Page 1 of AWESOME! Just how good is the Ford TDCi engine in the Mondeo!

It`s late i know, but last night i suddenly found myself with no booze, (i hadn`t had any by the way!), so thought a trip out was needed.

I never usually drive the car quick, i usually have my lady and the kids in it so it`s not appropriate! However, last night was something else - i decided a good thrashing was needed - BLOODY HELL! I came back smiling, with a bemused g/f asking `why are you looking so happy after being out of the house for 25 minutes??!!` I told her why, she called me sad, and we sat down and got troliied.

The power and torque is shockingly good, 4th gear is a right nut job - 40-70 up the dual carriageway comes in mere seconds as the turbocharger flings you like a slingshot! 5th is the same story but soothes the engine to a muted hush so makes the car a real pleasure up the motorway.

Anyone else got a Mondeo and driven the TDCi? I`ve driven plenty of TD`s, Audi`s, VW`s, the Vauxhall CDTI, even Honda`s really spiffy i-Ctdi, (unbelievably quiet but not the same kind of fun for my liking), and the Mondeo just shines big time :) Plus ours is in Zetec trim so has the lowered sporty suspension and firm ride - makes it lots of fun round corners. And it has a CRACKING stereo considering its the age old factory fit RDS 6000.

I could go on like a total saddo, but i just wondered who else here has/has driven one? I don`t care if it sounds a bit like a Transit, (the engine is built upon the same Duratorq uni t first seen in the new Transit a few years back), the car simply rocks, and i`ll NEVER buy a petrol again, the 2 lite SCi petrol engine simply pales in comparison ;)

Boy racer/saddo/ramble mode...

OFF.

Westy :)

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This item was edited on Saturday, 22nd July 2006, 23:02

Speaking of saddos`, Top Gear is on at the same time as BB tonight, Stig & Clarkson building their own Caterham. Oops, will have to wipe the dust off the VCR again.
Quote:
I don`t care if it sounds a bit like a Transit
Does this mean it souns like the Industrial Revolution ?

Pete :)

The Tdci engine is good,in terms of refinement,but it`s probably the least powerful turbo diesel around now.
The standard one is 130bhp,which is anything from 10 bhp - 40 bhp down on the class competition.
You could always get it `chipped` though. ;)
The best diesel around is,without a doubt,the Honda.
Worst around is,again without a doubt,the VAG (VW/Audi) unit,which still uses the PD (pumpe deuse) technology,when everyone and their granny is using common-rail.

Quote:
The standard one is 130bhp,which is anything from 10 bhp - 40 bhp down on the class competition.

Ford do offer the 90bhp and 115bhp as well, but i do agree that the 130bhp is pretty much standard choice now for everyone who has a Mondeo, (it`s only £500 extra over the 90 and 115bhp ones, which any fool could haggle down at the dealer!!), with the 155bhp unit available in the Edge/Titanium X/ST TDCi models.

Ford, it seems, have been a bit lazy when it comes to checking the output of their engines. Having done an ECU reset myself, removed and blocked the EGR valve, jet washed the intercooler and put some rather decent oil in - the rolling road output was 157bhp!!! Idouble checked it just in case, and it was spot on. I`ve driven the Honda 2.2 i-Cdti, and although it`s impossibly quiet, (really don`t know how they do it?? :) ), and VERY smooth through the revs, i found it to be not as `punchy` as the Ford effort, especially at lower revs. I can potter around town in 2nd with the engine at 900 revs, and all it takes is a gentle squeeze and the car flies off! The Honda kind of thinks about it first then the engine springs to life around 2000rpm. Weird, as it has 148bhp on tap, but both have the same lb/ft torque range, so i`m thinking it`s down to the PSI/Turbo boost from the ECU??

I agree with you on the VAG Group engines, it`s really only the V6 Tdi, (plus that mad V10 Tdi int the Phaeton and Touareg - mental!), that shines out, the TDI has been used for years now, i think it`s time they moved on a bit ;)

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The honda uses a lot lower compression ratio (15.7:1, IIRC), implying the knocks which are common with diesel are far and few between which is why you will have a slight murmur at the start and then smoothness afterwards.

The Ford engine is standard CRD technology, so is noisier (with more pinking) than the Honda. IMHO, the ford engine is a coarse diesel, and could be made much much better.

While diesels are good for fuel economy, they are no match for a petrol. A low volume diesel will have more torque than the petrol, but its legs will give way faster. A higher volume petrol, on the other hand, will be a totally different beast.

Engine technology has come a long way - and it is surprising to see some manufacturers still sticking to the old stuff (VAG, as you mention Dave).

Funny thing is that Honda was the last on the block for a diesel engine, yet theirs is infinitely better than competition. The low compression means that it behaves more like a petrol engine - and no petrol engine is worth anything below 2000 revs. The Ford on the other hand is total diesel.

