Ford EcoBlue engine reliability

[maingate]

My Mk 2 Cortina Estate disappeared one night (any key would open the door and the ignition). That same day we had a lot of snow which hung around for over a week. When it thawed my Brother in Law rang me up to say it was parked just down the street from his house.

 

[alcam]

I think that is why we had to keep fetching my dad's Cortina home from the same place in a nearby village on a Friday night, someone was using it as a free Taxi home

It wisnae me .
Unless your dad lived in Edinburgh?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Kev, couple of the main reasons for liners is that they are replaceable rather than having to rebore the block and they can be made of a harder wearing material (usually a steel alloy) than the ci block.

I knew the reason for liners Chris. Everyone knows you need them to do a cruise, see RobMac

 

[barryd]

Yeah, not sure why that thought came into my head Kev.

I quite liked the Cavalier, I remember hiring one many years ago and thrashing the Hollyhocks off of it down the M1.

My girlfriend in the 80s had the 2 litre SRI cavalier. It seemed fast as f*ck back then. She would drive me and my mates all over in it to country pubs on the lash. The downside was she drove like the feckin Stig and it was utterly terrifying.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

You wouldn't want to get in with me then if a girl can scare you.

 

[alcam]

You wouldn't want to get in with me then if a girl can scare you.

He probably would . Notorious double adapter

 

[bartman]

Common phrase employing the word 'bargepole' comes to mind!

And also somebody else's bargepole in case it gets contaminated.
Ah I remember the excellent 2 litre TDCI engine in my good old Mondeo. Went almost twice round the clock. I also read that the 2 litre Peugeot Hdi engine in my motorhome is essentially the same Ford engine under licence. Unfortunately unlike the chain cam in the Mondeo it has a belt driven cam, but at least not one that goes through the sump on its journey!

 

[TeamRienza]

My mechanic shocked and stunned a casual customer who brought his status symbol Jaguar in for some work.
It was pointed out that the engine Jaguar was using was a Ford engine and to rub salt in the wounds it was a Transit engine.
Not a happy man.

Davy

 

[davef]

In the 70s I had a mk1 Cortina estate. One day I dived quickly into a shop to get something leaving 4 year old son in the car. Came out to find the car trying to start lurching forward - I had left it in gear with handbrake on and taken the ignition key out. Son was grinning as he twisted a screwdriver in the ignition - luckily it didn't start!

 

[YeoBlade]

In the 70s I had a mk1 Cortina estate. One day I dived quickly into a shop to get something leaving 4 year old son in the car. Came out to find the car trying to start lurching forward - I had left it in gear with handbrake on and taken the ignition key out. Son was grinning as he twisted a screwdriver in the ignition - luckily it didn't start!

Wow! At 4 . What does he do for a living now

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Car repossession.

 

[YeoBlade]

Car repossession.

Thought I knew him!

 

[alcam]

Wow! At 4 . What does he do for a living now

Not out yet

 

[Pudsey Bear]

 

[Sid]

I was just thinking that IF I had a few bob by some chance, I quite like the newer Bailey motorhomes as they are quite well built and a lot have the Ford automatic engines, but not happy with this wet belt malarky, so I thought I'd ask Google for info on disasters.


Are there any reports of the Transit EcoBlue engine with the wet belt going bang?

AI Overview


Yes, there are extensive and well-documented reports of Ford Transit engines with "wet belt" (belt-in-oil) systems suffering catastrophic failures. Known as the EcoBlue engines (particularly the 2.0-litre diesel introduced in 2016), this issue has become a major concern for van owners and mechanics alike.


The Root of the Problem
The wet timing belt runs directly inside the engine crankcase, submerged in oil. If the oil becomes contaminated—typically by unburnt diesel from failed DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) regeneration cycles—the diesel chemically degrades the rubber of the belt. This causes the belt to delaminate, swell, or shed its teeth.


When the belt degrades, detached rubber particles often block the oil pump strainer, causing a sudden drop in oil pressure and starving the engine of lubrication. Ultimately, the belt can slip or snap completely, causing the valves and pistons to collide, which results in catastrophic "bangs" and severe engine damage.



Common Warning Signs
Users on Reddit's CarTalkUK community heavily discuss these premature failures, noting that they frequently happen between 50,000 and 80,000 miles. Watch out for these early indicators:-

• Low oil pressure warning light: Often the first sign that debris is blocking the oil pump.
• Unusual noises: A distinct ticking, slapping, or whining sound coming from the front of the engine.
• Engine misfires or rough idle: Caused by the belt stretching and throwing the valve timing off.
• Rubber debris: Mechanics often notice rubber particles in the oil filter during a service.
  

Recommended Action
Due to the severity and expense of these failures—which can result in massive repair bills—industry experts and independent mechanics, such as HallCraft Servicing, strongly recommend replacing the wet timing belt and oil pump belt far earlier than Ford's original, longer service intervals. The widely accepted best practice is to replace both belts every 5 to 6 years or between 60,000 to 80,000 miles, whichever comes first

My wife had a Ford Eco boost or boom and indeed it did. However, despite being regularly serviced the oil pick up got clogged and that was the end of that at a bit over 60 k. If I had another I would make sure it got the specified oil at half recommended distance and would check out the oil pick up if possible with an endoscope.