Ford Ecoboost 1.0 - warped head - blown head gasket - straightforward in-car home repair

Ford Ecoboost 1.0 engine with a warped head and blown head gasket - in this video the head is removed without taking off the timing cover or the timing belt, the warped head is DIY skimmed and then everything re-assembled to full working order. No special tools required!
Purists may be offended by the concept of not replacing the timing belt but if you do it this way and your timing belt is in good condition, you can avoid a lot of work and the need for expensive tools. I skimmed the head using the sandpaper-on-glass method which worked well and also saved a load of hassle. Minimal parts cost and you can probably do it in a weekend or two if you push on with it. It took me three months with short bursts of activity.
Perhaps too much detail and waffle... just skip to the useful parts...

[@ladin425]

I have no interest in owning one of these cars, but yet I am appreciative of your effort and work you put into making this great video. Thank you for your generosity.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀

[@keegan4039]

Impressive for a diy job , you know your stuff 👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@keegan4039 Thanks, I hope other diy-ers are inspired to give this a go 😀🔧

[@hom2fu]

not buying used (car that have) 1.0L engine because it too small = easy to fail

[@cnmjim]

@@hom2fuabsolute rubbish, think how many of these engines are in cars with 10’s of thousands of miles, more on… stupid statement

[@davidentwistle5055]

Brilliant, as a retired mechanic I take my hat of to you, nice to see there’s still some old school mechanics still around👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks 😀🔧

[@friedchicken1]

yeah! I'm one of them too but not professionally, just work on my own cars. Hey, what do you think about the new engine designs where the timing belt is oil lubricated like I believe the engine in this video is? TY

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I think wet belts are fine, I can't understand why people are so suspicious of them. So long as the belt material isn't degraded by the oil, the belt should wear less and last longer@@friedchicken1 😀🔧

[@friedchicken1]

@@blairwinchproject2855 ok, thank you.

[@discovermetaldetecting]

I'm a bit late to this video but I was hooked! Absolute genious way of skimming a head a home. I'm in a similar predicament with a 2014 Ford Ka and this has helped me massively. I'm not a mechanic, I'm in construction but I have a healthy interest in mechanics. THis would be the first ever head gasket I've done. Just taking it slowly but surely. Thank you so much for posting this! Gaz.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks for the kind comment. I'm not a mechanic either but I have had to fix all sorts of car problems over the years! I hope you can see from the video that head skimming is something anybody can do at home. Best of luck with your Ka repair 😀🔧

[@ast1527]

I've haven't seen a job done this way since the '90s. Great work mate😊

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! I've not been inside engines much since the '90s either 😀

[@charlesabura472]

Quite an ingenious approach to the head resurfacing and timing belt procedure. Thumbs up 😅😅

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@charlesabura472]

Welcome Sir.

[@someone7507]

I had heard stories of head skimming this way, but this is the first time I ever see it done. Clearly your experience and patience made this intervention into a successful repair and rebuild.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Having done it once I will happily do it again any time I take a head off 😀🔧

[@someone7507]

The block is cast iron on the 1.0 ecoboost as far as I know. Can the block get warped too? Or is it unlikely? Thanks!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@someone7507 Good question - I don't think the cast iron block warps but from what I have heard, the cylinder liners move around a little with changes in temperature and that might be part of the problem with head gasket failures 😀🔧

[@someone7507]

Rewatching your video reminded me of a question I had. Before torquing the head, you ensured the side bolts also fit in the head so you don't run into misalingment issues. This brings me to my question: how much can the head be rectified? There must be a maximul warpage limit. Or is there like a rule of thumb, or an actual number? Thanks a lot!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@someone7507 I don't think there is a maximum warp limit although a head with severe warping would probably have exhaust port cracks or other cracks which would render it scrap. As far as I know you can take quite a lot off the head, I'm pretty sure the two square recesses that look grey in the video are skimming limits, i.e. you can't skim beyond the point where they disappear. They are at least a couple of mm deep so that's plenty to play with. 😀🔧

[@iwishcolincampbell1541]

Well done great job . For someone who did this 30years ago on the easiest engine's big respect 🙏

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@fraserm803]

Didnt even kno that this was a "thing" for head skimming now i do thanks to you.Will not forget this.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Pretty easy, I recommend it! 😀🔧

[@GaryWhittingham]

There's nothing like saving money to motivate a Scot into a hideous job like this, and in the cold too! Great work on the Festa mate, and a true honest account of the journey. Wife's got one of these 'EcoBoom's as the early ones were known (but in an Ecosport). Another issue was the wetbelt driving the oil pump would break down and clog the pick up - so watch out for that (the 'boom' bit). Regular oil changes will get a 2016+ Ecoboost well past the 100k with regular oil changes and both belts at 80k (currently quoted at 1500 GBP by a few shops - and I can now see why!). As a fellow backyard mechanic of old, congratulations on a labour of love (my back is aching just watching your dedication), thanks for the vid and give us an update if you keep the car.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks - whoops, I didn't mean to reinforce the reputation of Scots for being "careful" with money. I have kept the car and enjoy driving it around with its sporty feel, it is still running perfectly, we'll see how long it lasts...

