Ranger Mods

Happy to report that the cold combustion knock that I've had for a while now has been fixed.

While it was good for the first 7 to 8,000 km I started getting a combustion knock on start up when the weather turned cold. It got progressively worse over time, but once warm, the car was fine all day. It's a known issue so I waited for the first service to have it checked out.

I took it in for it's 15,000km service earlier this week and requested a PCM update (there is a TSB out for this issue as well). Not only has the knock completely disappeared, but the engine just sounds so much happier. It's definitely smoother and quieter and it appears that my fuel consumption has also improved by 2 or 3 l/100km.

So if anyone has noticed a knock on a cold start and as you first start driving off, get your dealer to do a PCM update, it's worth it.

Cheers

Good work Gerry. It does make a huge difference, you will get some noise back over time as the vehicle relearns itself but the knock before 40 degrees engine temp will now be gone forever.

I also threw some Moly injector cleaner in last week when I was having issues and from inside the cabin it's like driving an electric car. The oil in the cleaner shuts them pretty good.

GerryP wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:31 pm Happy to report that the cold combustion knock that I've had for a while now has been fixed.

While it was good for the first 7 to 8,000 km I started getting a combustion knock on start up when the weather turned cold. It got progressively worse over time, but once warm, the car was fine all day. It's a known issue so I waited for the first service to have it checked out.

I took it in for it's 15,000km service earlier this week and requested a PCM update (there is a TSB out for this issue as well). Not only has the knock completely disappeared, but the engine just sounds so much happier. It's definitely smoother and quieter and it appears that my fuel consumption has also improved by 2 or 3 l/100km.

So if anyone has noticed a knock on a cold start and as you first start driving off, get your dealer to do a PCM update, it's worth it.

Cheers

This was my complaint with my Wildtrak, I took it in to Clancy's at Bathurst to get it rectified and the sods deleted my dyno tune !!! It cost me $300 to get my specific state of tune re-installed and the car re-dynoed, fortunatly though the cold temperature knock has been eliminated.

saeb wrote: ↑Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:12 pm Good work Gerry. It does make a huge difference, you will get some noise back over time as the vehicle relearns itself but the knock before 40 degrees engine temp will now be gone forever.

I also threw some Moly injector cleaner in last week when I was having issues and from inside the cabin it's like driving an electric car. The oil in the cleaner shuts them pretty good.

As I said previously, when Clancy's downloaded the latest ECU upgrade the "knock" went but so did the custom dyno flash tune on my ECU resulting in the engine going into limp mode !!
It was a slow drive home from Bathurst to home and it cost me $300 to have the ECU reprogrammed - I was not happy but naturally the knock returned as the engine dyno program used by HPF have not adopted the latest Ford ECU updates -- yet !! I'm advised that when I go to Melbourne for the festive season (if any season in Victoria is festive !) HPF will install the latest version of their dyno flash tune but they do not know if the latest revision includes it removing the dreaded injector knock.
Anyway, glancing through a magazine in the quacks waiting room I saw a advert by "Fuel Doctor" with a referance letter from a happy Ranger owner claiming that using their product had removed the dreaded knock so on the basis of nothing ventured nothing gained I bought 2 litres of their product at Autocheap and having tried it I can confirm that the knock has, to a degree been eliminated.
Its not a cheap cure through, it costs around $30.00 a litre and it takes 1/2 litre (500ml) per 100 litres of diesel and it has taken me the 2 litres to fairly well eliminate the noise. My fuel consumption hasnt altered though, it's still around the 11.2 l / 100 k mark which considering my Wildtrak weight of 3260 kgs. fully loaded and the fact it has a roof top tent destroying any aerodynamics it may have once had I don't think it's too bad.

I'll let you know if the knock returns.

I use flashlube at every fill at a 1ml per litre as I did in my PJ Ranger. Have seen the use of a bit of 2 stroke oil in some Hilux CRD that could not be quiet end

I use premium which is supposed to help injectors, who knows.

I have nor ever will ad anything to the fuel, travelled many hundreds of thousands of kilometres over the years without problems.

I don't know anyone who does.

Not saying it's not a good idea but 857,000klms without additives in a Toyota LC says I don't need additives.

But then maybe a Ford diesel does.

It depends on the engine and its age.
Early diesel engines like my 1998 Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi have mechanical fuel injector pumps that have internal seals that rely on the sulphur content of the diesel fuel to lubricate them. Since (I think) 2002 sulphur has been reduced, and as near as possible totally removed, in diesel fuels causing the seals in these early engines to dry out and leak. A solution to prevent this is to either add a small bottle of 2 stroke oil into each 100 litres of fuel or use an additive such as "Flash Lube".
Modern "common rail" diesels have been built since then and the seals don't require a sulphur content to keep them pliable and sealing.

Ive just bought a bottle of Chemtech Diesel Power. Did my research and a lot of people swear by it, especially in the new modern diesel engines.

Will see if it eliminates some of the injector noise Ive not been happy with for awhile.

Brente1982 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:21 pm Ive just bought a bottle of Chemtech Diesel Power. Did my research and a lot of people swear by it, especially in the new modern diesel engines.

Will see if it eliminates some of the injector noise Ive not been happy with for awhile.

I use https://liqui-moly.com.au/product/diese ... nti-knock/ and have for the last 50,000km. The control valve on the pump tends to get gummy overtime and can cause starting issues. Since using it never came back. This will also raise the cetane number and help avoid knock. Injectors are nearly silent when using this product, although if not used for a while is may take a little bit for it to be mixed properly in the tank to do its job properly.

I may have a contact to get some of the ingredients on their own.

2-ethylhexyl nitrate which is used and a cetane booster would be one.

MSDS is here http://www.liqui-moly.com.au/wp/msds_files/2789.pdf


Chemtech's MSDS is here although their sheet does not give much away http://www.csinfosafe.com/CSIAU/SDS/SDS ... 3b18c13b3e

my injectors generally only got stupid noisy above 2000rpm under load. Ford denied there was an issue. I even asked for a PCM update at this particular dealer and they wouldnt do it. Needless to say i wont be going back there again.

Ill see how the Diesel Power goes before considering my options again.

On investigation its the injectors, the Ford ones, made in the Philippines to Siemens specifications simply are not as good as the genuine item made in Germany. If you get sick of the tapping noise, change them to Siemens injectors.

What would replacing the injectors cost though?

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