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Old 3rd January 2019, 07:25   #136
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

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Originally Posted by revv_maniac View Post
Hi ,I have an Ecosport which has run 145K, is it any beneficial doing EGR block now ? It's 5 yrs old. Also how is it done. Thank you.
EGR block is most beneficial when done with the engine run less. The reason being, as the engine runs more, the internals will get covered with soot from the exhaust and oil which overtime blocks the intake by forming a thick cake of soot and oil.
It can be done now too, but would make sense once the engine is overhauled.
It can be blocked with a plate which will throw a check engine light and by a remap as well.
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Old 11th February 2019, 09:24   #137
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Good news on the fuel efficiency front. On a full city cycle and a full tank, the car returned 15 kmpl with ac. That was what I was getting regularly before all the remaps and EGR block.

I am not sure if it was my driving that was the reason or if it was the EGR full plate that was fitted towards the end of December or even the muffler being removed. I had also complained about it during the Wolf remap for which they had tweaked the map.

In the meantime, I managed to fix a chrome tip on the SS straight pipe to divert the exhaust away from the insides of the rear bumper. It was an annoying job since the screw from the exhaust tip was not gripping on the SS pipe and finally had to slide a small rubber piece for the screw to grip on.
The exhaust note is not audible in the cabin unless I cross 2500k rpms and that too it is a slight bassy note and not annoying. The best part is now it is facing the side and I can check in my side rear view mirror for excess smoke which has reduced quite a bit after the Wolf map.

Car is due for the 20k service next month before which there is a long trip to be done. As of now , it has run 16600 kms.

Removed the TDCi badge as well from the boot, now it is just Aspire S.
Attached Thumbnails
Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-3f6c66241a9f496b96c9d9a2dd72019d.jpg  

Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-009f9a5d235f401aa26b67d81b4230cf.jpg  

Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-c29b0c466f514739816e3dca77930c05.jpg  


Last edited by tharian : 11th February 2019 at 09:27.
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Old 11th February 2019, 11:30   #138
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Missed out on an update.

The reverse parking camera has been working intermittently since last few days. The video feed does not come on and the green light does not turn on either on the mirror.
Being a Ford accessory, I am hoping they will sort it out during the third service.

Also, the last refill was done with Shell VPower which may be a reason for the better fuel efficiency. The engine runs much smoother too I noticed, this is without adding any additives in the fuel. On a tankfull, I have to spend an extra Rs 280 compared to the normal diesel which is almost the same as two bottles of CetaneX which is required for a tankful.
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Old 18th February 2019, 09:19   #139
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Done with a 950 kms trip to Velankanni and back over the weekend.

Odo stands at 175xx kms now and the car is going for its third service this weekend since there is another trip coming up next month before which I want to change the engine oil.

There was a peculiar behavior on this trip which I hadn't felt in city driving and I am not 100% sure if it is related to fuel quality.

I had topped up Shell V-power before leaving instead of the usual Essar diesel. I tried this since the previous full tank was Shell V-Power which worked well in city with increased fuel efficiency too.
During the drive, the engine was not too rough like some times before when the fuel was not of good quality, but I could see some extra smoking and as the fuel was nearing the half tank , I felt the fueling was going for a toss on low throttle position regardless of the rpms. When cruising at around 2500k rpms, I could feel a slight jerky feel from the engine. Also when de-accelerating, the engine braking felt quite strong which normally wasn't there earlier. The de-acceleration was something I felt when I removed the muffler and was felt for the first few kms after which I didn't feel it.
The change over happened when I stopped at a Essar bunk in the middle of the drive when the tank was half full and topped up. After which, the car was it's usual self and I was happy. Mixed a bottle of Cetane X too which I had carried for some smoothness.
On the return when the tank neared the half way mark, the same symptoms started again and this time the jerkiness was not felt much, but the engine braking was obvious.
I am hoping it is the fuel since I remember when the car was new and I started off with Shell, the engine felt very rough and noisy which changed when I moved to Essar. Once a full tank of Essar is filled and on the next trip, I can confirm it is a fuel quality issue.