[@johnkatakowsi9907]

You brought a tear to my eyes !!! Great Job can't beat good old sandpaper and a good flat surface!!! I've done about 8 of them in my life time and they all ran great!!! way more power and run smooth! Thanks for the well thought out Vid!!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Nice to know I am not the only one who cries over broken machines! Also with your experience with successful head resurfacing, people should be reassured that it really works and not be shy of trying it.

[@pmcdaniel]

Great video, have gone through this process twice myself. It's amazing what you can do with some effort and determination.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks!

[@seanmcdonnell8437]

You should be proud of yourself 😉 alot of mechanics won't even take that job on

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, it was an adventure born of desperation. A real mechanic would have to spend a few hours doing the dismantling before they would know if the engine could be saved, which is quite a financial risk for the owner

[@charlesabura472]

The manual cylinder head resurfacing was real AWESOME 👍👍.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀

[@charlesabura472]

@@blairwinchproject2855 welcome Sir

[@moreblessingncube6877]

Old school stuff, i love it. You make it look so easy.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! Not so difficult, just time-consuming 😀🔧

[@karlmoss552]

Well done. Old school v’s new prevails. Great job.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Haha, old school, you are too kind! My family would probably sigh and agree

[@lemolabass1]

Well done, I dont even drive a Ford but enjoyed watching good old DIY 😊

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Fords... can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em

[@kmath50]

I like what you said about us "old school" guys. I helped my dad work on his Austin Sprite many years ago. It was easy to remove the engine to rebuild the transmission. Plenty of room to work.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

We've still got it... Many years ago I could have had a very rusty Frogeye for free, I wish I had taken it!!

[@pvb876287]

I commend your truth and accuracy of commentary and effort to take the challenge for you and your son. Jolly good mate

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, you are very kind. No regrets!

[@frankthomas2231]

The reason for replacing the head bolts is because they are torque to yield. When you do the final torqueing, in this case the two 90 deg torque, you are actually stretching the bolts almost to their breaking point, so if you reuse them, you are taking a chance of breaking the bolts when you retorque them.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I am guilty here of what I berate my kids for - wondering about something but not then bothering to check the facts! So, the important message is that bolts which are angle tightened are Torque to Yield (TTY) stretch bolts and are only meant to be stretched once. Therefore they may not perform correctly if re-used and as they are not expensive it is a false economy to not replace them, especially considering the hours of work involved

[@em4703]

You're not going close to their breaking point, that would be silly. They are stretched though, so torquing them down to spec will stretch them even more and they won't hold the head down with the right force, and it will leak again.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@em4703 😀

[@mrnolando89]

@@em4703 not necessarily, some can be reused you just have to measure them and if they are still within tolerance they can go again . . . i still personally replace them anyway.

[@greggbutler9344]

Sell it quick ❤❤

[@gjwestonable]

Fantastic video thanks for sharing. It's not good Ford give these engines such a short life. Glad you got it running again😊

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I'm not sure even Ford intended the life to be this short! 😀🔧

[@richmc8209]

Great video with the unexpected bonus of the old school head skim! I have done this myself a couple of times with great results. I find wd40 works well as a lubricant for the wet and dry sandpaper and it doesn't break up as fast as water does.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Good tip thanks. It's a free workout too 😀💪🔧

[@johnmchardy1229]

Wow how good is that. I have a glass table that I used to do the head off a ride on mower. worked great no leaks at all. Just used dry 230 grade paper. Then carefully washed the head. When the head bolts are tensioned that is the end of it. I had a toyota Camry that I did up. The last move is to turn 90 degrees that tensions the head as the other chap below has said. Very important to do that. Glad to see you replaced them. Cheers from Aus.😎

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I would resurface a head this way every time now. Greetings from Scotland, I look back fondly on our family trip to Melbourne area ten years ago!

[@josephthompson9792]

Great video, old school knowledge priceless keep up the good work many thanks

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I'll have to think of a project for next winter!

[@mydc2200]

Great engine, my 1.0 got 150hp, replaced downpipe and full exhaust and remapped

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yes it is impressive, just a pity it is a bit fragile

[@jameswilson6717]

A don’t know about you guys but by jingo that was impressive I tip my hat to you sir outstanding work 👍🏻All the very best

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, you are too kind 😀🔧

[@TheBeardedDog]

I like the creativity of the fix with the timing belt. Thanks for the entertaining video.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I'm very pleased you enjoyed it 😀🔧

[@sagecouncil]

Good old school repair.. Excellent!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@Newellx66]

Not all heroes wear capes. You are proof of that. I tore mine completely down and rebuilt the head, timing covers off, whole nine 9 yards. Put it all together and noticed my vvts were out of wack. The whole wire pulling the tension trick took me about 10 minutes and 5 tries. I can't thank you enough. I recommend at least 12 gauge interior wire for anyone else wanting to try this

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Brilliant! You have made my whole KZbin adventure worthwhile by using my method and succeeding, thank you for commenting. The wire I used was actually a straightened out coat hanger (we all have those lying around!) and I recommend a tightly bent little hook on the end. May you be the second of many successes! 😀🔧

[@stephenpeel7249]

