TDCI what to look for

[sierraman]

Looking on Friday at a Mondeo Estate TDCI DMF timebomb. It's cheap as the owner needs shut as he's got a new car. I'm told it pulls like a train, doesn't smoke or make any comedy noises. I've asked about the clutch but he says it's fine and at 120k there's every chance it's already been done.

 

With respect to the engine, is there anything in particular I should look for? I'm aware it needs a new drivebelt tensioner, which I'm not worried about I can handle that.

 

I realise it's a common rail diesel and will at some point with little or no warning suffer some sort of catastrophic failure. It's a car to knock about in for a year or two, not a life partner. I won't be getting its name tattooed on my chest put it that way.

[Cavcraft]

Injectors, DMF, starter motor (first thing to go when the DMF starts giving way), and the DMF.

[the judge]

If no knocking, clanging or banging, as Billy said, it should be alright

[Bren]

If it is not running properly run like hell. Likewise if clutch feels high at the biting point or makes funny noises.

 

Depending on age rust can be an issue.

[sierraman]

Just had a service and 4 x ditchfinders on it as well.

[omegod]

If the code on the Catalytic converter ( visible from the engine bay ) ends with CA it's worth around £150-200 scrap, bit of a comfort zone in the event if the engine/DMF  goes pop 

[Cavcraft]

If no knocking, clanging or banging, as Billy said, it should be alright

 

Just to clarify I have most definitely not said a Mondeo diesel would be alright. Ever.

[srad34]

DMF wobbling more than a Rowntrees Jelly, if it gives you foot whitefinger*, walk a way....

 

*well, whitefoot.....

[rantingYoof]

If it's £500 and doesn't do any of the TDCi death-knell warnings then you're likely to get six months out of it, and if you are going to bomb up and down a motorway for hours at a time, that's when a TDCi is happiest.

 

The DMF can usually be avoided by driving it a bit more carefully, but injectors and turbo are fairly weak points. Mine ended up getting pushed on cheaply due to the turbo actuator valve getting clogged up, causing it to overboost and then go into limp home mode.

 

Various garages rolled their eyes at it and generally said that it would be a whole new turbo and part job costing £££s, and then the car would only be worth £££s, so I sold it for £££s instead to a guy in the military who has put 40k on it since I sold it to him. It should hit 200k next MOT.

[sierraman]

I think a lot of it is people probably not prepared to spend a bit of time doing preventative stuff like cleaning EGR out etc. I'll see Friday what it's like. Could be a bag of shit, could be OK.

[omegod]

Electronic turbo actuators fail due to a dodgy bit of solder inside that can be DIY'd , injectors can be coded to the car with some free software I used, forscan ( great name ) They break very well if you have the space so an outlay of £400 ish is easily recoverable 

[Lankytim]

Are these the same lumps as X types?

[overrun]

Aye, and Transit's.

 

My 130 TDCi developed a fault where it would cut out if in 6th @ 70mph on cruise, and if it had to tackle a slight incline, not steep enough to previously require changing down, though.

 

It usually happened when towing (pic of questionable legality for the lols).

 

 

Anyway it turned out to be a cracked cam sensor, which my Ford tech mate found with his oscilloscope, after he bought it, so an easy fix and one worth remembering.

[sierraman]

Went and had a look at it. Clutch was good, the DMF didn't sound like the opening to Todd Terry 'Sonethings Goin On', engine didn't smoke and pulled like a train. Gave £400 for it, pick up Monday!! WCPGW?

 

Extra points for being in JRG.

[UltraWomble]

Cow shit in the footwell...

[Slartibartfast]

If the fuel pump goes that's an expensive repair.

 

Don't know if this one is the same, but the timing chain tensioner is oil pressurised. Lose oil pressure, tensioner loosens, chain jumps a tooth or two, engine is now a big expensive lump of uselessness.

 

The turbo can die in a spectacular fashion too.

[Bren]

Mate has just disposed of a 55 plate titanium because the clutch was going.

[Pillock]

If you labour it in a high gear, the DMF gives up. If you thrash it, the turbo or injectors go.