Mileage was decent at 19 kmpl one way which included 60 kms of Bangalore traffic and maintaining around 2500 rpm on the highway which shorts bursts nearing 4k rpm. The second refill was showing 22kmpl on the MID which should translate to 19-20 in reality.

I tried a different route on the onward and return journey this time. The onward was a slight deviation on the last leg to avoid a bad stretch, but the return was a totally new route from Velankanni via Tranquebar, Sirkazhi, Chidambaram, Thirukoilure, Thiruvanamalai and back via Krishnagiri. So the only toll road I took was from Krishnagiri back to Bangalore.

Taking back roads and state highways in TN is always going to be scenic and it was no different this time. But unfortunately, the roads were not in great shape most of the way except for few stretches which were out of this world. Especially the stretch from Madaputtu to Thirukoilure (SH9).
Thiruvanamallai to Krishnagiri is 50-50. Some stretches are wide and well paved and the rest is pot hole ridden and narrow and is quite annoying since there is no sign boards or markers saying the good road ends and this was there in regular intervals all the way to Krishnagiri.

East Coast road between Tranquebar to the cut off to Vaitheeswarankoil was a very unlikely road for a main road connecting towns on the coast. The road was just wide enough for two cars to pass each other with deep edges on either sides with trees. A Baleno had gone off the road and rammed into a tree which I have a good feeling was loosing control once the tyres went off the edge of the asphalt. To save my outside mirror, I was keeping to the edge when my luck ran out and the front left slipped from the edge into a rut which resulted in a loud thud and shock that was quite scary. I was quite sure I had damaged something, thankfully nothing had. It was sound of the shocks bottoming out and the shock being transmitted into the cabin that freaked me out and my wife.

Took me 10 hours of drive time for 450 kms compared to the 8 hours with a stop onward, but taking a road less known is always a different experience especially if you want to enjoy the scenery.

Last edited by tharian : 18th February 2019 at 09:25.
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Old 20th February 2019, 12:05   #140
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

A recent video I took after fitting the chrome tip to divert the smoke away from the bumper. Listen with headphones to hear the slight turbo whine on start up.

The note in the cabin is nothing like this except for a low burble. Probably from the rear seat, it is more audible. But when on the highway at around the 2500-3000 rpm mark, it is a sweet note, especially when rev matching during gear shifts.
On the last trip, the bottom corner of the bumper was covered with a bit of soot even with the tip fitted, which I dusted off with the Jopasu duster.

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Old 26th February 2019, 11:13   #141
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

This morning I was inspecting the engine bay for any unwanted activities since last few weeks, a squirrel has been trying to make a nest on the top of my engine. This after rats and cats have come and gone over time. Thankfully, till date nothing has been damaged.

On closer inspection , I saw the EGR sensor covered with oil(sweat) and bit of oil sweat on the EGR valve actuator as well. I am not sure if this is something to do with the rodents or because I have got the EGR valve blocked fully recently. It wasn't there earlier to that. My guess is that it is the oil from PCV which comes through the intake which earlier would have got burnt after getting mixed with the exhaust from the EGR. I am thinking if I should inform this when I give the car for the annual service this week or let it be since the EGR is blocked anyway.

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Old 2nd March 2019, 17:53   #142
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Done with the second service at 17.7K kms

Engine oil, air/cabin/oil filter were replaced. One of the rubber pieces on the boot was missing and that was not in stock to be fitted. The reverse camera which was working intermittentently was fixed, which I need to see will re-occur.
I had requested to fill 200ml less engine oil so I can top up with the Liqui Moly oil additive. Last time, I had filled over the full capacity of engine oil.
Engine has become quieter is always the case for the first few thousand kms after a oil change.
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Old 2nd March 2019, 22:40   #143
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

