1.6HDi coming our way - Please Help!

[Bailes1992]

Ford have replaced my battery under warranty but left the battery acid all over my engine bay. Guess I'll have to clean that on Sunday then.

Also, I've been told by Ford there is a software update available for my car. However, as my stuttering, bogging down, cutting out and diesel-oil dilution issues are a 'characteristic' and not a fault I have to pay £78 for the update which may or may not fix my issues. I love my Ford!

[Welly]

The Citroen's 'clutch' action has been getting a bit weird, the action has not been smooth between changes and when taking up the drive from idle, the clutch sort of 'slams' in.

Googling suggested two fixes; a specialist with 'Citroen EGS' software to re-calibrate the clutch biting point OR the DIY "Hard Reset"

I couldn't help being drawn to the DIY fix so read on with interest....

The 'fix' is to go drive somewhere quiet with everything good and hot, stop the car, select 'Auto' check all is clear and then bloody hoof the thing like an idiot....full throttle....full revs.....until you get to third gear. The car initially stands still in a sort of WTF stance then the whole front end lifts up and away you hoon with tyre squeal and many diesel noises

What do you know it actually works, the clutch now works much better with less delay

[steve_earwig]

That's a result, I'll pass it on to me pa, who sounds like he might be having the same issue - huge bang from the transmission when trying to squirt it into traffic from a standstill.

[Doggy]

The advanced condition based maintenance procedure is to go drive somewhere quiet with everything good and hot, stop the car, select 'Auto' check all is clear and then bloody hoof the thing like an idiot....full throttle....full revs.....until you get to third gear. The car initially stands still in a sort of WTF stance then the whole front end lifts up and away you hoon with tyre squeal and many diesel noises

FTFY

[Captain Jack]

I had a similar issue (point 2) where there was a 'jolt' on gear change. After learning to live with it, I replaced the throttle body as it was knackered anyway and brought up numerous EM lights.

Lo and behold - replacing this fixed the issue! Doesn't help that I can't change gear to change my life but it's much smoother....

[piglet]

Sorry to dig this old thread up again, but this is the only forum where participants speak queens English.
Pigletson has placed his neck on the block and given his girlfriend buying advice on a Fiesta 1.4 Hdi errr Tdci, apologies.
Bit brave of him considering he knows half what I do about cars and I don't know nearly enough.
anyways, I've read lots about the 1.6 oil sludging & turbo oil starvation.
But what are the 1.4's like? It's a 57 plate with just over 100K with service history.

[Welly]

Thank you we speak the goodest england on the web

The 1.4 TDCi ?? ....err....as far as I'm aware it doesn't suffer the same turbo-eating antics as the 1.6 PSA unit. I will stand to be corrected though?

Ford diesels (Mondeo etc) tend to suffer injectors, egr, fuel pumps and clutches as far as I can tell.

As far as my research went the 1.6HDi turbo-eating thing seems to have been directly attributed to neglected servicing and failure to spot leaking injector seals (which pass through the rocker cover). Stretching already-stretched oil change intervals was a recipe for disaster and the turbo's oil feed was the first to suffer the consequences. Similarly if exhaust gas managed to escape into the rocker cover via the injector seals it would contaminate the oil and repeat eat the turbo (again in a lot of cases).

We've taken our 1.6HDi from 30 to 49K miles and changed the oil every 5000 miles, the turbo appears to be in excellent health.

[Bailes1992]

1.4TDCi is very similar to the 1.6 8v engine.

I don't think they suffer with the same issues as they aren't as stressed as the 1.6.

However, I would use a *w30 or *w40 ACEA C3 oil and change it every 5k/6months and it'll go forever.

[piglet]

Thanks for that,
I've read that the 1.4 HDi/Tdci does suffer from leaking injector seals, as does the 1.6.
So why doesn't the 1.4 have the same sludging issues?
How does one know if the seals are blowing if they are inside the rocker cover?

[Welly]

On the 1.6HDi leaking injector seals create a 'puffing' sound and leave dirty/waxy deposits on the top of the rocker - unfortunately once its got this bad it will have already contaminated the rocker space internally with carbon deposits etc.

Typically when looking at the 1.6 the right hand side injector nearest the passenger side goes first so you can then begin to address the others before they start.

The 1.6 was the most troublesome because Peugeot fitted a mesh filter screen at the turbo feed Banjo bolt...poor servicing would see this blocking up early.

[Welly]

Changing the engine Air Filter on the 1.6 HDi can FRO

Remove loads of stuff.

Fiddle with Allen Key by 'feel' and partial glimpses by torch light to get Air Box lid off.

Drop Allen Key behind engine.

Drop another Allen Key behind engine.

Finish Air Filter replacement, wrestling with cheapo air-ducting.

Jack up car and remove undertray to find Allen Keys.

Nothing

Start Engine to jolt/shake it, ONE Allen Key falls to ground.

Start looking seriously for the other one..........lots of time passes......it's 4 deg C lying on a concrete floor....head hurts.

Start/Stop engine repeatedly.

Give up looking.

Replace undertray, last 'captive' thread thing goes AWOL

Fabricate elaborate tie-wrap/washers combo lying on cold concrete. Head hurts. Fabricate pillow for head for the last 5 mins of job

No sign of Allen Key, paranoia regards what will happen to Allen Key, long trip to Middlesbrough Wednesday , will Allen Key make its appearance on the Motorway?

Fin.

[jasper5]

You really should trust my experience of replacing C4 air filters...takes no time at all removing the wiper arms and the shelf above the air filter.

[Welly]

You're absolutely correct, I really REALLY should have done that but obviously I knew better and tried to cut corners which cost me more time in the end. Daft thing is I've taken that shelf/blanket out before and it's quite easy

Now you've got me thinking that had I taken out the shelf I'd most likely have seen from above where that bloody Allen Key went and fetched it back out

Coming soon from Welly's Garage Services:

Volvo oil service

Twingo oil service

WCPGW etc.....

[Doggy]

Well.....
I set about my 1500 miles overdue oil change in Sunday morning's crisp winter sunshine, (anybody else enjoy* the sudden hail storm)?
Oil & filter got changed,
Driveway got large waste oil stain,
Undertray's still resting under the hedge.

[Bailes1992]

Is it really an oil change if you don't spill some though?

The duster has a 25mm hole in the metal undertray. The sump plug is mounted directly above it.

If the car is anything but dead flat the stream of oil catches the edge of the hole and fills the undertray up with oil.