine since.
parts are cheapish around 25 euro for all seals,took around 2-3 hours.

"looks like the 1.6tdci is the one to go for.Is that the same engine in the pugeot 407? heard bad reports about turbos going on 05 407,s around 50klms.any truth in that."

well there are know that turbo's can go on the 1.6 hdis but turbos can also go on Bmw's,Vag engines,
so its the luck of the draw...

Longrangedriver,
could be maf (mass air flow) sensor but it also could be alot of things..
can you get it plugged into to an error code reader and see if it comes back with any error codes?
Row.

Its going back to the main dealer on Wednesday as I want it sorted by the end of warranty, so hopefully they will check this, as I won't be taking the car home if not sorted, as they have 'forgotten' :rolleyes: to check/fix the metal to metal heat shield noise, and stupid squeeking from new pads on last service.

whowantstwoknow · 05-11-2008 7:22pm

Planning to import a diesel focus from the UK in the near future. Looking online, there appears to be more choice with regard to the 1.8 version. But reading this thread do you think I should stick with the 1.6 option?

Also there may be a chance that I could stretch it to the new 1.6 TDCi Duratorq diesel engine. Do you think this would be a wise alternative? Obviously it would be a better percentage with regard to VRT and road tax over the older engines.

Thanks for any help

W.

Stevie Dakota · 05-11-2008 9:18pm

What year are you looking at and what is your budget? I brought a Focus in recently and may be able to advise.

mcwhirter · 05-11-2008 9:26pm

Neither, both rubbish

pete4130 · 06-11-2008 1:16am

I've got an '05 1.6 TDCI estate 108hp version. Plenty of pull in it, fast enough for what it does when empty. Pulls a full load no bother. I get about 44pmg city driving and on long stretches/motorway it'll get 53-55mpg even with 5 people, 5 bikes (disasembled in the boot) and 5 bags.

ford focus 1.6 or 1.8 tdci?

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