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Originally Posted by tharian View Post
I had requested to fill 200ml less engine oil so I can top up with the Liqui Moly oil additive. Last time, I had filled over the full capacity of engine oil.
Engine has become quieter is always the case for the first few thousand kms after a oil change.
I forgot, but which oil are you using? I ordered the Amsoil Signature 5W30 for the next oil change. I was using the Liqui Moly Molygen before that.
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Old 3rd March 2019, 06:51   #144
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

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Originally Posted by Vid6639 View Post
I forgot, but which oil are you using? I ordered the Amsoil Signature 5W30 for the next oil change. I was using the Liqui Moly Molygen before that.
I didn't try another one yet. Still with the one Ford uses during the service and I mix the engine oil additive with it. I had decided earlier to change the engine oil every 5k kms due to the remap and stick to the service centre oil, however my running between services comes to less than 8k kms, so didn't bother replacing it in between.
But I will try a fully synth engine oil sooner or later.
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Old 4th March 2019, 14:46   #145
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

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On closer inspection , I saw the EGR sensor covered with oil(sweat) and bit of oil sweat on the EGR valve actuator as well. I am not sure if this is something to do with the rodents or because I have got the EGR valve blocked fully recently. It wasn't there earlier to that. My guess is that it is the oil from PCV which comes through the intake which earlier would have got burnt after getting mixed with the exhaust from the EGR. I am thinking if I should inform this when I give the car for the annual service this week or let it be since the EGR is blocked anyway.
I had visited the Bosch service center regarding the above issue this morning. Placed the car on the ramp and inspected from the bottom and there is no oil leak on the valve or EGR assembly from below. Explained to them what I thought was the reason which is part of part of the oil from the PCV ending up in the EGR pipe and finding a way out around the sensor housing since the valve is blocked now. Since there is no leak from the plate which was fixed earlier, I decided to let it be since it was not a oil leak as such. The oil sweat on the sensor was removed and they asked me to keep a watch in case it gets worse.
Bosch Hoodi is quite helpful and the good part is they understand when I explain to them the issue regardless of it being right or wrong.

Best part of fresh oil on this car- less smoke and NVH.

Few pictures that were taken at Bosch and at home after the annual service.
Stuck the new Team BHP sticker since I liked it more than the rest of them which I never stuck on my cars.
Attached Thumbnails
Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-fddc030f2c11461490661800646d0633.jpeg  

Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-74d57abd75e747ec80ee1e7ea9b2628d.jpeg  

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Old 6th March 2019, 15:52   #146
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Did some reading up on the oil sweat on the EGR sensor since I just couldn't figure out the point of leak and there was no one who could give me any sort of clue on it either.

It looks like the oil used in the valve to lubricate the actuator is what leaked out slightly through the sensor housing. Since the valve is deactivated, the position it is deactivated at is probably causing it to leak out.

Anyhow, it is cleaned now and I will keep a watch on further leaks.
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Old 11th March 2019, 08:10   #147
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Done with a trip to Coimbatore over the weekend with the odo now at 18600 kms. The second annual service was completed before this trip.

This was a quick trip, as in I kept higher speeds throughout since the roads were good most of the way. I kept it mostly between 2.5-3k rpms with occasional bursts to 4k and got a fuel efficiency of 17 kmpl on the return leg.
This trip had Liqui Moly oil additive added to the fresh engine oil as well as STP fuel additive and injector cleaner added to the fuel on the return leg. Not much of a difference was felt in the NVH's since the oil was new anyway , although at higher revs, I felt the engine not straining or loud. Smoking seemed normal as well when viewed through the side mirror.

With the remap, it is fun when I need to overtake a car that is making it difficult and then create a good gap too. Especially when I have to slow down and quickly go back to the speeds I was doing.
Except for the expansion gaps on flyover's which makes the car jumpy, the car is stable when it comes to level roads, this was with 3 pax and luggage.

