53 plate tddi engine problems

[Wobby]

Hi all, first post so be gentle!

I have a transit connect that is driven by an employee, its done a good job without problems until recently. It has always had some oil contamination in the coolant.

Its done 160k and sounds in reasonable condition. Last week it overheated, radiator and most hoses completely blocked with emulsified oil. We have blamed head gasket. We have just changed head gasket (old one did look suspect and not sealed properly between some water and oilways). Couldn't see any distortion on the head. Fitted new cambelt with everything locked up with tool kit. Fitted new water pump although old one looked in good condition. All gaskets around head were replaced and turbo oil feed/ return gasket. Most coolant pipes were flushed with a detergent and then a degreaser before being flushed with water. Removed huge amounts of oil from everywhere we could, flushed 3 differant ways.

Radiator and hoses on its own, heater matrix and a few other bits then flushed the head and block seperately.

There will still be some contamination within areas we couldn't get to, engine runs nice but after it has got to temperature there seems to be a small amount of oil returning to the expansion tank. I am hoping this is moving off the pipes/ surfaces, i am going to flush the cooling system a few times tomorrow.

My feeling is that the oil problem is still present, looking at the engine there is a small heat exchanger down the rear left of the engine below the PAS tank. This looks to be an oil cooler for oil returning to the block from the turbo. Could it be possible this exchanger is allowing oil into the coolant?

What are the other areas where oil could contaminate the coolant? The bores etc all appeared in good condition as did the head, internal damage to the block or head is possible.

Anybody familiar with this engine that can advise me on likely weaknesses and problems, would be appreciated.

After flushing the only definate way i can think of finding the area is to pressure test individual parts of the system. This is if the problems hasn't already been fixed

Ford engines are not something i am familiar with, have worked on plenty of other engines and also have kit cars so hopefully i can hold spanners etc.

Sorry its a long post and thanks in advance for any replies.

[local nick]

aye up sounds like it could be the oil cooler. nowts gone wrong on my tc but the symptons sound like a few of the lads at work have had with their vauxhall astras. mite be an idea to look in that direction.

[Wobby]

aye up sounds like it could be the oil cooler. nowts gone wrong on my tc but the symptons sound like a few of the lads at work have had with their vauxhall astras. mite be an idea to look in that direction.

Thanks for the quick response nick, i will investigate the cooler if we still have a problem.

Must admit the engine sounds great for 160k

[Frag]

aye up sounds like it could be the oil cooler. nowts gone wrong on my tc but the symptons sound like a few of the lads at work have had with their vauxhall astras. mite be an idea to look in that direction.

2nd that idea,most likely to be the oil cooler.
Transit van`s have an issue with this,even done a couple of latest shape one`s.
Keep an eye on the hose`s if not replaced,if it`s been run for any length of time with oil in system they`ll start to go soft then fail under pressure.
Not seen a head gasket failure on that engine,usually when they fail it`s more terminal

[Wobby]

Thanks for the replies. Still seems to be losing oil into the coolant! Can either be the cooler or an internal crack in the block or head. Cooler seems favorite and easiest.

Has anyone run with this disconnected and a straight through connector fitted on the coolant pipes? Thinking this may tell me if its faulty. If i get no more oil in the coolant and it develops a mysterious oil leak from the cooler open pipe it could be a good indication

Obviously its fitted because it needs one but if i limit the speed down at 70mph and dont use the revs higher up it should run the oil cool enough, shouldn't it

Is it worth a try or too dodgy!!

Thanks in advance for any advice

[coconut]

Try it disconnected but dont forget the oil will still be coming out of the cooler and dripping onto the road/exhaust etc so it worth putting a piece of pipe from the outlet of the cooler into a bottle

Also if you havent changed pipes etc, then there will still be traces of oil in the system

Personally I wouldnt bother bypassing it, just fit a new one, its fairly common on the fiesta, focus and connects with the lynx engine

[JamesBond@ge]

What is this Lynx engine you mention Coconut? And how is it different from the other Connect engines?

[MrMPuk]

What is this Lynx engine you mention Coconut? And how is it different from the other Connect engines?

