Before you is the latest version of the Ford diesel engine with a volume of 1.8 liters. In general, it is a transformer motor. It appeared in 1986. Naturally, initially this engine had vortex-chamber injection. In 1998, this engine was transformed for the first time – this is due to the transition to direct fuel injection. The third time this engine transformed was in 2001, when it was outfitted with Common Rail injection. At first it had a Delfi fuel system, but in 2007 it was replaced by Siemens/Continental components.
This engine was not transformed too extensively. It retained the cast iron cylinder block and cast iron cylinder head with one camshaft and 2 valves per cylinder. In this version, it was produced until 2015.
This engine was installed on Ford Focus 2 and C-Max, Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy, as well as on vans Tourneo Connect and Transit Connect. In this version, the 1.8 TDCI engine produces between 100 and 125 hp.
Reliability of the Ford 1.8 TDCI engine
This powertrain has lived for almost 30 years for a reason. It is reliable, not capricious and quite simple. Even with Common Rail injection. It is respected on a par with the 2.0 TDCI engine, created in cooperation with PSA. Now we’ll look at its weaknesses and some performance features. Some of its components are quite expensive.
Two-mass flywheel
The 1.8 TDCI engine on non-commercial Ford models is equipped with a dual-mass flywheel. Many owners have had to change it. The symptoms are simple and straightforward: rattling and clanking at idle and when the engine is turned off. These sounds disappear when the clutch is depressed. With more serious wear, vibrations and more serious noises appear.
A new dual mass flywheel for this motor from two reputable manufacturers costs over $550.
There are non-original adapter kits available with a single mass flywheel, basket and clutch disk. The kits are different. There is one kit for Focus and C-Max (835055), and another for Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy (835070). The kits cost $600-$900. They say that on these kits, the clutch can slip due to insufficient pressure and as the disk wears.
Switching to a dual-mass flywheel can be a little more budget-friendly, but you’ll need some fancy hands.
The 1.8 TDCI motor on the Ford Connect is happy with a single-mass flywheel. To install it on Mondeo or Focus you will have to buy a starter from Connect.
Thermostat housing
The late-modified 1.8 TDCI engine has a plastic distributor for the cooling system. The thermostat is mounted in its plastic flange. All this plastic part is unreliable: it deforms, bursts and leaks at the joint. On sale are non-original molded distributors (04845) and thermostat housing (03151). By the way, the engine 1.8 TDDI, that is, on the version without Common Rail all these parts are metal.
Engine cushions
If during the operation of the 1.8 TDCI engine there will be strong vibrations and there will be no errors, then carefully inspect the engine and gearbox support cushions. Some of them are hydraulic, in others there are rubber silent blocks. When they wear out, all the shudder of a serviceable motor will reach the body.
Exhaust manifold
A strong-looking exhaust manifold can burst and it is unlikely to be welded securely. Even at high mileage, it will have to be removed to replace the gasket between it and the cylinder head.
Turbocharger
The 1.8 TDCI engine is equipped with a Garrett turbocharger with variable geometry, which is driven by an electromechanical servo. The turbine is very reliable. Before it breaks, you’ll have to change or re-seal more than one pipe before and after the intercooler. Also, problems in the part of supercharging, which cause doubts about the condition of the turbine, can be caused by a malfunction of the intake air temperature sensor. But this sensor is not present on all 1.8 TDCI motors.
At high mileage in this turbocharger, the entire geometry mechanism jams. Not only soot is to blame here, but also an extremely leisurely driving style, because of which the geometry mechanism works in a narrow range and is not developed.
Fuel pump
The Continental fuel pump and the entire fuel system based on it has proven to be nicer and more durable than the Delfi system. A new pump costs a fabulous amount of money. However, it is fairly simple to disassemble and rebuild. With the high mileage here, except for the plungers wearing out a bit. The swap section serves well, if there are no chips, water and dirt floating in the fuel.
Over time, there may be fuel leaks from under the plunger caps and at the return connection. These leaks are eliminated by replacing the remcopacket and installing a new O-ring.
Note that when installing the fuel injector in place, it is necessary to align the marks on its shaft in the timing drive.
When replacing the fuel filter, the entire system should be pumped by connecting a hand pump-loader to the fuel filter cap. Some comrades pour fuel into the filter housing before screwing the cap on. In any case, it should be understood that there is no pumping in the tank, the pumping section in the fuel injector pulls fuel from the tank itself. During any manipulations with the fuel system it is necessary not to allow it to be blown out.
Regulators and cases when the pressure deviates from the norm
There are two fuel pressure regulators on the Siemens fuel pump. The regulator, along the housing of the fuel pump, doses the fuel supply to the mechanical priming pump built into the fuel pump.
The regulator, inserted into the pump from the rear, regulates the high fuel pressure that is pumped by the pump plungers and directed to the fuel ramp. Knowing the difference in the function of these regulators can help sort out fuel pressure errors and determine the real culprit, although often their failure causes the same symptoms.
When the side regulator is not working properly, the engine pump is not getting enough fuel. The motor will have trouble starting both cold and warmed up. There will be poor traction and jerks during acceleration, the errors will speak of a mismatch between the fuel pressure and the required values.
If the rear regulator (A2C59506225) is bad, the engine will have trouble starting, and the engine may also stall after starting. Usually these symptoms occur on a warmed up motor. Because of this regulator, incorrect pressure errors occur when the gas pedal is released after intensive acceleration.
There are cases when the engine control unit 1.8 TDSI registers errors on excessive fuel pressure in the ramp. It is clear that the problem appears on the high-pressure side. But sometimes replacing the “rear” regulator does not solve anything. Skillful people have discovered that in the channel under the valve of this regulator there is a tiny filtering mesh. If it collects a lot of chips or debris from the fuel, the channel permeability will be disturbed. This will result in the inability to quickly and correctly regulate high pressure in the ramp. The tiny filter can be cleaned with suitable means. But it will be necessary to remove the pump, rear regulator, in order to fill its channel (in the housing of the fuel injector).