 

As Bart Simpson once said, you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.

 

I'd only ever buy one with the longest MOT possible and consider it a success if lasts that long. As with Lagunas, there will be good ones out there but it will be like finding a specific needle in a needle factory.

 

It's a shame as they're great at what they do - up and down the motorway in comfort with a tonne of stuff in the boot. It's just these days some of those miles will be on a flatbed.

[overrun]

I'd have one again tomorrow

[cobblers]

the DMF didn't sound like the opening to Todd Terry 'Sonethings Goin On',

Fuppin lol

[smellypoo]

All the important stuff mentioned already.

 

Annoying minor things include - worn keys, central locking developing mystery faults (some doors stay open on locking/closed when opening), washer pump fails and is an absolute ballache to replace, window switches breaking/wobbling about in doorcard. Boot can leak meaning all your windows need defrosting /scraping from the inside in winter. 

 

Oh, the taillights are a bit odd if I remember correctly - I think 2 segments for the 'ring' in a cluster are wired in series so that if one bulb fails, the other doesn't light up or something stupid like that.

 

Also, the taillight/brake light combination bulb has a 'wonky' pin arrangement - meaning a standard bulb can't be used unless you employ the shitters method of filing a pin off. Alternatively, the 'proper' bulb is readily available but you're more likely to have a 'normal' spare bulb already.

 

...and none of that is TDCI specific. It's just generic MK3 Mondeo crap.

[sierraman]

I've checked the above. Like I say it's a £400 car, I won't be anticipating running it for 10 years. On the face of it it looks good, drives well, the clutch doesn't slip - tested that. I see loads knocking about with new clutches and DMFs in them, people have spent a fortune on them, chicken out and hand the benefit on to next owner!

 

The way I see it is like any car at this money it's a disposible asset. You could buy the 2.0 petrol and the rings could start to go and it burn oil. Again if the clutch goes on that one it's goodnight Vienna.

 

Any car can be trouble. I've known people buy known reliable cars and they've packed in. You pays your money takes your chances!!

[Fabergé Greggs]

I believe in you man. It's going to work out just fine.

[Arfur Foxache]

I bought one with noisy DMF at 160000 miles. Still had the same slightly noisy DMF when sold a couple of years ago on 235000.

 

It's still showing as taxed as well and I'm certain the guy I sold it to won't have done anything other than put diesel in it.

 

Injectors and turbo always potential issues but you won't get a better cheap motorway cruiser for the money.

[Lankytim]

Is it hard to just stick good used injectors in, or do they need to be coded at a dealer and replaced in sets etc?

[sierraman]

Picking it up later after work. Still got to sell the old one yet! No collection fred. It's getting dropped off.

[AMC Rebel]

 

Also, the taillight/brake light combination bulb has a 'wonky' pin arrangement - meaning a standard bulb can't be used unless you employ the shitters method of filing a pin off. Alternatively, the 'proper' bulb is readily available but you're more likely to have a 'normal' spare bulb already.

 

 

Wonky in what way?  Stop/Tail generally have the pins with an offset, (ie they don't line up) don't they - is this in the other plane?

 

I have seen some wonky indicator bulbs where the pins weren't 180 degrees opposed - used to try and stop people putting clear bulbs in where amber coated ones were required I think.

 

<grumpy> I wish more people had an idea what they were doing/were bothered as I see so many cars with the wrong bulbs fitted/lights out/badly adjusted headlights </grumpy>

[theguvnor]

I belive the inltet pipe (intercooler to egr valve) is prone to splitting with age. It will be obvious if there is an issue as the car will be down on power.

 

 

[sierraman]

I'll check that. First job will probably be a thorough preventative clean of the EGR.

[rantingYoof]

My black 2.0TDCi in Ghia spec was perhaps one of my favourite cars, because it was so good at motorway cruising - the 6th gear at 70mph was perfect and it still had torque to get you up to 'must-pass-this-quickly' speed.

 

And it would still fetch 50+mpg on a run.