[Closed] Are there any Ford mechanics on here?

go on?

Do tell

Could do with some advice on a very specific fault

You overpaid for one

Me too. I sat in Ford's today with my 3.5 year old and 8 month pregnant wife whilst they told me the fault (random cutting out) on our Kuga was "not able to be found unless it was investigated properly".

Investigated properly? Isn't that what I asked you to do in the first place? Don't you think its important enough to warrant a proper look?

[/rant]

OK - here goes...

Caveat first - I did say "specific" rather than interesting!

Engine management light came on (2009 Mondeo 2.0 diesel). Plugged it in at the local mechanic and it came back as P2002 Diesel particulate filter efficiency below threshold bank 1. Knocked the light out and the mechanic recommended a good run in the car to allow the filter to regenerate. Had my doubts as the car had been on long runs recently so shouldn't have been that.

Sure enough, light comes back on which leads me to tinterweb and the following forum post
http://www.talkford.com/topic/195474-eml-code-p2002-diesel-particulate-filter-efficiency/

I took it back to the mechanic and sure enough when up on the ramps the rubber hose as described in the link was broken - it had hardened and perished. Looking these up at the local Ford dealer and they want £115 quid for a couple of rubber hoses!!

My questions are: -

1. Have these parts been upgraded as the originals obviously aren't up to the job of being near such a high temperature part of the car?

2. If not, then have any aftermarket parts been made available instead of Ford parts?

3. If no again, should they be wrapped in foil or similar to protect from heat when re-fitted?

4. Finally, will a couple of lengths of fuel hose or similar be acceptable as the hoses simply connect at both ends with basic clips i.e. are there any gizmos contained within the hose that makes them special and so expensive? They are listed as a "sensor assembly".

Part number is 1440559 for anyone with access.

Many thanks

Anybody?

Any old hose will do the job. Sheath it in foil if you want to.I used some braided fuel line on the last one I did. Worst case scenario is that it may not last long.

Your big issue may be that the DPF is full, since it has not completed a regeneration cycle due to the fault code. If this is the case it is possible to remove the DPF and steam clean the internal matrix.

Hth
Marko

2. If not, then have any aftermarket parts been made available instead of Ford parts?

Not for most of their stuff. Had to replace a hose last week, £50 for basically an elbow joint between the EGR steel pipes and the inlet manifold. Split in pipe causing all sorts of problems, common fault according to Talkford (good resource).

Thanks Marko, is removing the dpf a Ford only job or relatively simple? Ford have quoted £80 to regenerate the dpf by plugging the car into some kind of electronic programme. Would the regeneration have only stopped happening after the fault code came to light or would the spilt pipe have caused the dpf to fill up thus triggering the warning light?

While we're at it: any Ford mechanics care to explain why the left rear light cluster on my 57 plate Focus is full of water? 😯

(actually I know why: it's no longer watertight for some reason and no one thought to design a way for water to get out if it did get in there)

Ah well, I feel a trip to the breaker's yard coming on...

Friend of mine had to have his DPF replaced on his Focus after it could not be regenerated. COPst him the best part of £800

Thanks anjs - any other good news for me...

GrahamS - Member

While we're at it: any Ford mechanics care to explain why the left rear light cluster on my 57 plate Focus is full of water?

(actually I know why: it's no longer watertight for some reason and no one thought to design a way for water to get out if it did get in there)

Ah well, I feel a trip to the breaker's yard coming on...

Try a regen first, Ford ids will enable a full regen, but if the DPF is quite badly blocked it more than likely won't work. There is an aftermarket treatment we use that does a DPF clean using chemicals basically fired into the DPF via the temp sensor and does work in 99% of cases, it's a lengthy process though costs about £200

Drill a small drain hole at the lowest point of the light cluster?

Yeah that'd be a temp fix but the trouble is that the water getting in tends to cause the bulbs to explode and fuses to pop, so I need to either figure out where it's leaking and bodge some silicone sealant on it, or just get a new light cluster from the scrappy.

Silicone sealant FTW!

cb:

I don't think IDS (Fords diagnostic tool) will allow a forced regeneration if the tool thinks the DPF is too blocked up already. Lots of independent garages have the genuine Ford tool and will be able to do the forced regeneration for you, so you don't need to use the main dealer.

To attempt to clean it you need to remove it from the vehicle and use a pressure washer - or ideally a steam cleaner to blast the crud out of it. I've heard talk of people using a variety of home brew concoctions to clean them out - brake cleaner and Acetone anyone?

The last alternative is to smash the guts out of it and either have a box of tricks fitted or the ECU software modified to fool the system into thinking the DPF is there and functioning correctly. This is not a solution I'd consider as in theory the DPF is there for a good environmental reason.
Hth
Marko

Thankfully prices seem to be dropping for what is essentially an expendable part . I had started to have nightmares after my dpf additive fluid ran out due to expectation of impending dpf failure.

http://www.clickcarparts.co.uk/blog/47/diesel-particulate-filter-prices-dropped-in-april