There is an interesting story in the July issue of Car Mechanics magazine about a 36,000 mile Ford 1.0 turbo engine in a Focus. It had a slight misfire rapidly followed by a seized engine. On investigation the head gasket had failed, all three cylinders were full of coolant. As the front cover has to come off to get the head off as the timing belt runs through the sump and the con roads were probably bent the engine was beyond economical repair.
The article headline - "Overextended 1.0 litre engine?"
:-)
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>> The article headline - "Overextended 1.0 litre engine?"
One quick Google
www.pressreader.com/uk/car-mechanics-uk/20170518/281642485102527
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IIRC there are three versions of this engine producing 100, 125 and 140 bhp, I have not heard of problems, certainly sounds like head gasket failure, perhaps it had been overheated in the past.
Certainly wouldn't say it's over extended, there are many turbos running more boost and higher specific outputs and these engines lug heavily loaded Foci all over Europe on hire car fleets (Legacylad posted on his positive experience recently).
A cambelt running in oil is a relatively recent innovation for cars though my '99 Honda mower features a cambelt running in oil, AFAIAW the Honda GCV135 and GCV160 were the first such applications.
EDIT: Plural of Focus = Foci?
Last edited by: Hard Cheese on Mon 12 Jun 17 at 11:26
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Much as I had an excellent initial experience with the 6sp 125 variant, unless owning from new and selling when the manuf warranty expired, I would not buy such a vehicle. If I had to run such a mid sized petrol engined vehicle I'd be inclined to go for a 2.0L, as in the Mazda3. Or maybe the VAG 1.4.
But then I do have Luddite tendencies....
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>> unless owning from new and selling when the manuf warranty expired, I would not buy such a vehicle. I'd be inclined to go for a 2.0L, as in the Mazda3. Or maybe the VAG 1.4.
>> But then I do have Luddite tendencies....
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Tend to agree though not out of concern for the engine longevity, rather that the 1.5/1.6 180bhp engine on the Focus is a lot punchier, not far off in real economy terms when loaded/ worked hard I'm sure, and of course also being less stressed is a bonus. the BMW 1.5 cyl B38 is another example, it produces a fairly torquey 136bhp in a 1-Series though around 230 bhp in the i8 (alongside some Black & Deckers).
VW have had problems with the 1.4, the turbo & supercharged version was troublesome, then they had a dodgy batch of timing chains and rather that sort the problem they went to cam belts, perhaps a little retrograde.
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I wonder if the engine gave any more symptoms or warning signs than "a small misfire". A lot of people I know would keep driving a car if it were anything short of visibly on fire.
Last edited by: DP on Mon 12 Jun 17 at 15:27
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>> I wonder if the engine gave any more symptoms or warning signs than "a small
>> misfire".
I wondered that as well. A CHG failure passing sufficient quantity of coolant to hydraulically lock all three cylinders could be sudden and total.
OTOH when my cars have had problems at the coolant/lubricant/combustion chamber interface I've seen symptoms*. Coolant levels varying by far more than expansion/contraction. Oil in coolant or coolant in oil. Latter will show as 'mayonnaise' in the breathers, filler cap or on dipstick. Smell of coolant and an excessively steamy exhaust are another.
*Practically all of these were on the Pug 104ZS I had from 82-86 which ate head gaskets. Oil in coolant in my Berlingo was a failed oil cooler.
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The article says there was no indication of overheating. I doubt if the average driver would spot water/oil cross contamination except at infrequent (if any) fluid level checks. Even my weekly weekend OCD fluid checks would not pick up a highly stressed engine going bang mid week.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 12 Jun 17 at 17:43
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Root cause could well be a water pump fail. Can happen on any sized engine big or small.
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>> weekly weekend OCD fluid checks would not pick up a highly stressed engine going bang
>> mid week.
That depends on whether you buy the 'highly stressed engine' schtik.
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Mine is a Japanese NA petrol engine, I would not be surprised if it outlasts me. :-)
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I wonder if this was related to the hose failure / overheating issue that was subject to a recall on these engines
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I've been looking at some Fiestas for a friend - either the 10 turbo or the 1.25.
Wife had a 1.25 Zetec and over the years there seem to have been some 1.25 Fiestas that are £130 road tax and some £30.
I advised her that she should go for the 1.25 over the 1.0 if she can get it in £30 tax bracket. Just too much to go wrong with the 1.0 turbo.
I remember posting on here a while back my local indie's comments on the layout of this ecoboost engine and why he could never recommend it to anyone.
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>>I advised her that she should go for the 1.25 over the 1.0 if she can get it in £30 tax bracket. Just too much to go wrong with the 1.0 turbo.
Forget the tax penalty, the 1.25 is the better engine.
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>> Even my weekly weekend OCD fluid checks would not pick up
They would if it was gradual and you spotted oil/coolant cross contamination or other symptoms I mentioned my Pug 104 suffering.
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I had a hire car with one of these engines a few years ago, which broke down when almost brand new. Avis at LGW didn't seem surprised...I posted at the time...
www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=18230
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I'd like to know more about the car's owner, because there are enough people out there who not only never check fluid levels but treat warning lights and gauges as just a pretty little display. Like Mrs O'Reliant's niece who decided it would be ok to drive seventy miles to her parents with the temperature gauge on the red in her Renault something or other.
It wasn't.
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Tiny turbo tribulations. - VxFan
