AS Communal MK4&5 Mondeo Thread

[Out Run]

I've had DPF and EML woes of late. EML was bitching about MAP and AFM, so I cleaned them, replaced the pipercross filter inside of the airbox for a Mahle paper one and still the light kept returning.

When investigating my DPF issues - to check if vaporiser fuse was okay - I realised I had left the AFM unplugged, following filter replacement...

Re the DPF, the car went into limp mode and when I checked it on Forscan, it said conditions unsuitable for regen. I took it for a motorway run, monitoring the DPF values and exhaust temps and it just shot up and up.

I removed the DPF from the car, snapping one exhaust fastener and choosing to cut off and drill out the other three. I pressure washed the filter. I didn't really note much shit coming out of it, but what was apprent was that even the water was struggling to pass through, initially. I thought the car was down on power, maybe it was.

Stuck it back on, cleared the DTCs and EML and checked the new level with ignition on. 7.4% soot load, apparently. Quite an improvent over 180odd%.

I took it for an 85 mile motorway run and monitored the live values again. 26.86% on the soot load and 45% DPF load, after that. I believe they regen at 60 or is ot 90% DPF load? I read it once, who knows?

I pressed the car back into service for the daily commute  and awaited a regen. It decided to do one today, at 123 miles.

14.57 DPF load and 24% soot load after that, so it says. Happy with that.

Hopefully it behaves. If not, at least it is easy to drop and clean again/gut, now it is nutted and bolted in place.

I forgot to say, I did attempt a static regen before removal. The process completed, but it said the soot load was too high.

[warren t claim]

I don't remember a static regen ever working on any of mine.

[Out Run]

37 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

I don't remember a static regen ever working on any of mine.

I know what you mean. I did manage a successful one on my PFL 2.0 TX, but they often seem to be a waste of time!

[wuvvum]

It's interesting how much difference there is in what you can and can't do with Forscan between earlier and later cars.

[twosmoke300]

A static regen won’t work if the soot level is that high . This is because the risk of fire is too high due to high soot content and no airflow to cool the dpf . What you can do is tell the ecu it’s had a new dpf then do a static regen but at your own risk .

Also the car doesn’t adjust soot content based on the pressure sensor reading . The soot content is calculated based on mileage and driving patterns . This is why when a dpf clogs there is usually another reason that is making the engine run dirtier than it should do . 
The pressure sensor is only really an emergency/ safety sensor which alerts the ecu of potential dpf blockage which could be from soot or ash .

[sierraman]

So basically, it’s either prevent it happening by giving it a good beasting every now and then up the motorway or end up replacing it? 

Mare the trailing arm bolts on these as prone to seizing in the sleeve as the Focus Mk2?

[Out Run]

11 hours ago, twosmoke300 said:

A static regen won’t work if the soot level is that high . This is because the risk of fire is too high due to high soot content and no airflow to cool the dpf . What you can do is tell the ecu it’s had a new dpf then do a static regen but at your own risk .

Also the car doesn’t adjust soot content based on the pressure sensor reading . The soot content is calculated based on mileage and driving patterns . This is why when a dpf clogs there is usually another reason that is making the engine run dirtier than it should do . 
The pressure sensor is only really an emergency/ safety sensor which alerts the ecu of potential dpf blockage which could be from soot or ash .

I did reset the values and risk an inferno. 😂

This will get smashed and mapped out in the future, I reckon*
 

 

*Not really, Greta 👀 

[wuvvum]

7 hours ago, twosmoke300 said:

A static regen won’t work if the soot level is that high . This is because the risk of fire is too high due to high soot content and no airflow to cool the dpf . What you can do is tell the ecu it’s had a new dpf then do a static regen but at your own risk .

Also the car doesn’t adjust soot content based on the pressure sensor reading . The soot content is calculated based on mileage and driving patterns . This is why when a dpf clogs there is usually another reason that is making the engine run dirtier than it should do . 
The pressure sensor is only really an emergency/ safety sensor which alerts the ecu of potential dpf blockage which could be from soot or ash .

When I had the trouble on mine with it constantly trying to regen, I plugged in Forscan and reset the DPF learned values, which I assume is the equivalent of telling it it's had a new DPF (in my case it actually had, but whoever fitted it forgot to tell the car).  When I did the reset Forscan flashed up a warning basically saying "if you do this you can't then do a static regen or your car will catch fire" - although if the DPF is actually fairly new I would have thought the risk of it overheating to that point would be minimal?