Now, what I really love is the new Rotary engine in the mazda cars - keep above 2000 rpm, and you have plenty of poke on the tap. Squeeze the throttle and it rockets off, taking you to 90 in the third gear - the bloody thing spins up to 10000 RPM. Its a motorbike I tell you.

T¦M3CH4S3R

"I am worst at what I do the best, for this gift I feel blessed. I found it hard... it was hard to find. Oh well, Whatever! NEVERMIND"

Quote:
Funny thing is that Honda was the last on the block for a diesel engine, yet theirs is infinitely better than competition.

That`s exactly why it`s better.
They already had benchmarks to beat.
One can say that`s not fair,as others have done the hard work first,but if it gets the customer a better product,who cares !

I would also dispute the fact that diesels are no match for a petrol.
For real world driving,a turbo diesel is probably better than a petrol,as their power is more readily available,without gearchanging needed to seek revs.
I remember following a 130bhp Audi A4 in my Alfa 156 once.
My Alfa put out more power (150bhp),but it needed to be revved hard to get to it.
When we both exited a roundabout,the greater low down punch of the A4 had him pull out a gap on me.
That convinced me that turbo diesels were the way to go,so I bought an A4 tdi as my first foray into turbo-diesel country.

I am also able to carry 4 blokes from Aberdeen to Blackburn and back (taking under 4 hours in each direction) on one tank of fuel.
Beat that in a petrol ! 8)

The combination of power and economy that turbo diesels offer simply make petrols redundant,unless you`re minted or live somewhere where petrol is cheap.

The wife`s old car was petrol,so it`s CO2 ratings made the roadtax £190 a year.
It also struggled to do 30 mpg.
We bought her a new Clio 1.5tdi that is just as quick as her old car (86bhp in a small car).
It does 60+ mpg and costs us £50,yes fifty pounds,a year in roadtax. 8) :D
Insuring and roadtaxing her Clio is cheaper than roadtax alone in her old car.
That`s before the fact she keeps wondering if her fuel gauge works ! :D

I always recommend turbo diesel to people these days,and I`ve yet to have someone say my advice was wrong.
They`re usually more than delighted with the results,especially when they drive past the petrol station for the umpteenth time.

This item was edited on Monday, 24th July 2006, 12:05

Quote:
Worst around is,again without a doubt,the VAG (VW/Audi) unit,which still uses the PD (pumpe deuse) technology,when everyone and their granny is using common-rail.

Are you mental? The PD engine is an amazing piece of kit - The advantage of the PD system is superior injection pressure - up to 2050 bars compared with around 1600 bar for the best common rail systems. Which means more torque at low engine speeds and increased efficiency - cheaper to run AND more fun to drive!

I have the 130PD in my golf and I`ve had it remapped to 180BHP and it flys.

Quote:
Are you mental? The PD engine is an amazing piece of kit - The advantage of the PD system is superior injection pressure - up to 2050 bars compared with around 1600 bar for the best common rail systems. Which means more torque at low engine speeds and increased efficiency - cheaper to run AND more fun to drive!

I have the 130PD in my golf and I`ve had it remapped to 180BHP and it flys.

Have you driven anything else ?
If you haven`t,you`ll think they are wonderful.
If you have,you should be able to see it`s FAR noisier and rougher than any of the commonrail alternatives.
Lately I`ve driven BMW,Honda,Ford,Alfa and Saab (same GM unit as the Alfa) and Lexus diesels.
All of them,without fail,are quieter and more `petrol like` in their performance than the PD Tdi.

They can be chipped too,it`s not the preserve of the VAG units.

My last car was a 1.9 130bhp Tdi A4.
My current car is a 2.0 140bhp Tdi A3.
The 2.0 is better than the 1.9,but not by an awful lot.
The 2.0 uses considerably more fuel though.

Try hearing yours idling beside any of the above.
Yours will sound like a hackney cab,whereas the competition tick away quietly,more like cars with bad tappet adjustment than diesels.
My wife`s Renault Clio diesel idles quieter than my A3.
I`m sure VAG will catch up,but they are behind the competition in terms of refinement and power just now.
Even the new 170bhp PD Tdi is being slated as being `rough and ready` by the motoring press.

This item was edited on Monday, 24th July 2006, 13:25

I like the thrill of turbo petrols - horses for courses I guess. I would never touch a diesel with a bargepole, unless Audi bring the R10 engine on the road. I doubt they will, so I doubt I will.

The economy doesnt matter to me - nor the insurance. Lets say they are taken "care" of without impacting me whatsoever. As a result - the next car on my list is the M5. As soon as I get my hands on a decent piece of kit.

As for the PD technology - if you think thats the best, then you seriously have your head buried in sand. Try driving something else. If you cant, then try listening to something else.

T¦M3CH4S3R

"I am worst at what I do the best, for this gift I feel blessed. I found it hard... it was hard to find. Oh well, Whatever! NEVERMIND"