There is no trips lined up for the near future, so I can keep a watch on the city fuel efficiency too. The oil sweat on the EGR sensor was present after I returned.
Attached Thumbnails
Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-img_2522.jpg  

Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd-img_2544.jpg  

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Old 18th March 2019, 08:08   #148
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

I was given a call from the service centre since I had given a feedback with the centralized survey call centre for a feedback after my second service.

The rear view camera on the mirror was working intermittently and I had asked them to fix it. They said it was checked and works fine and just the day after it started acting up again. They sent a technician home who removed the mirror and it did turn off and on when he did that. He had mentioned that on his report and said he will update the service centre. I was given a call and I opted to visit the service centre the next day. After some waiting around and being passed by like I was a tree, I inquired at the desk and the person who gave me the call was there and connected me with the service head who I explained to the issue and asked them to replace the mirror which of course was not an option for them. So they removed the wiring from the mirror to the boot and checked for any issues and asked me to keep a watch again.

I was more annoyed since they advertised the mirror as a auto dimming mirror as well when I purchased it which it wasn't and I mentioned this to him as well. It looked like he had tuned himself to listen to customer responses and explanation with a neutral face since he didn't respond to this apart from just nodding his head.

I made a note on his repeat customer complaint sheet that the issue is not resolved and is under observation and if the issue occurs again, I will push for a replacement and hopefully they will fit the mirror for which I actually paid for, which is the auto dimming + rear camera one.

Last edited by suhaas307 : 23rd April 2019 at 22:36. Reason: Spacing for improved readability
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Old 21st March 2019, 09:00   #149
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

Updated map

I was happy with the map that Wolfmoto which had some custom fine tuning in it for my liking. It was done in October last year and I had run around 5000 kms since. It is the same amount I had driven from the Code6 map to the Wolfmoto one.

The map was perfect and just like I wanted it and probably shows in the distance I covered in the last 5 months which was the same I covered, but in 9 months on the Code6 map.
The one part that was lacking was the top end, although I got only a couple of chances over the last months to check that. The feeling at the top was similar to the stock set up and I wanted more there. A month ago I saw a Freestyle on the Wolfmoto Insta page which claimed more output than my previous map. Not that I wanted more power since the car was perfect on both city and highway roads, but I had a figure in my mind for the top end which I wanted to touch(I know mine and my cars limits). I got in touch with Wolfmoto and over few weeks they got the map done for the Aspire. They were visiting yesterday and got the new one flashed in ten minutes and was out.
This is a slightly more aggressive map but has the same characteristics as my previous one. I wanted the turbo spooling linearity to remain and thankfully it has. I did feel a sense of urgency now when I hit the gas pedal and in the short city drive I did, I can feel the overall response has a gone up by a notch. The 1.5 was known for very minimal lag which was further reduced to a good extent with the previous map. Now on the new one, I am driving it like my previous gen petrol Figo in the 1000-1500 rpm range. In other words, there is no waiting for the power to kick in, it is more of a gradual increase in power and gets into almost wheel spin mode in second gear and floored. I hardly floor the gas pedal now.
I will have to drive for few more days until the map adapts and then keep a watch on smoking and fuel efficiency. The good part was that this map update was done after just 1000 kms of the last oil service, so I can gauge the true difference.

More updates as I pile on more kms.
Odo is at 18800 kms

Last edited by tharian : 21st March 2019 at 09:14.
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Old 23rd March 2019, 11:59   #150
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Re: Rubicon: Ford Aspire 1.5L Sports, now Wolf'd

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Originally Posted by tharian View Post
I will push for a replacement and hopefully they will fit the mirror for which I actually paid for, which is the auto dimming + rear camera one.
I feel you are wasting your time. The reverse camera IRVM does not have auto-dimming function at all other than a vague reference to automatic brightness function in the IRVM's manual. But in reality, the IRVM does not support auto-dimming at all.
See the post below on my experience with the reverse camera IRVM and trying to get the "issue" sorted with the dealership & Ford.
The Reverse Camera IRVM fiasco - Does not work as Advertised
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