[mattlmr]

Hi guys n girls, we have a 2013 1.0 fiesta ecoboost with 83k it is the 125hp version (titanium) it has a severe lack of power and also hesitation sometimes when accelerating.
The lack of power is so bad it will not pull over about 70mph and it takes ages to get there, almost as if the turbo is not working, Now here is where it gets interesting! bear with me!
I have read so many posts of various forums with people that had similar issues, here is what we have done and discovered so far but still have the lack of power and hesitation-
Replaced spark plugs and coil packs, found one spark plug insulator was severely cracked and initially thought that was our problem but sadly after new plus and coil packs still the same although we did get rid of the misfire.
Also changed rocker gasket as that was leaking and filling up the spark plug area with oil, it certainly looks like someone has been in there before us!
Replaced the tiny silicone/rubber diaphragm in the take off on the vacuum pump as they are prone to falling apart which ours was, sadly still no power and hesitation.
I have tested the cam driven vacuum pump with a hand held vacuum tester and that all seems fine as does the actuator and blow off valve.
Inspected the high pressure fuel pump and bucket and cam lobe, all seem fine with no wear.
we have no engine codes when this started (well actually we brought it like this so its always had the problem)
However we now have fault code P0420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1
So is it possible the cat is at fault and has been all along but only now threw up a code?
Would a bad cat or faulty 02 sensor cause sever loss of power plus hesitation?
Im guess its possible the original cracked insulator on the old spark plugs caused over fueling which may have contributed to the possible cat failed?

Anything else i can test?

Oh checked the live readings of the 02 sensor on bank one and i took a video which i have attached a link to here-

From what i read the 02 sensor voltage on sensor 2 should be stable ish around 0.6v but ours dropped down to 0.1 a few times while recording, however after holding the revs at 3k for a few moments it eventually became stable at 0.6v

Let me know your thoughts and if there is anything else i can do the test etc.. before spending money lol

 

[mattlmr]

Just an update four you, We did a exhaust pressure test and that was all fine the cat is fine, we replaced the post cat 02 sensor and still same problem (low power and hesitation)
I have inspected the turbo inlet fins and they are fine turbo spins freely.
Did a cylinder compression test that was fine
Did a full leak down test and that was fine, all three had a little loss that could be heard through the oil fill cap but it was on all three and very slight. No bubbling in the coolant during the test so I'm eliminating clacked head or head gasket for now.

So now I'm really stuck as still no fault codes and still the problem exists.
Was thinking next step would be to get a cheap boost gauge and actually check its making boost.
Then possibly try replacing the low pressure fuel pump as I've heard these can cause similar symptoms but not show a fault code.

If anyone wants to add suggestions or ideas feel free to comment and let me know as I'm really at a loss now!

The only other thing I'm not sure is normal is when the car is running its sounds very quite and normal but if i remove the oil fill cap there is a load tapping noise from the rocker cover does anyone else's ecoboost sound like this when they remove the oil cap?
Possibly a fecked tappet/follower/cam loab? would that cause the loss of power and hesitation? remember we are down about 50% on power.

 

[Erkdajerk]

It sounds like you're being extremely thorough and diligent while trying to avoid an expensive visit to the dealer. I can empathize, but I hope that you're not being penny-wise and pound-foolish. The only thing I can suggest is to get the official Ford troubleshooting chart for "lack of power" (if it exists) and follow it until you find the cause. Good luck.

 

[mattlmr]

Just another update for anyone reading this, got a boost gauge and tested boost. that is all fine 10psi and overboost to around 15psi as per normal.
Got a brand new ford intake fuel pump/sender unit which also has the "lifetime filter" in, fitted that and still the problem exists.
Still no fault codes still car have half the power it should with general hesitation. the hesitation seem to be mostly under load but can also occur off throttle and and almost anytime throughout the rev range.

Anyone got any suggestions?
Next step is to try a used high pressure fuel pump with new tappet, then possibly look at getting injectors cleaned.

Remember we have done compression tests and lek down tests and all within spec and we have boost. coil packs and plugs new and gapped correctly.

 

[PeteN95]

Mine is doing something similar, missing/power loss under load in 5th gear. Still seems to pull fine in lower gears. I did get a flashing (!) check engine light when it first did it on a big freeway hill, but it went away when it flattened out and runs fine. I checked for codes, but there are none stored?

 

[mattlmr]

Yet another update- Fitted new high pressure fuel pump and the little ufo thingy in the fuel line near it, Still the problem exists, Currently running some high pea content fuel injector cleaner through it while testing as the only fuel item left to replace is the injectors.
Now here is a new update discovery, I was checking the spark plugs again to look at the colour to help determine how the engine is running, bearing in mind there are new plugs as re replaced the old ones as one had a cracked insulator, Well guess what! another cracked insulator but this time on number 3 cylinder (last time it was number 1 cylinder) So this believe it or not does help, its telling me things are getting to hot, this is also evident by the heat coming from the engine even after a short test run and taking it easy. Temp gauge reads normal but you can feel the physical heat coming off the engine, (more than i would say is normal) So its either running silly lean or there is a timing issue.

So next we will send off the injectors to be tested and cleaned, but regarding the timing, could the timing be out? could someone have done a terrible job of cambelt replacement or should i look at vvt and oil controller's for the vvt etc... Remember still no fault codes!

