TDCI Focus

[BenFez]

Picked up a black LT tdci a few weeks ago. Love it. Took it in for a 45k service the other day $300. Still has to go back as it has developed a squeaky drivers seat which they need to fix (warranty).

Was lurking here doing some reading. Of course became interested in the minor mods. I ended up ordering a Bluespark pro unit (not bluefin) from the UK and fitted it yesterday. This unit has 9 maps/profiles and 10 settings for each map. I have only tried the default map on default setting (map 5 on 75%) so far, but very nice. The car is definitely idling better (smoother) and much more responsive and of course a bunch more power.

Why did I grab this and not others or even a Bluefin? hmmm. Could not stretch to a Bluefin budget wise. Also, I liked the fact that it has a bunch of different maps and settings to play with. You can just dial it up to wherever the ECU decides you are making too much power and goes into limp mode. Then you back the setting off until that stops. I also read quite a bit about first hand accounts of these on a UK Jaguar forum and it was all good. I got this one for about $290 AUD delivered.

The guy was pretty responsive to questions. Has even sent a message since I received it saying if I have any problems with any of the settings to let him know and he would suggest some changes.

[NAOS]

hey guys, the TDCi, is looking good, im picking it up tomorrow, the test drive felt awesome, cant wait, woo first car!! plz let us know how the RED ECU tune, as i am interested.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by NAOS

hey guys, the TDCi, is looking good, im picking it up tomorrow, the test drive felt awesome, cant wait, woo first car!! plz let us know how the RED ECU tune, as i am interested.

Welcome to the club, my TDCI is my second car

I still have my WS Fiesta, everything else I drive now seems so slow without that massive torque rush you get in the TDCI, it always feels like you're going fast.

[Focus_TDCI]

Hey Guys have you had any problems with the car yet? i did abit of research online and it says that the DPF needs replacing every 75000k is this true and how much will it cost? i have the car for one year now and its been fantastic.

[marg99]

Luckily I have an early LT model TDCI, which came without the Particulate filter.
Great car to drive.

[reggaeman]

hi FOCUS TDCI,
congrats on your purchase. i picked mine up last friday, had a couple of things that confused me, but the fellas here have been great at making sense of things. just out of curiosity what's a dpf? im pretty new to diesels and past few cars have been oldies.

reggaeman.

[Martyvan]

Originally Posted by Focus_TDCI

Hey Guys have you had any problems with the car yet? i did abit of research online and it says that the DPF needs replacing every 75000k is this true and how much will it cost? i have the car for one year now and its been fantastic.

Where did you find that information?? Sounds like rubbish to me.... there is no way they would replace an entire DPF, that would be $1000's of maintenance on every single car.... There is some talk of an additive which requires replacement, but no chance in hell of the entire DPF. they are an item like a gearbox, you may need to replace one in the life of the vehicle, but the percentage of them is very small.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by reggaeman

hi FOCUS TDCI,
congrats on your purchase. i picked mine up last friday, had a couple of things that confused me, but the fellas here have been great at making sense of things. just out of curiosity what's a dpf? im pretty new to diesels and past few cars have been oldies.

reggaeman.

DPF is a Diesel Particulate Filter which is basically another anti pollution gadget.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_particulate_filter


IMHO I still think it's a bit of a step backwards in terms of the vehicle engine longevity :(

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice...e-filters.html

[kevino]

Talking about TDCI,s-I have been running 30 front psi and 33 rear psi on my stock 205/55/16,s. I had them balanced rotated aligned today and the tyre guy told me I should run at 36 psi all round.

Any comments??

[globy]

Originally Posted by Focus_TDCI

Hey Guys have you had any problems with the car yet? i did abit of research online and it says that the DPF needs replacing every 75000k is this true and how much will it cost? i have the car for one year now and its been fantastic.

Had a flat battery this long weekend while camping, seems these diesel cars need more power than a Toyota Camry can provide to jump start the car.

Called the NRMA. He used a portable jump starter to no avail, then used a charger and something else that plugs into the back of his car to get it to start.

So in short, the car needs more power to jump start and if your going camping turn the car on to use the headlights as the alternator will charge your battery.

[Focus_TDCI]

Originally Posted by reggaeman

hi FOCUS TDCI,
congrats on your purchase. i picked mine up last friday, had a couple of things that confused me, but the fellas here have been great at making sense of things. just out of curiosity what's a dpf? im pretty new to diesels and past few cars have been oldies.

reggaeman.

haha someone got to you first but here is where i got my info from http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/other...ord-focus.html

I have had the car for one year now. what motor oil are you guys using and what rating? the ford service handbook doesnt give much details other than SAE 5w-30. i heard that it needs low ash (low sulfur or other chemicals) oils so that the DPF doesnt get prematurely clogged. so far (without much knowledge) iive been using 15w-40 Diesel Motor Oil =S

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by kevino

Talking about TDCI,s-I have been running 30 front psi and 33 rear psi on my stock 205/55/16,s. I had them balanced rotated aligned today and the tyre guy told me I should run at 36 psi all round.