Is this in the video? I did our wetbelts and head rebuild and vvt is out.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@stephenpeel7249 Yes it is in the video, all you need is a piece of coat hanger wire and a torch. However that will only allow you to shift the timing in increments of one tooth, and you will need to know which direction you want to shift it! It is worth mentioning that if the engine is running fine but you are getting an engine warning light with P0017 warning (Crankshaft/Camshaft position), that can be due to low oil pressure (caused by a blocked oil pump intake strainer) which causes the VVT to not operate correctly. Worth trying a reset on the fault, it may go away but if it is only occasional you could possibly live with it until you have time to drop the sump and clean out the strainer. 😀🔧

[@stephenpeel7249]

@blairwinchproject2855 yes I'm getting p0017 but oil pump was stripped and rebuilt about 9 months ago

[@stephenpeel7249]

@blairwinchproject2855 I was going to remove the belt and try and move the cam sprockets while cam timing tools are fitted to keep the cams fixed and set vvt. Engine is 2012 m1da but I couldn't find a clear answer as to which direction to move the sprockets for vvt. One source said anti clockwise intake and clockwise exhaust while another said clockwise for both.

[@rosshannemann7772]

Nicely tackled thanks for showing

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@matiasmena7518]

Excellent!! Great work here! Best of lucks, at first i thought it was a lawnmower engine, this was a success part being constant, patient, optimist, part being lucky

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! I was lucky the damage wasn't worse - if the head was junk I would have had a much bigger problem 😀🔧

[@struanrobertson3417]

Top job Sir.. Old school mechanics. 👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks!

[@salmothymus]

lovely and impressive ....I watched it all the way to the end...got really glued once you started to dismantle it in the garage 👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! That's dedication... if I had known how popular it was going to be I might have taken more care over the filming and editing. Next time I want a film crew and some heating 😀 🔧

[@salmothymus]

@@blairwinchproject2855 great,....beers are on me 😉😁👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@salmothymus Now you are talking! 🍺🍺

[@andyreynolds261]

Great video and loved the head skim and i have only seen that done once before back in the 90s. I would say one thing,get that car back in as that cam belt looked in bad condition and the white stuff around the teeth was coming off as that seems to be the start of the belt failure.They will start to split and come apart and the debris from the failing Cambell falls into the sump and will block the oil pick up and then you will loose all oil pressure. But great video.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, now that we have put plenty of miles on it and it is still running perfectly, I am planning to do like you say and at the very least inspect the belt. I probably will replace the belts and inspect the oil pump strainer... might not be until the winter though... 😀🔧

[@bastogne315]

02 1.4 Honda civic or 10 Mazda 3 1.6 petrol. 2 cars that have given me 200k miles and no engine problems. Honda did it on original clutch too.😁

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yep, some manufacturers seem to design for a much longer life! 😀

[@stevenfox8640]

Fantastic video.. thank you

[@handson9815]

Great work, very inspiring for me, i have be learn lots of knowledge.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks 😀

[@kevinblaylock9883]

Great video, thanks for sharing 👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@halloweenjack3565]

Nice one, enjoyed watching this.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thank you 😀🔧

[@paulallen3905]

Good job... if you ever want to flush out cooling system that contaminated with oil. Pop a dish washer tablet or two into cooling system and allow to run up to temperature, then flush it through. Thought this tip may help..🙂

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Good tip thanks

[@cinquecento1985]

When this engine did come out, there was a presentation and after seeing that, I wanted to get a new Fiesta with this engine, but I didnt. Now im really glad, because it turns out that its not a reliable engine and a little complicated. I stuck with a 1.4 TDCI PSA Engine, which runs great.

[@nicholasway7052]

Great detail video.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@arsinoeivlostprincess4228]

Great First Class.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks!😀🔧

[@bryce1916]

This was excellent especially if you are on a budget .

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@AndrzejWieser]

nice Job! congratulation

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! I hope somebody tries my repair method. Car still running beautifully.

[@Mike_5]

These engines overheat if you even look at them - Top repair video here!

[@stevejones1972]

I watched a video last month about one of these engines that destroyed itself because the second wet belt that runs off the crank sprocket and drives the oil pump and balance shaft shredded its teeth due to the reaction of the rubber with the oil, eventually making the teeth break off. Whilst you inspected what you might have thought was the only wet belt on the 1.0 ecoboost, you may well not have known about the second belt at the bottom of the engine, which in the teardown video done on 11th June 2023 by channel " I do cars" was seen to have stripped 75% of its teeth and subsequently stopped the oil pump sprocket turning, and also clogging up the oil strainer in the pan. I dont think I am allowed to include a link to the video, but if you find "I Do Cars" channel and search 1.0 Ford Ecosport teardown, you'll find it, and it makes for interesting watching - you'd see also the main timing belt on the engine he tears down is also in poor condition, contaminated and degraded. I'd say these belts are like ticking time bombs waiting to go off, especially that bottom belt which is just as important as the main timing belt itself. I dont know why they didnt just use timing chains, if they are going to be exposed to the engine oil, chains are a better idea than wet belts.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks for the comments - my goal was to see if I could get the car running again without wasting too much time and money finding out, I know the two belts are prone to failure but because the condition of the main belt was OK I wasn't too worried about either of them in the meantime. It seems to be critical that you always use the correct spec of oil and never use anything else to flush the oil because the wet belts can be degraded rapidly by the wrong stuff. People don't seem to like the concept of wet belts but lubrication is bound to give you a longer belt life so long as the belt material doesn't degrade. We like the car and it performs very well so I think I might invest the time in changing both belts this winter. Maybe that's the next video adventure... 😀🔧

[@David-fj5lz]

You have done all that good work so it would be a shame and you know that you have done it properly

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yep, I've only myself to blame!!