 

[PeteN95]

Mine turned out to be a plug. I was finally able to get a code by reading it as I was driving and it showed misfire cylinder 3. I swapped coils and it stayed on 3. Got new plugs and when I went to change them I found nut shells in plug holes 1 & 2, rat? The number 3 was very rusty, rat pee? Anyway, runs fine now, good luck.

 

[Kingdeleted]

Yet another update- Fitted new high pressure fuel pump and the little ufo thingy in the fuel line near it, Still the problem exists, Currently running some high pea content fuel injector cleaner through it while testing as the only fuel item left to replace is the injectors.
Now here is a new update discovery, I was checking the spark plugs again to look at the colour to help determine how the engine is running, bearing in mind there are new plugs as re replaced the old ones as one had a cracked insulator, Well guess what! another cracked insulator but this time on number 3 cylinder (last time it was number 1 cylinder) So this believe it or not does help, its telling me things are getting to hot, this is also evident by the heat coming from the engine even after a short test run and taking it easy. Temp gauge reads normal but you can feel the physical heat coming off the engine, (more than i would say is normal) So its either running silly lean or there is a timing issue.

So next we will send off the injectors to be tested and cleaned, but regarding the timing, could the timing be out? could someone have done a terrible job of cambelt replacement or should i look at vvt and oil controller's for the vvt etc... Remember still no fault codes!

At 85k it’s unlikely the timing belt was replaced, and if it was the engine would never run if it was out of time even the slightest bit.

Cracking spark plug insulator after a couple test drives is crazy. Is the coolant system functioning properly?

the vvt solenoid’s can cause all sorts of problems in this engine.

 

[mattlmr]

Hi guys, still struggling with this, done loads since last update but ill try and bring you all upto date.
I got all the timing tools set tdc locked at crank, locked camshafts with tools and locked vvt's with tools, all timing is correct however the aux pulley on the crank was off by about 1cm, guess someone who had been in there before and done a timing belt didn't lock it with the pin, or it moved on them and they never bother to correct, anyway i corrected it and test drove the car, Got power back and no misfire hesitation however i now keep getting p0016 and p0017 codes, which is crankshaft and camshaft mis alignment or correlation. these codes appear every time its started up even after clearing them.
So now im trying to diagnose why this is happening-
So far i have replaced the crank sensor with a new ford one, ive took the vvt control solenoids off and powered them up and the little pin pushes out so they appear to be working, however not sure about the camshaft sensors, it would be odd that both inlet and exaust are faulty? so im thinking maybe its the actual vvts on both cams, that maybe the oilways are blocked?
But does anyone have the following info the help me test and diagnose further-

Having an issue with p0016 and p0017 codes crank and cam correlation. All timing is correct. New crank sensor fitted genuine Ford. Tested vvt control valves they work when bench tested. But not sure what the voltages should be to those and the cam sensors. I've got 9v at vvt control valves and 5v at power supply to cam sensors with just under 5v on the output signal. But when testing cam sensors out of engine with connector attached and multimeter on back probing signal. When I pass a metal object across the sensor I'm not seeing a change in the signal voltage.
Anyone got any thoughts on this? Cheers Matt.

 

[Kingdeleted]

Hi guys, still struggling with this, done loads since last update but ill try and bring you all upto date.
I got all the timing tools set tdc locked at crank, locked camshafts with tools and locked vvt's with tools, all timing is correct however the aux pulley on the crank was off by about 1cm, guess someone who had been in there before and done a timing belt didn't lock it with the pin, or it moved on them and they never bother to correct, anyway i corrected it and test drove the car, Got power back and no misfire hesitation however i now keep getting p0016 and p0017 codes, which is crankshaft and camshaft mis alignment or correlation. these codes appear every time its started up even after clearing them.
So now im trying to diagnose why this is happening-
So far i have replaced the crank sensor with a new ford one, ive took the vvt control solenoids off and powered them up and the little pin pushes out so they appear to be working, however not sure about the camshaft sensors, it would be odd that both inlet and exaust are faulty? so im thinking maybe its the actual vvts on both cams, that maybe the oilways are blocked?
But does anyone have the following info the help me test and diagnose further-

Having an issue with p0016 and p0017 codes crank and cam correlation. All timing is correct. New crank sensor fitted genuine Ford. Tested vvt control valves they work when bench tested. But not sure what the voltages should be to those and the cam sensors. I've got 9v at vvt control valves and 5v at power supply to cam sensors with just under 5v on the output signal. But when testing cam sensors out of engine with connector attached and multimeter on back probing signal. When I pass a metal object across the sensor I'm not seeing a change in the signal voltage.
Anyone got any thoughts on this? Cheers Matt.

When you set everything, did you remember to do this part?

 

[mattlmr]

When you set everything, did you remember to do this part?

View attachment 1167

Yes, that's what I did, and that's what whoever originally worked on the car didn't do or didn't do very well, hence it was off by about 1cm, but then I re did it after locking everything in place, and it's all set correctly, but got the p0016/17 codes.

 

[Kingdeleted]

Yes, that's what I did, and that's what whoever originally worked on the car didn't do or didn't do very well, hence it was off by about 1cm, but then I re did it after locking everything in place, and it's all set correctly, but got the p0016/17 codes.

Dang. I remember those wires being tricky to access, double check the wires leading from the sensors that one didn’t come loose or ground out or get frayed. I hope you figure it out