Ford Focus dies but why ?

[Outlaw 41]

I have never seen or heard of this happening before . Mk1 Focus 1.6 Zetec petrol. Poor performance , wont pull up hill , wont rev past 4000 rpm. Garage diagnosis , worn but not yet slipping clutch. Clutch replaced but problem not cured, same as before but this time with a metalic rattle coming from the exhaust ? Car dies , turns over but will not run . Garage diagnosis , internals of the cat broken up blocking the exhaust . Has anyone heard of this happening before ?

[Kev75]

I would drop the ex off and see if will start. slipping clutch would not affect rev
may even over rev in gear.

Kev

[patrolman pete]

I've come across this before where the cat has been damaged due to driving with a misfire. The petrol Focus is prone to the spark plug void filling with water due to leaking washer pipes or a small core plug weeping . Pull out the plug caps and check for water and corrosion. Often the plugs are seized in and due to the risk of breakage the garage just leave them and the plug just erodes away causing misfires too !


If they can disconnect the exhaust before the cat and road test you may find your problem.

[SCP440]

I was asked to look at an Astra with the same problem, it would just about move under its own power as long as small amount of throttle was used.

A new Cat and exhaust and it was returned to full health, the owner reckoned it was quicker than it had ever been and she had owned it for a couple of years.

[munroman]

I had this with an ex's Corsa, she called me from 30 miles away saying the car was lacking power.

I ran over with my car, took hers, which seemed to start and run ok.

As soon as I tried to accelerate up the motorway slip road it almost died.

After a terrifying 10 miles mainly on the hard shoulder, at 20mph, I got onto an A road, then slowly home.

After visiting the toilet, I found that the exhaust wadding had come out of the silencer, so the car was constipated.

I pushed the wadding back with a hiking pole, and the car ran normally for days until I could fit a new silencer.

It was only years later that I found out my 9 month old car her ladyship had borrowed almost ended up on a Highland beach, as she forgot to apply the handbrake on a clifftop campsite, luckily she managed to jump back in quickly......

[Outlaw 41]

Originally Posted by munroman

I had this with an ex's Corsa, she called me from 30 miles away saying the car was lacking power.

I ran over with my car, took hers, which seemed to start and run ok.

As soon as I tried to accelerate up the motorway slip road it almost died.

After a terrifying 10 miles mainly on the hard shoulder, at 20mph, I got onto an A road, then slowly home.

After visiting the toilet, I found that the exhaust wadding had come out of the silencer, so the car was constipated.

I pushed the wadding back with a hiking pole, and the car ran normally for days until I could fit a new silencer.

It was only years later that I found out my 9 month old car her ladyship had borrowed almost ended up on a Highland beach, as she forgot to apply the handbrake on a clifftop campsite, luckily she managed to jump back in quickly......

My experience was exactly the same, caught in fast moving rush hour traffic , in the wrong lane, chugging 15mph up hill with the Grip Reaper sat in the back laughing his socks off telling me "Not long now boy , your next". Finally got home threw under pants in the bin and poured myself a stiff one. Yes its true , the Grim reaper wears socks . Pink ones. That was lucky with that handbrake , dodged a bullet there.

[breakfastinsmethwick]

Catalysts can be destroyed by even minor missfires.

I tested them on engine test beds where we inhibited just one spark at light load cruising rpm’s and had them fail. Im amazed that they are as reliable as they are.

Rubbish idea, should have kept leaded petrol and gone lean burn.

[SCP440]

Originally Posted by breakfastinsmethwick

Catalysts can be destroyed by even minor missfires.

And by driving through deep water. A customer with a petrol BMW V8 drove through some deep water and the next day the engine management light came on, there was also a curious rattle from under the car. As the car was still under warranty it went into the dealer. They rung him a few hours later to tell him the problem, both main catalysts were shattered due to thermal shock. £2300 and BMW would not pay

[Outlaw 41]

Originally Posted by SCP440

And by driving through deep water. A customer with a petrol BMW V8 drove through some deep water and the next day the engine management light came on, there was also a curious rattle from under the car. As the car was still under warranty it went into the dealer. They rung him a few hours later to tell him the problem, both main catalysts were shattered due to thermal shock. £2300 and BMW would not pay

OMG !! That was a kick in the pocket. Thankfully cats are cheaper now than they used to be .

[planenut]

Originally Posted by SCP440

I was asked to look at an Astra with the same problem, it would just about move under its own power as long as small amount of throttle was used.

A new Cat and exhaust and it was returned to full health, the owner reckoned it was quicker than it had ever been and she had owned it for a couple of years.

Likewise my Son's Astra, new down pipe and Cat produced a very responsive car.