‘ The technology was created to reduce vehicle weight, and improve noise, vibration and harshness’
‘ The technology was created to reduce vehicle weight, and improve noise, vibration and harshness’
Ford’ s 2-litre diesel engine, the EcoBlue, uses a timing belt in oil( TBIO) of the wet timing belts.
With the timing belt in the lubricated part of the engine, any debris that comes off the belt as it wears ends up in the oil. Any rubber particles and fibres that come off the belt are sucked up and clog the pick-up for the oil pump, and the pump itself. This restricts oil flow to the rest of the engine and can trigger a low oil pressure warning light. Often, when that has happened, serious damage has been done, but oil starvation has also caused engines to completely seize. On rarer occasions, the belts have been known to snap causing catastrophic damage to engine components.
What causes the fault?
It is thought that constant exposure to high heat and engine oil is what breaks down the belt material over time. But these belts were specially designed to operate in oil, so why do some of them degrade and release detritus that may hamper an engine’ s essential lubrication system?
Ford’ s belt supplier Dayco has only given insights into the problems with the diesel EcoBlue’ s wet belt premature deterioration. It has said,‘ Oil contamination from the diesel fuel is not uncommon with this engine and that can have a particularly adverse impact on the belt. […] In fact, in extreme cases, this can cause material to dislodge from the belt surface, further affecting the oil and potentially causing problems such as blocking the oil pump strainer.’
How to fix the fault?
If the belt has snapped or sufficient fragments of the belt have caused oil starvation, then a full engine rebuild would need to be carried out, as any component could have been compromised or broken. Often, that doesn’ t make financial sense and whole replacement engines are fitted instead.
If, however, signs of wear have been identified before further damage has been caused, changing the belt should be done immediately. For the EcoBlue diesel, Dayco suggests that someone‘ check the condition of both the oil and the
Gate’ s belt might be sold as an upgrade, but it comes with no guarantee it will last longer than the factory wet belts
54 The Engine Rebuilder Issue 06