Fuel injectors
With the transition to the Siemens fuel pump, the engine 1.8 TDCI has got completely different injectors. They are piezoelectric. The good news is that the injectors are reliable, you can say, unpretentious. They last more than 200,000 km and even twice as long if the owner does not save on the fuel filter and refills the car with good fuel.
Today one such new injector costs from $450 to $780 (1355051). It will have to be replaced as a whole if the piezo element fails. A new atomizer repair kit (A2C59514911) will cost $200. This is usually where the injector problems start. After replacing the atomizers, these injectors need to be adjusted on a bench. This is mandatory.
If the atomizer of one of the injectors is worn out, there may be a knocking noise when the engine is running. It resembles the knocking of valves. In this case, no errors will not be detected by computer diagnostics. If the atomizer is clogged or atomizes fuel poorly due to wear, the engine will run rougher, pull worse and smoke black smoke.
On the 1.8 TDCI engine, the wiring to the injectors can be broken. In this case, there will be permanent errors on the fault of the electrical circuit of the injector. Accordingly, one of the cylinders will be disabled: fuel injection there will stop.
If the injector miraculously turns on after restarting the engine, it will be due to the gradual failure of the piezo element.
EGR valve
Late versions of the 1.8 TDCI engine are equipped with an EGR system with a cooler. Sometimes the quick-release plastic connections on the coolers leak antifreeze. The problem is solved by replacing the seals in these quick disconnects.
We will not tell you anything unique about the EGR system. Everything is standard here: if the EGR valve gives an error, it can be disassembled and cleaned. Usually this is enough.
While the EGR valve is working, the whole system can be plugged by installing gaskets on both sides of the heat exchanger pipe. Be careful: the gaskets should be installed when the EGR valve itself is still working and does not give any errors. Some craftsmen suggest software disconnection of the EGR valve.
Vacuum pump
The 1.8 TDCI engine uses an archaic vacuum pump, but it does its job well. However, in case of high mileage, oil leakage may appear on the halves of its housing due to the breakage of rivets holding them together. In this case, you can fasten the halves of the housing with suitable screws and nuts. Before doing so, it is advisable to install a new gasket between the housing halves.
Transmission Timing Belts
The 1.8 TDCI engine has an interesting timing drive. The drive train consists of two parts: from the crankshaft pulley to the fuel injector pulley, and from the fuel injector pulley to the camshaft pulley. Now we can see its upper part – this is where the timing belt is used. The belt is changed simply, but in order not to make mistakes it is better to fix the crankshaft and camshaft with special accessories. Especially since, according to the instructions, it is necessary to reset the camshaft pulley. But, some people manage without these subtleties. The original strap and tensioner cost $130, a good substitute is half the price. This belt needs to be changed every 150,000 miles. And the second belt needs to be changed as well. We’ll show it to you very soon.
Originally, the bottom used a cassette with two roller chains. These chains last at least 300,000 kilometers. So only the upper timing belt needs to be replaced.
But on our motor we do not see any chains. The whole matter is that in 2008 Ford engineers refused them. As a result, there is a timing belt in the lower cassette, which is also bathed in oil. That’s how it is: the first “wet” timing belt on the Ford engine appeared on this turbodiesel, and not on the liter “ecoboost”. But that’s not even what’s interesting.
Because of such a substitution, not a few people who trusted Ford, got on money and major repairs of the motor. Yes, they did not look at the manual and did not study the design of this engine. Even more often the sellers of spare parts and servicemen sold them and changed only the upper timing belt. Many people learned about the existence of the lower one too late. People until the last thought that the chains were pulled to the fuel injector.
The truth was revealed only when the lower belt broke or lost all the teeth. In practice, such a surprise occurred when the mileage exceeded 200 000 km. As a result, the motor bent valves, got marks on the pistons. If the breakage occurred at high speed, it ended with the exit of one of the connecting rods outside. In short, when replacing the timing drive, you need to buy not only the upper, but also a cassette with a lower belt. This cassette (1562244) includes the belt, two pulleys, and two tensioners. Its cost is $260. That’s an unpleasant sum.
But you can return the chain cassette (1198056) to this motor’s timing drive. It is still sold together with a hydraulic tensioner, this set costs $280. You’ll also have to change the hub on the TNF for $75 to bolt the chain pulley to it. 4 bolts will cost $12. Whether such remodeling is worth attention is for each owner to decide. By the way, there are non-original chains without a cassette on sale, a pair of them will cost $10-$15.
Valve thermal clearances
There are no hydrocompensators in the valve train of the 1.8 TDCI engine. Incredible, but true. Thermal clearances are adjusted by washers mounted on the pushrods. Inlet valve clearances are 0.3-0.4, and exhaust valve clearances are 0.45-0.55. In practice, this procedure should be done once every 200,000 km. Beforehand, of course, you just need to measure the existing clearances.
The cylinder-head of this engine is cast iron. This indicates a very long history of this engine.
Glow plugs
It’s been a while since we’ve paid attention to glow plugs. Usually nothing extraordinary happens to them. If more than one glow plug fails, the engine will start worse in cold weather and will smoke a thick dark gray smoke after starting. From this cast iron cylinder head, the glow plugs usually unscrew well even after 10 or more years of use.
Piston group
In 2007, the piston group of this engine was lightened to reduce friction losses. The new pistons received rings of reduced height. Here they are 2 mm and a little less. Before that, they were 2.5 to 3 mm. But the reliability, durability and oil consumption were not affected by this update.