Lynx engine is the engine that is fitted.

[JamesBond@ge]

What is this Lynx engine you mention Coconut? And how is it different from the other Connect engines?

Lynx engine is the engine that is fitted.

Aye right, so all Connect engines are Lynx?

[coconut]

What is this Lynx engine you mention Coconut? And how is it different from the other Connect engines?

Lynx engine is the engine that is fitted.

Aye right, so all Connect engines are Lynx?

Apart from the petrol engines

[Wobby]

Personally I wouldnt bother bypassing it

Back to square one today...

Fitted a new oil cooler (ford said it didn't need a new gasket when i requested one!). So oil p**sed out all over on start up and we had to remove it and fit a new gasket as i thought. Ford bloke said he can't believe someone told me i wouldn't need a new gasket..... where was it that told you?

My reply was "i was stood about here and the f**king bloke who told me was fat had glasses on and stood where you are stood! Is he in?" Apparently he wasn't

Run car for a day, oil in coolant. This wasn't a concern as the heater matrix wasn't flushed so there would be some contamination. Sadly its used about a litre of oil in 200 miles today, not leaking any and i know where its all gone

Is there anything else this could be now besides internal damage between water and oil, either in the block or head? Sadly i had the chance of an engine and gearbox for £300 but went the repair route instead. Its cost me towards £300 now with a new cam belt and kit, water pump, head gasket, head bolts, oil cooler.. etc etc....

Would like a fix if possible rather than a swap, ideas anyone?

Its off the road now, probably 'till i get another engine to drop in. If i go this route am i better keeping my old fuel pump or getting the ecu with the engine to prevent a trip to ford to code them etc? Any advice on engine change on these is appreciated. Have all the gear/ engine hoists etc as we use it for our kit cars.

[JamesBond@ge]

Crikey! A new Engine just for Oil getting in the coolant? Thats a bit drastic isn't it?

[Wobby]

Crikey! A new Engine just for Oil getting in the coolant? Thats a bit drastic isn't it?

The oil in the coolant causes its own problems, its not something you can carry on with. The amount thats going into the coolant at present is sufficient to completely block the radiator in 3-4 days. Van had to be recovered home twice in last few weeks.

Its not a new engine really, more a replacement engine If there are any other options to try i will take them. The engine sounds decent enough for 160k but i must have it reliable. As an example in 3 days this week (if it were working) it would be travelling 600 miles including a trip to London from Doncaster.

Positive for me is the Endura TDDI engines are plentiful and cheap compared to some diesel engines!

[coconut]

Just a thought, is it now burning oil (but not enough to see) and there is still some residue left in the cooling system which is making it look like its mixing

The only thing I can think of when it 1st overheated it damaged something internally, I havent every heard of that before with connects but there's always a 1st time!!.

[Wobby]

Just a thought, is it now burning oil (but not enough to see) and there is still some residue left in the cooling system which is making it look like its mixing

The only thing I can think of when it 1st overheated it damaged something internally, I havent every heard of that before with connects but there's always a 1st time!!.

Thanks for the thoughts, i would think the amount that its losing would be very visible. The bores all visible parts that we inspected appeared in good condition visually but we didn't do any proper measurments as i didn't think it was necessary.

The poor van has had oil in the coolant since i bought it at 110k. Its gradually got worse over the last 50k! The van has not been maintained to any reasonable standard and the driver who drives it never checks any levels and is a terrible driver! The vans not been stationary long enough for me to do proper servicing. It has had some things done but not meticulous proper services as i do on other vehicles.

I am now positive that there must be some internal damage, i am hoping a replacement bare engine will fix it. I can take the new cambelt off and fit it to the new engine so its not wasted. I am also interested in looking at the chains on old engine as there is a chainy type rattle lower down the revs on acceleration, its not got worse over 50k. Need to get it fixed and back on the road.

Any other thought appreciated I cant think of anywhere else oil can transfer over. There is a water cooler on the exhaust gas thats recycled into the inlet manifold, can't see how anything could transfer here?

The van will have its coolant flushed and keep being reused on the occasional day just to see whats happening