2002 Mondeo Injector Trouble

G1032

Hi
Have a 2002 Mondeo Ghia, Diesel, 130BHP, 120,000 miles. Bought it in the North 3 years ago.
Had it about 6 months or so and had to replace an injector. Was told that one had already been replaced.Then shortly after another one went. Now last week the 4th and final one has had to be replaced. About €450 each to get done.
Has anyone else had similar trouble with a Mondeo and are the replacements likely to start going one by one now? I can't really afford to get a new car but if the new injectors are going to fail I'll have to come up with the money somewhere. Is there an underlying reason as to why these injectors fail - i've been told by a couple of mechanics that they were just sh!t injectors in them Mondeos.

They do give problems, one well known issue is in the diesel pump which has a manufacturing defect. The cams and rollers are case hardened but a number of pumps have a problem whereby the case hardening fractures and contaminates the whole fuel system with small chards of hardened steel. These metal particles can contaminate the diesel and damage many components including the injectors. You should get a sample of the diesel inspected to determine whether the above is going on or it just could be a case of bad diesel.

G1032

hellboy99 wrote: »

They do give problems, one well known issue is in the diesel pump which has a manufacturing defect. The cams and rollers are case hardened but a number of pumps have a problem whereby the case hardening fractures and contaminates the whole fuel system with small chards of hardened steel. These metal particles can contaminate the diesel and damage many components including the injectors. You should get a sample of the diesel inspected to determine whether the above is going on or it just could be a case of bad diesel.

I got the same guy to replace all 3 for me. Each time he has taken a sample of diesel but has never said anything about metal particles. This last time though he did say that the diesel wasn't the best and asked had I recently changed where i buy diesel.
He also said that the new injectors are modified and seem to last lomger than the originals, but, in your opinion, will another fill of bad diesel cause another one to go?

ronaldochokes

ronaldochokes wrote: »

He also said that the new injectors are modified and seem to last lomger than the originals, but, in your opinion, will another fill of bad diesel cause another one to go?

In 2003 Ford change the Delphi injectors to a new upgraded version as the previous ones did give problems. As for "will another fill of bad diesel cause another one to go", yes and no, depends how bad the diesel is, either way bad diesel won't do your car any good.

G1032

hellboy99 wrote: »

In 2003 Ford change the Delphi injectors to a new upgraded version as the previous ones did give problems. As for "will another fill of bad diesel cause another one to go", yes and no, depends how bad the diesel is, either way bad diesel won't do your car any good.

I wonder did they change the diesel pump also cos of the metal shards issue? garage man did say i've now got 4 modified injectors. Must be the upgraded version you refer to. Hopefully i'll have no more bother. can't afford to in any case. thanks for your help hellboy.

Damien360

Never heard of the upgraded injectors in 2003 onwards mondeos. I had an 05 one 115bhp 2.0 diesel and the injectors broke my heart. Thankfully it was a company car but it is not funny when you are 200km from home and the damn engine gives up. I generally managed to get it restarted after rolling to a full stop with no engine power. The tell tale sign of an injector blocking for me was a very slight and sudden loss of power before returning to normal driving. When I looked down at the revs to see what was happening it was all over. Within 2 weeks of that event the car would give up. I got refurbished injectors in one case and they were half the price and no worse than new ones. Dirty fuel was always said to be a cause but there were no particulates in the diesel tank. Total was 3 different times over 2 years before the boss gave up on it and replaced it with the new shape mondeo. No problems with that at all.

Unfortunatly the last generation mondeo diesel TDCi is plagued by the diesel injector problems. The TDDi unit has no such problems but it is only 90bhp.

G1032

Damien360 wrote: »

The tell tale sign of an injector blocking for me was a very slight and sudden loss of power before returning to normal driving. When I looked down at the revs to see what was happening it was all over.

This car has my heart broken too. But just haven't the money to go get a new car. The tell take sign for me is the coil light flashing on the dash, and a sudden loss in power........no acceleration worth talking about. Starting it again is almost impossible. Such a piece of sh!t. Never again will I buy a Mondeo. A few guys have said that washed diesel was more than likely put in it by the previous owner in the North. But I find it hard to believe that washed diesel used 3 years ago will cause a problem with the car today.

G1032

Damien360 wrote: »

Total was 3 different times over 2 years before the boss gave up on it and replaced it with the new shape mondeo. No problems with that at all.

what's the new one like to drive? I do find the 02 Mondeo a dream to drive.

Damien360

ronaldochokes wrote: »

what's the new one like to drive? I do find the 02 Mondeo a dream to drive.

New one is the 1.8TDCi 125bhp zetec and is lovely to drive. I have had it since early 08. Plenty of poke for overtakes. Much bigger inside, especially the back for passengers. First thing they all say. The front end is heavier than the previous mondeo and is not as sure footed as the last one in a fast corner. The traction control does not work is my major bug with it and the only bug I have. It eats front tyres. Saying that it is miles ahead of any other car I have driven in it's segment for handling(passat, avensis, S40).

Leonard Hofstadter

ronaldochokes wrote: »

But I find it hard to believe that washed diesel used 3 years ago will cause a problem with the car today.

Modern diesels are extremely complicated things and are VERY sensitive about what kind of fuel they need, anything less than top quality stuff and they can give trouble, it may be 3 years ago but it's entirely possible that bad fuel up North is behind why your car gives trouble, though as noted already Mondeo injectors are not the best and these do go wrong.

snowman707

we buy our fuel in bulk and have fitted an external filter system on the filler hose, never had an injector or pump issue.

imo bad diesel is just DIRT particles.

G1032

captainspeed wrote: »

Modern diesels are extremely complicated things and are VERY sensitive about what kind of fuel they need, anything less than top quality stuff and they can give trouble, it may be 3 years ago but it's entirely possible that bad fuel up North is behind why your car gives trouble, though as noted already Mondeo injectors are not the best and these do go wrong.

It's been said to me by a couple of mechanics alright. I hope that it was washed diesel that has caused the injector trouble and that now it's all behind me. All 4 of them now replaced so fingers crossed I suppose.