Ford Focus shuddering when pressing accel?

SwordofLight

Car's been fine up past 70 and beyond for ages but yesterday I noticed a smell of eggs when driving it hard, and today didn't drive the car as hard and no smell of eggs, but there's been a slight juddering when accelerating up at speed the past week or so, and today on the motorway was a lot worse - only when pressing the pedal up above 60mph. Car's a 1.6 diesel not turbo. Also, coolant tank was empty 2 weeks ago so I refilled it.
I think there's something wrong but not sure what.

rex-x

SwordofLight wrote: »

Car's been fine up past 70 and beyond for ages but yesterday I noticed a smell of eggs when driving it hard, and today didn't drive the car as hard and no smell of eggs, but there's been a slight juddering when accelerating up at speed the past week or so, and today on the motorway was a lot worse - only when pressing the pedal up above 60mph. Car's a 1.6 diesel not turbo. Also, coolant tank was empty 2 weeks ago so I refilled it.
I think there's something wrong but not sure what.

There is no such thing as a 1.6 diesel focus with no turbo?

SwordofLight

Sorry you're right, it is a turbo diesel I just checked the log book - TDCI 95PS
Sure doesn't feel like it at the moment!

rex-x

It's a bit hard to say without seeing it, you may have multiple issues? The coolant certainly should not need topping up so you have a leak that needs addressing for sure, potential overheating and head gasket maybe depending on the smell.

Other cause for smell could be dpf regen or clutch slip. Is it high mileage?

SwordofLight

yep its up at 135k. Checked the coolant it seems fine, still at the min mark after 2 weeks. The temp gauge doesn't move much. When I start it in the mornings or when movng from a standstill it can judder which is a bit of a pain as I find myself rising the clutch. Think a bit of that is normal in diesels but this is that little bit too much.
I should mention the shaking when accelerating at higher speeds is accompanied by a loud tapping (but not the tinny tapping sound of old petrol engines, kind of deeper).

rex-x

SwordofLight wrote: »

yep its up at 135k. Checked the coolant it seems fine, still at the min mark after 2 weeks. The temp gauge doesn't move much. When I start it in the mornings or when movng from a standstill it can judder which is a bit of a pain as I find myself rising the clutch. Think a bit of that is normal in diesels but this is that little bit too much.
I should mention the shaking when accelerating at higher speeds is accompanied by a loud tapping (but not the tinny tapping sound of old petrol engines, kind of deeper).

Coolant is a sealed system though, it doesn't just disappear so something happened it? Temp gauge should move to its running temp 83 degrees or so and then stay steady.

Juddering is not a feature of a diesel and it shouldn't be happening, it sounds like a potential injector issue from how you are describing it but without seeing the car it's impossible to say.

Have you tried a mechanic? If it is an injector for example it could do serious damage if left unresolved

SwordofLight

Ok so I've monitored the coolant the past few weeks and it hasn't moved.

The shuddering comes and goes. Seems fine up around 75-90 mph and below 55mph, but if slowing to 55-70mph it shudders and that can get really bad. Other times it's not there at all. Going up a hill can cause it to get bad.

Could it be blocked injectors? What about putting an additive in the fuel? Or is it difficult to clean them?

mr_cochise

I had a bad rotten egg smell from a petrol golf a few years back. It turned out to be the regulator on alternator causing the battery to overheat. A potential fire hazard. It was my neighbour that copped the smell and had me disconnect the battery immediately.

Dexter2019

SwordofLight wrote: »

Ok so I've monitored the coolant the past few weeks and it hasn't moved.

The shuddering comes and goes. Seems fine up around 75-90 mph and below 55mph, but if slowing to 55-70mph it shudders and that can get really bad. Other times it's not there at all. Going up a hill can cause it to get bad.

Could it be blocked injectors? What about putting an additive in the fuel? Or is it difficult to clean them?

So have you been to a mechanic yet?