[@johnrichards244]

I love the timing belts in oil too. Crazy engine

[@blairwinchproject2855]

The idea of a wet belt goes against what we are used to but the concept has grown on me - it runs in very thin oil (5W-20) and so long as the belt materials are not degraded by the oil, I imagine the lubrication reduces the belt wear and enables the design life to be longer than a dry belt. It was 150k miles originally. 😀🔧

[@SASMacDroid]

I have a 2013 Fiesta ecoboost with 140.000km on it with the exact same engine and I'm actually still impressed by it. it hasn't failed up to now and i even got the Powershift duel clutch automatic witch people call garbage because they tend to fail

[@blairwinchproject2855]

That's what I say to everyone, it's a powerful and economical engine when it works, it just has an unfortunate tendency to fail spectacularly 😀 @@SASMacDroid 🔧

[@MrLukas2411]

Good job, old school i would say :)

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Proud to be old school, thanks! 😀🔧

[@st170restoration]

Nice work!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@annepoynter6600]

Glad i came across you vidio very well done , thank you so much .john northants......

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, that means a lot, I'm glad it was useful to you 😀🔧

[@mtebaldi1]

Really old-school stuff here. I remember my dad doing this back in the late 50s early 60s. He had me sling the water and spelling him when his arms got tired. I was around 10-12 back then. The great job sounded great. 👍

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Let's hope the Playstation generation can figure out how to use spanners when their turn comes around....

[@mtebaldi1]

@@blairwinchproject2855 LoL yes let's hope they can do this.

[@thpxs0554]

Fantastic job. I take my hat off to you ,

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@qanon_qanon]

Solid advice given on this video, the glass "head skim" I have used before and also blue with a selection of files (patience required) many people are too quick to skim a head taking mm off which affects timing. Also careful to make sure all holes the head bolts go into are dry and not full of water or oil to hydraulic fracture the block. I drive a 3 cylinder Dacia and probably are chuckaway engines but they do sound nice at high revs.... Not only are cars dodgy at auction, engines are dodgy at car dismantlers too...

[@blairwinchproject2855]

That's a good point, a head skim may remove more material than really necessary. Also you are right about cleaning out holes, I didn't mention it in the video but I had been careful to clean them all out, cotton buds did the trick

[@paulluce2557]

A good machinist will know how to skim a head (or block) to take off the absolute minimum, and will ALSO know if it requires millimetres taking off, then the yhe head is TOO warped to be recoverable.. the issue is finding a good machinist

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@paulluce2557 😀

[@darrenmurphy6251]

i think this guy is from the mk2 escort era ! back when you fixed your own car....every weekend lol.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Haha, that's me alright. In my case it wasn't an Escort it was a Series 2 Land Rover and a Mini held together with filler 😀🔧

[@BurnedOutGarage]

Youre certainly right about it being single use. I did a timing belt and sump/oil pick up clean on one. I still cant believe how many bolts and fixings there are on the farty little thing. Most things bar the turbo bolts and cat to mid section came done easily. A belt on its own isnt too hard but the crank pulley bolt needs a fair bit of bravery when tightening.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Like you say, there's so much to dismantle to do the timing belt - not difficult (if you have a torque multiplier for the pulley bolt) but if you were paying to have it done you might be spending a load of money just to have the engine fail with a warped head soon after. I am still inclined to never change the timing belt on mine and just scrap it when it fails, which could be years away (or not) 😀🔧

[@BurnedOutGarage]

@@blairwinchproject2855 Definitely. The car I worked on the customer was quoted £1600 + vat not sure if that included cleaning the sump out etc. Certainly the timing belt, water pump and auxiliary belt. We fitted genuine parts and I think we got to £500 ish, maybe more. I can see why a keyed pulley isn't used and has been done before but would have been better with vernier pulleys to eliminate slack.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@BurnedOutGarage Yes, it's as if it is designed to be too tricky to put back together right 😀🔧

[@gazza116]

that was a hard way to resurface a cyl head,i just find a smooth concrete path and tow it behind a car only takes a mile.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Haha, that's my next video 😀🔧

[@Pwills]

I don’t even do that all you need is a big hammer and just knock down the high spots. Lol 🤣🤣😂

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@Pwills 😁🔧

[@MrSeany75]

nice tutorial thanks

[@GR-uy1hx]

Old Mini having room around it to work , Maybe Austin Metro, Minis No... Great Vid by the way😁

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! Perhaps my memory of the mini is rose tinted, it was a great car if temperamental and rusty 😀

[@jimamizzi1]

Yes the earlier models had issues, mainly the coolant hoses as you mentioned, the engine itself is fine. I have a 2015 and runs sweet as a nut

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I agree, this one is 2014 and goes like a rocket. Nice suspension and driving position, it's the sportiest car I have had since a brown Astra SR in the '90s

[@jimamizzi1]

@@blairwinchproject2855 mines 125HP version in a fiesta, very quick car.