[Out Run]

4 hours ago, wuvvum said:

When I had the trouble on mine with it constantly trying to regen, I plugged in Forscan and reset the DPF learned values, which I assume is the equivalent of telling it it's had a new DPF (in my case it actually had, but whoever fitted it forgot to tell the car).  When I did the reset Forscan flashed up a warning basically saying "if you do this you can't then do a static regen or your car will catch fire" - although if the DPF is actually fairly new I would have thought the risk of it overheating to that point would be minimal?

Agreed.

Did yours also have a new vaporiser? That is what failed on mine.

[warren t claim]

12 hours ago, sierraman said:

So basically, it’s either prevent it happening by giving it a good beasting every now and then up the motorway or end up replacing it? 

Mare the trailing arm bolts on these as prone to seizing in the sleeve as the Focus Mk2?

Due to working the night shift and the roads being quiet at 4.30am, I used to treat all my Mk4  Mondeos to a flat out blast in top gear once a week. 

[twosmoke300]

2 hours ago, Out Run said:

Agreed.

Did yours also have a new vaporiser? That is what failed on mine.

Seeing transits with this on an almost weekly basis now . Only a code for dpf  high soot content . Vaporiser physically blocked with soot . Sometimes it will pop the glow plug that’s inside it or blow one of the two fuses for the system . Iirc the small 5a fuse control fuse will throw a code when it pops but the main 30a one won’t . 

[wuvvum]

3 hours ago, Out Run said:

Agreed.

Did yours also have a new vaporiser? That is what failed on mine.

Being an early car mine doesn't actually have a vaporiser.

[wuvvum]

13 hours ago, sierraman said:

Mare the trailing arm bolts on these as prone to seizing in the sleeve as the Focus Mk2?

The trailing arm bushes are more or less a service item, and need a special tool (or some ingenuity and lots of bits of wood) to change, but I'm not sure whether they actually seize.

[warren t claim]

Just now, wuvvum said:

The trailing arm bushes are more or less a service item, and need a special tool (or some ingenuity and lots of bits of wood) to change, but I'm not sure whether they actually seize.

The front bottom arm bushes wear out faster!

[wuvvum]

2 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

The front bottom arm bushes wear out faster!

True, but replacing the whole arm is pretty straightforward on the front.  As long as nothing is seized at least.

[sierraman]

27 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

The trailing arm bushes are more or less a service item, and need a special tool (or some ingenuity and lots of bits of wood) to change, but I'm not sure whether they actually seize.

No I’m on about the lower trailing arm bolt that goes through the lower rear arm. On the Focus the bush welds itself to the shank of the bolt, undo it and the steel sleeve just rips the bush out. 

[Out Run]

Called over to see my mates new house and doggo, tonight. 
 

Always good to get the band back together.

[Fraz]

Treated the racing Mondeo to a cheeky wee remap yesterday. So far very happy. 
 

An extra few prancing horses and torques to help it zoom up to 70mph 👍 

 

officially that makes it a racing mondeo now. Pretty much BTCC spec 

[Fraz]

Well - I learned a lesson today. 
 

Be more careful when fitting fuel filters to the racing mondeo. 
 

A month or two ago I fired in a new fuel filter into the mondeo, new filter seal etc. 
 

Except I wasn’t very careful with the seal and I pinched it at two points when bolting the filter cap back on. 
 

It has been letting air into the fuel system and would stall after first start in it had sat for a few hours. 
 

One new MANN filter with seal and we are golden again. 
 

shame I spotted it needs new rear tyres so that’s £225 down on a pair of 19” tyres ☹️ 
 

I also sorted its mot advisory of rust on suspension subframe mounting points by unbolting them, wire wheeling them back to metal and sealing them up again along. 
 

Now back to being a race car…

[sierraman]

On 5/25/2021 at 4:32 PM, Fraz said:

Well - I learned a lesson today. 
 

Be more careful when fitting fuel filters to the racing mondeo. 
 

A month or two ago I fired in a new fuel filter into the mondeo, new filter seal etc. 
 

Except I wasn’t very careful with the seal and I pinched it at two points when bolting the filter cap back on. 
 

It has been letting air into the fuel system and would stall after first start in it had sat for a few hours. 
 