Any comments??

What does the door sticker say?? If memory serves there is a bit of a difference between front and rear, like 3-4 psi.

I do a lot of freeway driving so like mine harder, I have them at 38psi all round.

30 and 33 is lowish. You will have a more plus ride at the sacrifice of your handling and you will use a little more fuel as well.

[Focus_TDCI]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

What does the door sticker say?? If memory serves there is a bit of a difference between front and rear, like 3-4 psi.

I do a lot of freeway driving so like mine harder, I have them at 38psi all round.

30 and 33 is lowish. You will have a more plus ride at the sacrifice of your handling and you will use a little more fuel as well.

i run them 35 PSI all round. Nice ride around town and on the highway.

[Franco Cozzo]

40 psi all around here, but no more than that because you start wearing out the middle of the tread early.

[Dustproof]

During one of the longer services (Can't remember which), they refill the DPF fluid. If this is done, the DPF should last forever, this is one reason you should go to Ford for some servicing. From what I have heard, Ford are the only ones that can do this part of the Service.

[kevino]

Thanks for the comments on the tyre pressures. My TDCI has the petrol focus tyre pressure sticker advice on teh side of the door so I have been running the wrong tyre pressures for 3 years.
Turns out the handbook says 1/3 passengers should be 35 front 33 rear whereas the 2 litre petrol is 30 front 33 rear /very different.
Explains why my TDci didnt handle too well and had a bit of steering wheel shimmy.
Thanks to you guys I will now be back on track.
I was also going through the owners handbook and servicing guide and can find nothing about DPF fluid to be added.
Also I see you can run diesel with 5% bio diesel so this means in Qld I can buy this at Freedom Fuels.
This forum is a very valuable tool for those of us who care about our cars.

[kevino]

Correction to last post -the Freedom diesel is 20% biodiesel and Ford only allow 5% bio diesel mix as suited to the Focus TDCI.
Will stay with the BP Ultimate Diesel.

[pugdriver]

Yes Ford does only allow 5% biodiesel in the mix, Peugeot makes the engines and they allow 30% biodiesel, (same engine is Pug 307 / 308) I wonder why Ford is being so careful?

[kevino]

Pug driver thats interesting. Two of the owner drivers at work run 300 horse power diesel DAF trucks and have been running them on Freedom B20 for over 600000kms each.

[Russ]

My 2008 Golf GT TDI (which I just sold) had a warning on the inside of the fuel cap NO BIO DIESEL. I don't know if that applies to the cars sold in Europe as well or if it's just for us, as I think the quality of the fuels over there would be a lot better than ours.

[Marlboro2728]

So does the LV Tdci have a DPF?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Marlboro2728

So does the LV Tdci have a DPF?

It would appear that the TDCI Focus is fitted with the DPF from 2008 onwards, from what I could find on it anyway.

[Marlboro2728]

Thanks Russ. Spoke to two Ford dealers and they also confirmed the LV TDCI does have a DPF but it doesn't require any special 'top ups'.

[reggaeman]

Thanks Russ & Ford TDCI.
i reckon there's alot more "useful" info here on the forums then there is in the user manual, really need to get myself a haynes manual though.

[Russ]

No worries, glad to help out

[Franco Cozzo]

Was just driving my old Fiesta, seems a hell of a lot more easier to get the thing off the line with minimal accelerator, would getting rid of the torque limiter on first/second gears fix that?

It seems through first/second gear there is basically nothing, then when you go 3rd, even with minimal accelerator pedal you get shoved back into the seat, wonder if I can get that happening in first and second.

[Marlboro2728]

Due for 60k service and looking for some oil. The Shell website lists an oil that is approved to Ford spec WSS-M2C913-B as listed in the service guide but states it is for diesel engines without DPF's. I've spoken to two Ford dealers who have confirmed the LV has the DPF so what is with this spec? Any oil that is for a DPF vehicle doesn't meet this seemingly old spec!

[Dustproof]

Originally Posted by Marlboro2728

Any oil that is for a DPF vehicle doesn't meet this seemingly old spec!

I use Nulon Oil which meets the requirements by Ford for Diesel Vehicles with DPF. The issue is that if you have a DPF fitted to your car, you need a low ash oil or you can clog up the Diesel Particulate Filter which can lead to unnecessary expense. Oils ain't Oils - especially where Diesel Engines are concerned.

[Turbodiesel]

So after much research and deliberation I'm taking the plunge.... on Monday the rear muffler will be replaced with a straight pipe.

Should be interesting, hopefully in a good way

[NAOS]

Originally Posted by Turbodiesel

So after much research and deliberation I'm taking the plunge.... on Monday the rear muffler will be replaced with a straight pipe.

Should be interesting, hopefully in a good way

hey
let us know how it is, i am also keen know know about it