[@jimamizzi1]

In Australia it’s known as the S model, 16” alloys sports suspension. I also have the suspect transmission, no issues at all, the dam thing is quicker than my older 2.0 focus zetec.

[@oldgit1091]

Next time you flatten the cylinder head use fairy liquid as well helps lubricant

[@David-fj5lz]

I remember the first camshaft I did was hillman imp tuned where you had to replace the shims individually nearly every time as they “hammered” differently

[@blairwinchproject2855]

😀

[@ivanznidar3700]

i have one of this...155.486 km - no problems

[@blairwinchproject2855]

What year is it?

[@brokenbritain9441]

It's a sad story with these engines the people who made these engines all going to be made redundant I wouldn't be surprised a bit of engine sabotage going on😮 an excellent video and excellent confidence well done.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks 😬

[@black5f]

Total admiration even for attempting this. With your skills you should get a much older car and just keep her going. My first "maintenance" was around '72, I'd be around 10, Dad in tears, what I now know now as a pinto broke its belt from a stone and bent 2 valves. Lets fix it Dad, come on ...and we did. Always looked after my cars ever since. These engines though? Are designed to be recycled 3 - 5 years into life, throw away. Easy to pull out with a grab and thrown into a shredder. Son just threw away a Focus because cheaper to replace than fix. With your skills go get a classic and it will run forever.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, you are very kind. Having spent 40 years keeping a 1961 Land Rover alive, the next classic will have to be something special 🔧😀

[@black5f]

@@blairwinchproject2855 Hi ya, no problem. The last major stuff I did was about 10 years ago. Gasket and a decoke, bit of gas flowing on son1s fiesta which was basically a cross flow so really easy. Son2 threw a rod in his Corsa (I told him to wait ... so I could drop the sump, I could hear a slappy big end that just needed a re torque). We still had his old one waiting for the scrappy, so I swapped the engines. I tried my hardest in life but they both looked on like I was a wizard with knowledge of the mysterious. Son1 now has a nice 110 that he is constantly adding cookers, fridges ans awnings? too, and a bar... in the back door. Well, something has rubbed off eh ha ha. I had a Disco for like 20 years, we went all over the place, we went to Spain in it, Switzerland , France, Italy, what a motor. Now I have a 17 year old Civic, 28k miles, all leather, Japanese so it will never go wrong ;-) The wife has some sort of hybrid thing, it's 4wd, three engines two electric, one petrol, the best thing it's a lease, it's not mine, I'm only allowed to check the yellow bits ha ha ha. Actually, very easy to drive and very firm , fells like it is actually attached. My baby now .... I was allowed to buy after I had to sell (forced) my 2.6 V6 4 cam Omega :-((( ... is a1996 Z28.. Now I need some grand children because I need little hands ha ha. My hands don't fit in the gaps. But they are cheap? Had mine for 7 years now. 27 years old,. Christ it's quick. But it likes to drink, range anxiety is the domain of electric car owners ... and me ha ha ha. With all my experience of having getting things running for Monday morning ( I spent many years poor doing this), you attempted something the designers of this Frankenstein engine never even considered, never envisaged. Well done!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@black5f You could be right, I bet nobody imagined this was possible!! I hope I have started a trend 💪🔧 I have had six Land Rovers including two Discoverys that did tons of miles, the 110 I had last was the worst for bits falling off but it did have a hard life. The Series 2 I still have was my first and I am fond of the basic all-metal design, I try not to take it out in the rain though...

[@black5f]

@@blairwinchproject2855 You know ... there are good and bad ones? I know a guy who has a Rover 75 that's never ever gone wrong, really? I know its not old old. But? One that got actually built right. Old tech ... I can make parts for a 80's carburettor in my garage? I can't fix the engine light that comes on when the OBDII is not venting the excess petrol vapour from the tank (via a charcoal filter) in case it poisons the kids. That only is engine light below 2000 rpm. The Camaro cruises at 1800 at 80? Old block with crap bolted on, the ECU thinks I'm sitting in traffic ha ha . Push back, keeping old stuff going is sustainability :-) I need another LR. I miss mine sooo much, go any where, where ever, what ever it will get you home.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@black5f Land Rover products seemed to get flimsier as time went on, that Defender had stupid things break on it including a door coming off in my hand. I wouldn't have one of the newest Land Rover products unless it was a gift (and came with a warranty/service package)! Modern electronics are only so good as the sensors and the designer/programmer, all great until there is a fault. You and me are hunting for the same Series 1 I think 😀

[@soco13466]

I like the head sanding method and the torque procedure for the bolts. Good to know, if you don't have a torque wrench. Question? After sanding the head, how did you clean it of grit, etc?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Just a rinse with water - this method produces no metal swarf, just very fine aluminium residue and some loose grit from the sandpaper which all washes off easily.😀🔧

[@LSmiata]

Why the Battle of Britain was won! Well done sir! In the states, it would have gone to a machine shop. And these days that takes months to get service! P-Chi

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Persistence/determination/desperation can win in the end 😀

[@360EZee]

So the bearing caps go on upside down from the front of the car, is that right? Had to double check, I’m sort of going through the same problem, but had to rebuild the top half of the engine, as the cam belt tensioner give up! Fantastic vid with old school problem solving thank you.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yes that's right, the numbers on the caps are upside down as you look at them. I was going to attach a photo but can't find a way; As you look at it, back left to right is A,B,C,D, then front left to right is 1,2,3,4, all upside down. You can see an upside down 4 if you look down into the oil filler cap. However I can't say whether this is the same on every engine! The left-hand caps are different because they have a plate on the side away from the pulleys. Sorry about your tensioner, I hope your rebuild goes well. How was the head condition?