One new MANN filter with seal and we are golden again. 
 

shame I spotted it needs new rear tyres so that’s £225 down on a pair of 19” tyres ☹️ 
 

I also sorted its mot advisory of rust on suspension subframe mounting points by unbolting them, wire wheeling them back to metal and sealing them up again along. 
 

Now back to being a race car…

Be grateful it wasn’t a Euro 4 and you weren’t fucking about underneath with loads of diesel running everywhere. Reminded me I need some tyres, fortunately £98 for a pair of ditchfinders will do. 

[sierraman]

Gave mine a much needed run today just under 200 miles, it definitely felt a better for it at the end. As a serial Mondeo botherer I’d say these are my favourite Mondeo of all time, as a motorway cruiser they are second to none. It recorded on the (probably lying) trip meter 54mpg at mostly 80mph, reaffirming my thoughts the only Mondeo worth having runs on diesel. 

[warren t claim]

On 6/1/2021 at 11:43 PM, sierraman said:

Gave mine a much needed run today just under 200 miles, it definitely felt a better for it at the end. As a serial Mondeo botherer I’d say these are my favourite Mondeo of all time, as a motorway cruiser they are second to none. It recorded on the (probably lying) trip meter 54mpg at mostly 80mph, reaffirming my thoughts the only Mondeo worth having runs on diesel. 

I managed 90mpg running empty back from Manchester Airport once. This was due to blowing a tyre out on the way and running on the 50mph biscuit spare.

[sierraman]

The tyres on mine in the front are running low. Spotted a set of Focus Mk3 Titanium alloys with 4-5mm of tread for £80 on on Bumtree, kills two birds with one stone, I need tyres and the alloys on mine are a mess. I’ll keep them but use them over winter maybe. 

[Barry Cade]

4 hours ago, sierraman said:

The tyres on mine in the front are running low. Spotted a set of Focus Mk3 Titanium alloys with 4-5mm of tread for £80 on on Bumtree, kills two birds with one stone, I need tyres and the alloys on mine are a mess. I’ll keep them but use them over winter maybe. 

Are they 17s? 

[sierraman]

No 215 55 16 same as what’s on at the moment. 

[sierraman]

Picked them up, gave £75, the rims are in excellent condition under the dust. 3 Michelins and a Continental. 

[Cord Fourteener]

Hi,

My name is Tim and I'm an alcoholic a Mondeo mk4 owner.

I'm new here, I've got my latest fix a new-to-me Mk4.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the good stuff this car as I obtained it from a previous user, he may even still be coming to these meetings this thread.

I just couldn't help myself. I mean it's for the wife, you see, she needs it. She needs it to go to work. I mean to go to work in. 

I'm sorry, I feel dirty five hundred quid lighter.

Will you all be here for me?

Thanks for listening, 

Tim, a Mondeo user. 

[junkyarddog]

That's a lot of car for £500.

I paid a hell of a lot more for mine,but it was only 3 years old at the time😂

[Cord Fourteener]

33 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

That's a lot of car for £500.

I paid a hell of a lot more for mine,but it was only 3 years old at the time😂

Well ok it was £550, £23 for a bottle of Archoil D max 6400 I chose to bung in, £80 on steel to steel public transport and £30 of taxed heavy oil to get home. Plus nibbles and a dirty burger.

But still, there is a lot of car right there for not much money. 

Drum roll please, I have some tyres in the garage, will they fit the wheels?

Also I think I know what's up with the central locking, the motor on one of the doors need a clean, hopefully. If not then fleabay replacement. 

Theres a charming chirp on idle, goes away at all other engine speeds like a resonant frequency. 

But it goes and its great. 

[warren t claim]

On 6/21/2021 at 2:39 PM, Cord Forteener aka Tim_E said:

Hi,

My name is Tim and I'm an alcoholic a Mondeo mk4 owner.

I'm new here, I've got my latest fix a new-to-me Mk4.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the good stuff this car as I obtained it from a previous user, he may even still be coming to these meetings this thread.

I just couldn't help myself. I mean it's for the wife, you see, she needs it. She needs it to go to work. I mean to go to work in. 

I'm sorry, I feel dirty five hundred quid lighter.

Will you all be here for me?

Thanks for listening, 

Tim, a Mondeo user. 

I'm guessing it's a Zetec? 

What motor has it got?

Those top spec Focus alloys that they fitted do look great and in my experience, are less prone to kerbing and lacquer peel.

Top bombing! These really are losing value like a well used Fleshlight!