Mondeo 2011 Turbo Diesel lack of power

[JustBill]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

My LV TDCI Focus blew it's intercooler hose off and no codes, certainly worth checking for boost leaks, they're also common for cracking intake pipe into the turbo at the flange.

I reckon you have a leak somewhere in the induction pipework post turbo, or a hole in the intercooler.

The ECU is smart enough to limit fuel in the case of not enough air to prevent it from belching out black smoke, but not cluey enough to throw codes for it.

Same engine as my old Focus, same engine management system.

Mine also blew injector seals, and also it's injectors return line, all it did was leak diesel over itself, didn't cause any issues with performance.

I'm going to visit a third mechanic in coming days. Thanks for your thoughts and i will mention it to him. The ECU restricting fuel due to a air leak makes sense why i can't get any grunt.

Also, i discovered something else in the engine bay. On the fire wall, there seems to be a splatter of very light brown clay like dirt. Could be a pipe or hose of some sort at the turbo side of the engine. I don't think driving over a muddy puddle caused this due to the drip cover under the car. The first mechanic said he checked all the hoses and pipes leading in and out of the turbo and didn't identify a issue. He pulled the exhaust back a bit and seen the turbo working. I'm starting to think now..... "Or did he check?"

[JustBill]

Just got a third opinion. Worse news and that the Powershift transmission is gone which is why its powerless due to slipping. Revs to 3000+ meaning engine is fantastic and nothing wrong with the power coming from this turbo diesel. I'm gutted, this car was purchased privately for my son which i picked 5 weeks ago using my sons money that he saved, who is due to come back from overseas soon. I've let him down. What a useless father i am.

[AlanM]

If it's not shuddering or clunking the transmission may just need new oil. These things need hydraulic pressure to make the clutches engage. If the oil is bad you can get excessive slipping.

There's plenty of videos on YouTube on doing the oil change. It's not as straightforward as most, but it's not hard either. Do the external filter too. Supercheap get them in pretty quick. Their part number is WTF4. Easy to remember!

Once you've done the oil change it might be worth doing a clutch relearn on Forscan.

[JustBill]

Originally Posted by AlanM

If it's not shuddering or clunking the transmission may just need new oil. These things need hydraulic pressure to make the clutches engage. If the oil is bad you can get excessive slipping.

There's plenty of videos on YouTube on doing the oil change. It's not as straightforward as most, but it's not hard either. Do the external filter too. Supercheap get them in pretty quick. Their part number is WTF4. Easy to remember!

Once you've done the oil change it might be worth doing a clutch relearn on Forscan.

Yeh i changed the oil and filter yesterday, no improvement. Old oil was dark brown. Haven't done clutch relearn. it changes gears smoothly except it kicks hard when acceleration after breaking to a slow crawl at a intersection (assuming kicking into second gear) and noticeable down shift to 3rd gear when decrease in speed down to 35km and you can here the rev as if it goes into 3rd to early.1st mechanic said this kick it's due to broken engine mounts. But i'm thinking it's not and that the transmission is faulty. I can't believe i didn't pick this issue up when i first bought it. Never driven a mondeo before, thinking the power (or lack thereof) it's normal for a 2 litre diesel.

[AlanM]

Have a look at this channel on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@yepthatsit?si=DlJagU94IetLjNi-

He has fixed some severely malfunctioning powershift and Volvo DCTs. (Same transmission) by basically cleaning out the valve body and demagnetising the solenoids.

Also, changing the oil may not produce an instant fix. The TCM will have adapted to dirty old oil and may take time to relearn having new oil. A clutch learn could help.

It's certainly worth trying before assuming the transmission is shot.

[JustBill]

Update: Mechanic #2 said Mechanic #3 doesn't know what he's talking about. My problem isn't with the transmission.

So I considered the air intake gaskets. When I opened it up.... my goodness the carbon soot around the air intake cover and the engine ports was so bad, you couldn't slip a 10cent piece in it. Cleaned them up as best I can using a carbon removal spray specifically designed for diesel engines.

Now after putting the engine bits and pieces back together again and to see how it runs ... the car won't start. It turns over but won't ignite. Faults did come up on a scan one was fuel pressure low the other cam position sensor low reading. This was after connecting the battery again. So I cleared the faults but no start still remains even though the faults have not come back up again.

So I bought myself a volt meter and tested the cam position sensor. There are 3 wires on the sensor connector signal = ground = voltage. I'm getting 5v on the signal wire, but zero reading on the voltage wire. This is with the sensor removed just testing the adapter.

So I'm confident the carbon soot blockages was the low power issue, bur I can't test it out with this new cam sensor issue. That's if it's a faulty cam sensor or wiring.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by JustBill

Update: Mechanic #2 said Mechanic #3 doesn't know what he's talking about. My problem isn't with the transmission.

So I considered the air intake gaskets. When I opened it up.... my goodness the carbon soot around the air intake cover and the engine ports was so bad, you couldn't slip a 10cent piece in it. Cleaned them up as best I can using a carbon removal spray specifically designed for diesel engines.

Now after putting the engine bits and pieces back together again and to see how it runs ... the car won't start. It turns over but won't ignite. Faults did come up on a scan one was fuel pressure low the other cam position sensor low reading. This was after connecting the battery again. So I cleared the faults but no start still remains even though the faults have not come back up again.

So I bought myself a volt meter and tested the cam position sensor. There are 3 wires on the sensor connector signal = ground = voltage. I'm getting 5v on the signal wire, but zero reading on the voltage wire. This is with the sensor removed just testing the adapter.

So I'm confident the carbon soot blockages was the low power issue, bur I can't test it out with this new cam sensor issue. That's if it's a faulty cam sensor or wiring.

Did you happen to disconnect any fuel lines? If you did may have air in the fuel system, they have no hand pump and have to be vacuum bled to get the air out of them, its a right pain in the *** that presents itself on fuel filter changes.

[AlanM]

Originally Posted by JustBill

Update: Mechanic #2 said Mechanic #3 doesn't know what he's talking about. My problem isn't with the transmission.

So I considered the air intake gaskets. When I opened it up.... my goodness the carbon soot around the air intake cover and the engine ports was so bad, you couldn't slip a 10cent piece in it. Cleaned them up as best I can using a carbon removal spray specifically designed for diesel engines.

Now after putting the engine bits and pieces back together again and to see how it runs ... the car won't start. It turns over but won't ignite. Faults did come up on a scan one was fuel pressure low the other cam position sensor low reading. This was after connecting the battery again. So I cleared the faults but no start still remains even though the faults have not come back up again.

So I bought myself a volt meter and tested the cam position sensor. There are 3 wires on the sensor connector signal = ground = voltage. I'm getting 5v on the signal wire, but zero reading on the voltage wire. This is with the sensor removed just testing the adapter.

So I'm confident the carbon soot blockages was the low power issue, bur I can't test it out with this new cam sensor issue. That's if it's a faulty cam sensor or wiring.

Yes, the EGR soot combined with the PCV oil produces a sticky bituminous glow that builds up everywhere on the intake system downstream of the throttle body.

With that model, if the EGR system gets blocked, say by a piece of metal (maybe cut out from a tin can) accidentally falling into where it joins the throttle body, you'll get no codes, no check engine light, and no more glop blocking up
the intake.

Fuel economy will improve a little though.
Just saying...