[@MrAvant123]

Good vid. These engines were known for overheating issues which is probably what did the head in. They have 2 thermostats, 1 for the block and 1 for the whole system so more points of failure. Never seen this done with a whole cylinder head before but no reason why this shouldnt be 100%.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks 😀

[@kclefthanded427]

Watch out with the 1.6 litre EcoBoost. They're also known for blown head gasket and even set cars on fire. Also the 2.3 litre from the Focus RS

[@dadgarage7966]

See those lines between the bores of that open deck block? They're suppose to allow coolant to flow between the cylinders. That's a big reason why many EcoBoost engines fail. Ford's "fix" was a revised block. Sand all you want, but it's prone to fail again. Kind of like a Land Rover. FordTechMakuloco did a video about this.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I had heard about the revised block, I hope it lasts longer than the old design. I will be happy if I can get a bit more life from the car, if it can get to 100k miles (from 66k) I will be thrilled. Don't get me started on Land Rovers, I have owned and abused six of them and ran out of patience with the brand eventually. I still love and drive my first one though (1961)

[@nortoninter1]

Never was an eggbox more perfect for use as here in a 3 pot motor

[@blairwinchproject2855]

😀

[@user-lb9ej5up8u]

I thought you did a great job, I am in the same position at the moment, you have given me hope that it can be done, i haven't had time to look at it yet, do you advise draining the oil straight away or leaving it till i have time to tackle it, as the engine would be left to go dry thank you once again you made it look a lot easier than i imagined

[@blairwinchproject2855]

You can do it! And it will be easier if you send the head to a machine shop to be skimmed rather than doing it yourself with sandpaper (although I would happily do that again myself). Please let us know how you get on. I drained the oil at the start and left the plug out so that it could drip, the sooner you get the watery oil out of the engine, the less corrosion damage it can do 😀🔧

[@darrenmurphy6251]

what do you think caused the head to warp in the first place? -im always worried about how to prevent a repeat occurance when i fix something. recently replaced a leaking a/c condensor on one of these and i was so paranoid about damp air in the pipes and loss of ac oil causing a compressor failure but the a/c recharge machine sorted everything ...phew!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I think probably sudden coolant loss caused it to warp - these engines were/are notorious for that - but it is possible that it gradually warped over time due to the flawed cooling design in the early version of the engine, until it reached the point where the head gasket blew

[@mattheaton7165]

Great video… did you consider removing the sump and checking the oil strainer in the oil pump Just to see the condition of the wet belt…. Great job and well documented

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I am intending to inspect the belt in the next few weeks - I had been going to take the rocker cover off again but I like your idea, I might take the sump off instead because then I can inspect both belts and the oil pump strainer 😀🔧

[@LA_Commander]

The Fiesta with the normal 4 cylinder 1.6L engine with manual transmission is actually a very reliable car.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I have heard that - and the diesel version is good too. 😀🔧

[@LA_Commander]

@blairwinchproject2855 yeah, too bad we can't get that engine here in the states

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@LA_Commander Diesel cars will soon be a thing of the past here too. It is sad for those of us who prefer diesel engines but better for the planet obviously 😀🔧

[@julesviolin]

⚠️ be very careful when disconnecting coil packs and turning engine over. Some ECU electronic driver stages can be ruined by not having a load connected to them ie the coil resistance. Much safer to disconnect the feed to the fuel pump by pulling the fuse ⚠️

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Good to know - I'd expect the ECU to have open circuit protection built in but that's in a perfect world 😀🔧

[@anr8577]

Hey buddy How did you manage to take the cams out without taking off the timing cover ? Did you just use the bungee cords to apply pressure on the tensioner ?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

The video shows how I did it, using a wire with a hook on it to pull the release arm on the tensioner pulley upwards and give some slack in the belt. There is no way you can get the belt off or back on the pulleys without releasing the tension but it is quite straightforward if you do use this trick. 😀🔧

[@we-are-electric1445]

Excellent video. The only thing I would say is you are a bit lucky the bottom pulley didn't move. Better to put cylinder No 1 on TDC and just check with a vernier (or even a stick) through the spark plug hole where the top of the piston is just in case there is movement on the crank.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I should have talked about this on the video - I did find TDC using a screwdriver down the no.1 spark plug port and then locked the engine by putting the car in gear and handbrake on. (Also disconnected the battery). However, if the crankshaft had moved somehow I would still have been OK because I had marks on the belt and the cam pulleys.

