Ford Ranger Diesel Problems

Caltex make what they call Vortex Premium Diesel, which is claimed to remove deposits that build up over time in injectors and keep the engine running at its best. They claim that Vortex Premium will give you better performance and use less fuel, but I stress that’s the company’s claim.

We haven't heard of this problem before on the Ranger and when we contacted Ford we were told that they weren't aware of any issues with noisy engines on the Ranger. Ford also told us that they were happy to check your vehicle to find out more about it. We have passed your contact details on to Ford and you can expect to be contacted about the issue.

A lack of oil is the most likely explanation, although it could also have been caused by a manufacturing defect. At this point all you can do is what you have done, and that's to write it off to experience.

We contacted Ford on your behalf and we understand that they inspected your vehicle and found a faulty injector was the cause of your problem. Why it took the intervention of headquarters to determine that is beyond our comprehension.

Worn injectors are a regular problem on common-rail diesels.

It's likely to be a fuelling issue, so check the fuel pump and injectors. Common-rail diesels often have issues with the injectors as they wear. To get a better reading on it I would suggest taking it to an experienced diesel mechanic.

We were told that the valve clearances are no longer done at 20,000 km, as the dealer told you. We understand it is now done at 80,000 km. As for the charge you need to discuss that with the dealer, and bear in mind that dealers are charging upwards of $140 per hour for work done in their shops.