Before I start I do own a octavia 4x4 but also own a focus st170 but I have a problem with it but no1 on focus forum can hell and it's driving me crazy

Hi I don't no if anybody can help, I have just bought a st170 2003 99k. I bought it cheap as it isn't running right the problem is

Between 1000rpm - 2200rpm on load there seems to be a slight missfire sort of feeling and engine doesn't sound right but above 2200rpm it feels fine maybe a little jerky but nothing like between lower revs

Car has had new coik pack leads and plugs but no difference. But I was also told the head has been of before I bought it because they thought a valve had dropped but it Hasent, so they put new head on skimmed it. Pressure tested ect all ok

With the video you can here is bogging a bit at lower revs

Vacuum leak or air leak somewhere?

Edited 26 September, 201411 yr by kiscix

I will have another look but to be honest I didn't see anything last time I looked

Is there any EML? First port of call as mentioned is for air leaks/vacuum leaks

Worth giving the throttle body a clean up too

Valve timing...

When checking for air leaks, feel any places under plastic pipes that you can't get your head into unless it's about 1" diameter and on a 2' flexii.

Squeeze any externally fabric armoured pipes, and if they feel squdgy replace them.

 

Also, check the valve timing properly relative to TDC.

You can't easily check them ken, it's variable, it uses a pair of oil pressure control valves to proportionally set the timing... It could also get caused by low oil pressure too.

You can't easily check them ken, it's variable, it uses a pair of oil pressure control valves to proportionally set the timing... It could also get caused by low oil pressure too.

or dirty oil   I would think you need the exact timeing figures for revs and load in order to check  sounds like a job for a good tech with a rolling road  if  it's not a common FORD problem

Can you find out which cylinder is miss firing? Maybe a vcds type tool and / or a compression test... If you can, try swapping over an injector to see if the fault moves, if that's the case you will have your answer......

correct size gasket inserted after head skim?

Compression all ok. The engine was making a loud tappit noise earlier sounded like a old ford ka! But I give it some to red line and now it's cleared and sounds ok again but the juddering still there. I have no idea if they put the gasket in to compensate the head skimming. Due to it being vvt I'm very unsure on the timing with it. But got to say thanks for all the reply' son the ford forum I had 1 reply in a week.

Can you find out which cylinder is miss firing? Maybe a vcds type tool and / or a compression test... If you can, try swapping over an injector to see if the fault moves, if that's the case you will have your answer......

It's not a obvious miss fire only when in load. It's so hard to detect which cylinder it is if not all of them but like I said it's like being in the wrong gear at 600rpm between 1-2k

You can't easily check them ken, it's variable, it uses a pair of oil pressure control valves to proportionally set the timing... It could also get caused by low oil pressure too.

The at has a oil pressure gauage in side and oil temp they both seem to be normal . Oil pressure is in the middle into you drive at high revs then goes up to 3/4 on the needle

correct size gasket inserted after head skim?

That's only Diesel engines where you have different thickness gaskets

The at has a oil pressure gauage in side and oil temp they both seem to be normal . Oil pressure is in the middle into you drive at high revs then goes up to 3/4 on the needle

what's that in psi or kpa?

That's only Diesel engines where you have different thickness gaskets

what's that in psi or kpa?

I'm not sure what psi it is but I've been told it's notmal

Juddering.. Are you sure its the engine? If it judders like its in the wrong gear it could be a clutch/transmission issue?

Juddering.. Are you sure its the engine? If it judders like its in the wrong gear it could be a clutch/transmission issue?[/quote

Yeah I'm 100% sure it's the engine. I've just put some wynns injector cleaner in so I will see if it helps at all

Go out and kick its arse. My mate used to have one and was forever bringing it to me with another new problem. The VVT unit which attaches to the bulkhead was a PITA aswell. His went faulty so bought a 2nd hand one off ebay.. Faulty so i ended up making one good from to bad ones. I think when you start the engine that VVT unit is supposed to pull a cable and release at 4000rpm have u checked its functioning? Altho it does throw the EML if its not.. Cant remember exactly how it works now

Thinking back when you start the engine it pulls the cable that connects to the flap on the inlet manifold tight. Its a silver metal box bolted to the inlet. It used to run rough when it was duff

Go out and kick its arse. My mate used to have one and was forever bringing it to me with another new problem. The VVT unit which attaches to the bulkhead was a PITA aswell. His went faulty so bought a 2nd hand one off ebay.. Faulty so i ended up making one good from to bad ones. I think when you start the engine that VVT unit is supposed to pull a cable and release at 4000rpm have u checked its functioning? Altho it does throw the EML if its not.. Cant remember exactly how it works now

Hi mate, yeah I think I needs a good long fast run, your on about the imrc control and yeah it works opens up the inlet flap around 4500rpm. Got to same my 1.8t is a absolute tank of a engine! I've relised now having another car

I used to own one before my octy, common issues is the missfire at that rev range, mine did it, most people cur3d it with a dreamscience remap.

Glad i got rid

I used to own one before my octy, common issues is the missfire at that rev range, mine did it, most people cur3d it with a dreamscience remap.

Glad i got rid

Yeah they are a pain I know already give them there due, St sounds nice at high rpm and it handles so much better than my octy. I just looked on the site dream science but they don't offer a St mk1'remap. I wonder if R tech can use there magic on it?

Open up the imrc box and make sure the return spring hasn't spun round to the wrong side. If you google it there's a guide on how to check etc. mine needed this doing and it used to bog down low revs. Don't waste your time going to any tuners for a remap, the one to have is the dream science one which you upload through the obd port. It won't give you much power but it cures the flat spot these suffer with. One last thing to try as mine had this, try putting some super unleaded in next time it's empty and see how it runs. I used to have a similar problem from what I can remember if I let the fuel get quite low on normal petrol and this was down to the fuel pump which is another common problem on these. Is yours when it's under 1/4 tank or all the time? Might be worth checking if putting abit more fuel in cures it and how it runs on super.

Open up the imrc box and make sure the return spring hasn't spun round to the wrong side. If you google it there's a guide on how to check etc. mine needed this doing and it used to bog down low revs. Don't waste your time going to any tuners for a remap, the one to have is the dream science one which you upload through the obd port. It won't give you much power but it cures the flat spot these suffer with. One last thing to try as mine had this, try putting some super unleaded in next time it's empty and see how it runs. I used to have a similar problem from what I can remember if I let the fuel get quite low on normal petrol and this was down to the fuel pump which is another common problem on these. Is yours when it's under 1/4 tank or all the time? Might be worth checking if putting abit more fuel in cures it and how it runs on super.

This is a video of my imrc working I guess it's fine?

Yeah they are a pain I know already give them there due, St sounds nice at high rpm and it handles so much better than my octy. I just looked on the site dream science but they don't offer a St mk1'remap. I wonder if R tech can use there magic on it?

No idea if r tech touch ford? Worth a call though, some people claimed bluefun sorted the issue, dreamscience stop doing it for the mk1 st a few years back.

I agree on handling, amazing, ive got coulovers on my octy which turned it i to a new car, but it still needs anti roll bars etc to get it near the focus!