[@we-are-electric1445]

@@blairwinchproject2855 A sort of belt and braces approach ? 😁 At least if you turn the engine a couple of revolutions by hand when it's all back together you will know anyway whether you have got it badly wrong. I have seen videos using abrasive paper before but they all tended to come from obviously poor countries where people probably don't have a choice to send it to the local machine shop. Having said that it does save time,hassle and money though I expect it is probably no longer cheap to use a UK machine shop. I can see one a two people having a go after watching your video.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@we-are-electric1445 Yes there seem to be two camps on the sandpaper method - I thought it was great and would do it again, but as a machine shop skim is inexpensive it might suit most people better. My main aim with this project was to find a way to remove the head without having to do all the extra work of replacing the cambelt - I hope this helps somebody somewhere!

[@Maverickf22flyer]

Yes..., this is the NON-Facelift, initial model, and yes, they were known to have a coolant pipe that was prone to cracking after some 100k miles or so and the simple the repair was to replace it with a revised part that solves the problem of cracking for good, most people simply didn't give it importance, drove the vehicle until overheating it and of course getting into the same problem of fucked head gasket and eventually warped cyl head if the idiot behind the wheel kept on going like that. So instead of making it cheap by replacing the damn pipe, most would've gone with it running on empty coolant and then blaming the engine itself (which is quite reliable otherwise if maintained correctly) and Ford for their poor management of the car. Sad...!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Plenty of unhappy customers, so it seems 😬

[@cobbler40]

My local garage said Ford are giving away free engines.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I don't think they do any more - they gave warranty replacements if there was a coolant loss related engine failure on the early models but now all engines should have had the fragile degas hose replaced and shouldn't suffer from that hose fracture issue 😀🔧

[@ProjectFairmont]

Torque to yield bolts, one time use only since the bolt is stretched/tensioned. Nice thorough job, I hope it gives you good service. I like the design of this engine, especially the direct valve actuation. Shame about the overheating, fiddly cooling system.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, yes the important point that has been made clear to me is that the TTY bolts can only be stretched once 😀🔧

[@sypher0101]

How reliable is it going down this path compared to getting is machined ? Wouldn't there be an issue of not know how much of the block was taken off?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I think both methods achieve the same thing, you might actually take less off the head using the sandpaper method and in any case you can take quite a lot off before reaching the maximum depth indicators. I'd say if you are just doing a skim like I did to deal with warping, you don't need to know exactly how much you have removed. 😀🔧

[@colliehouse3133]

Great video. What would you recommend that i buy as a flat surface for the sandpaper to put onto. I’ve got limited space here. Would a new worktop surface be truly flat?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I used glass because that seemed to be what was generally recommended, and I had some thick glass lying around. It is not great for gluing sandpaper to though because nothing much bonds properly to it. I should think that a thick piece of MDF or worktop would probably work just as well, check it with a straight edge first because you don't want a significant bow. I would also recommend (as I discovered in the video) using decorator's sandpaper off a roll rather than A4 sheets of wet and dry, so that the join is lengthwise rather than across the middle.

[@colliehouse3133]

@@blairwinchproject2855- Thanks 🙏

[@quidelicia1]

A really flat surface is marble, because it´s machined. I think it should be easy to buy some marble for kitchen - stone, not the mix of chemical and compressed things.

[@colliehouse3133]

@@quidelicia1 👍🏻

[@ColinWatters]

I've used a granite kitchen worktop protector to flatten wood planes. Not sure if big enough for a head. I got funny looks in the shop when I checked all their stock for the flattest one.

[@mtebaldi1]

The rubber timing belt has oil lubricating it? Thought those were dry?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yes it is a wet belt and the oil is nearly as thin as water (5W20). People don't seem to like the idea of a wet belt but I don't see the problem really

[@Really658]

Is there a risk of hydrolock with oil on head bolts? Fantastic job!

[@blairwinchproject2855]

No risk so long as you check the bores are clean and dry to the bottom. 😀🔧

[@Michael-sb8jf]

While he had the experience and patience and money/time to fix this problem and got nice car out of it. For many people thos isnt viable. A lot of this can easily be avoid by simply checking the oil. It it looks like a melted chocolate milk shake run away. Granted this might not be a symptom of the problem but a good starting point as well as checking fluid levels as pointed out in the video, no coolent in the radiator reservoir.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

You are absolutely right, if you see emulsified oil or a low coolant level it should be a red flag - especially with this Ecoboost engine because of the amount of work involved in taking the head off 😀🔧

[@saylormalan]

Dear, greetings from Brazil. Most mechanics claim that only the heads warp, but the blocks warp too. Not always but they warp too. So planing a head and mounting it on a warped block...can be a headache...The blocks also have to be measured/tested for warpage. All the best.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

I have been to your fine country! Good point about the block, I cleaned it and checked it carefully with the straight edge but could not detect any distortion. Still running well and not losing any fluids 😀🔧

[@saylormalan]

@@blairwinchproject2855 Greetings. I think Ford made mistakes in this project. I believe they have not tested these engines sufficiently. Maybe the cylinder head bolts had to have a larger diameter or be manufactured with another stronger alloy... maybe the metal alloy of the cylinder head had to be modified... maybe the cylinder head had to be more reinforced... regrettable. You're a good mechanic and you fixed it at home, I hope it doesn't happen again. What about the people who bought this beauty of a car and have to pay to fix a defect that wasn't supposed to happen in normal use? Ford, run more engine tests before selling these time bombs. The right thing was for Ford to fix these engines free of charge, as they made mistakes in the design.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@saylormalan There is a long story to this engine: Early models were very prone to losing their coolant and overheating, which would damage the head. There are reports of other issues with belt failures and oil pump blockages too. For a time, Ford would replace engines under warranty but there are still a lot of cars out there (like my one) that have the original fragile engine. Ford did modify the block in later models to try to improve the cooling and head gasket failure problems.

[@Jim-re3sr]

200k on my 4.6 v8 . I'll pay for the gas. Great video

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! 😀🔧

[@therealspixycat]

Nice video! How did you check the fatness of the block?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks! I checked it with straight edges and feeler gauges and found no distortion. 😀🔧

[@paulvarrieur976]

You can avoid stretch to yield bolts, but, of course you still have to by bolts that are torque only, and are expensive. ARP is the leading automotive fastener manufacturer for these types of fasteners

[@darren4364]

I rebuild a lot of these and I guess you got away with a lot but I would never put an old wet belt back in these engines it is just a ticking time bomb waiting to seize the engine or break especially the way you mauled it replacing the cams. But fair play it ran but it would not be my first choice of method for fixing it though if I had to drive it myself.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Thanks, I also wouldn't put a used belt back on but I was as gentle as possible with this one and in terms of wear it should be a long way away from its 150k miles service life

[@David-fj5lz]

I suggest you use duck oil after which will “polish” the metal surface acting as a lubricant

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Good tip thanks

[@adrianlastname4864]

You're not supposed to reuse torque to yield bolts because the metal in them can yeild (metal plasticity) and won't be as strong after a second yielding.

[@dot7107]

Vag engines doesn't care about that😁

[@freddiejohnsonjr503]

Did you torch the head down from the center, out? It didn't look that way from the video.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yes, it is a criss-cross pattern, the centre ones are numbered 1,2,3,4 and then one end is 5,6 and the other end 7,8

[@theginge6064]

Isn’t there a problem with oil starvation common to this engine too?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

Yes - apparently little bits come off the cambelt and clog up the oil pump strainer 😬

[@user-yt9qv1yy9y]

Hi, very interesting & great video; was going get a car with the same engine & saw the reports & got instead a 1.0l Seat Arona & it seems to be going well; does anyone any comments?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

You were wise to do your research! 😀🔧

[@anr8577]

don't suppose you could tell us the torque setting and order for the cam caps ?

[@blairwinchproject2855]

The torque setting in my book is 10Nm (7 lb-ft) and I ignored the tightening order which is a criss-cross starting in the centre. At the risk of upsetting people I don't think a tightening order on these will make any difference, I just tightened them all down snug and then torqued them all. I do agree that the tightening order is important on the head bolts though. 😀🔧

[@anr8577]

@@blairwinchproject2855 thanks for your help buddy! saved me 20 quid on a haynes lol

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@anr8577 My pleasure! if you need any other settings just ask 😀🔧

[@jensmhan]

Hi, I am currently replacing the head gasket in my 2012 ford focus because it is leaking coolant into the cylinders. I don’t have any water in my oil(I guess that is good). I have now come down to the crankshatfs and i see you are using a wire to release the tention in the belt. How did you manage to get the wire correctly down to the timing belt tensioner? Thanks

[@blairwinchproject2855]

The wire I used was a piece of coat hanger wire with a tight little hook bent on the end. If you use a torch and look down for the tensioner arm, you can fish around for the hole in it. It might take a few goes but you'll get it. I could have done with a bit more slack in the belt - make sure you pull the arm up as far as you can and lock the wire off securely. 😀🔧

[@jensmhan]

@@blairwinchproject2855 Thanks for responding! I will try with a coat hanger wire:)

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@jensmhan No bother, let me know how you get on! 😀🔧

[@jensmhan]

@@blairwinchproject2855Hey! I got the cams out, and are now trying to lift the cylinder head out. I think I have take out all the bolts around the head, but I cant get it up. It feels like it is not coming of from between the sealant between the head and the «belt cover». How dit you manage to get the head out? Thanks

[@blairwinchproject2855]

@@jensmhan That's great progress - there is a mention of breaking the timing cover seal at about 11:45 in the video, you have to make sure you have all of the timing cover bolts removed that go through into the head and then if you use a hammer and small chisel or screwdriver to widen the top of the mating joins between the timing cover and head (front and back joins) it should easily break the sealant away and the head should come free 😀🔧

[@VikingDudee]

I use to like older fords, early 90s and older, I use to be a Ford Mechanic and Ford's mentality is, unless its a major safety issue where they are forced to fix the issue, they will make the same broken crap for 10 years or more. Looking at the Trition engines mostly.... Oh I also would have changed that belt, once that oil is contaminated, that belt wont last long, Not sure why they chose to use a wet belt on these.

[@blairwinchproject2855]

The belt contamination does seem to be a failure risk - I think this engine probably didn't run for long with water in the oil, I am still avoiding changing the belt but I'm intending to inspect it soon... 😀🔧