High oil consumption?

Central · 10-10-2015, 22:50

My car is a 2001 Ford Focus 1.6 Ghia Petrol.

On the 10th August I had a oil change and filter change. Done at home by me and a friend (I trust him. He has done other work for me)

Since then I have had to top it up twice. The dip stick read almost low on both occasions.

I have been driving to work which is a commute of about 44 miles per day and five times a week. Plus other driving. Only just started this job so in a month I have estimated I have done about 800-1000 miles.

When I checked the dipstick today it was about 1/4 above empty. I filled it back up to full and left it.

Does that sound like its burning to much? Most of my work journey is motorway so it will be spinning the engine at around 2750 rpm for 75% of the journey. Would this burn it off quicker?

Many thanks for any help and any questions to help me further. Then please ask.

Cheers

Hom3r · 10-10-2015, 23:19

Oil leak?

Does the car smoke when you drive it?

Central · 10-10-2015, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Oil leak?

Does the car smoke when you drive it?

No visible smoke when driving it other then the usual steam on a cold start

mrmistoffelees · 11-10-2015, 01:50

Check the following

Rocker gasket
Oil filter gasket - my money is in this, oil filter has been tightened incorrectly
Other option is valve steam seals

Another test drive at fifty take your foot of the accelerator and then press the accelerator fully down, any blue smoke from the exhaust?

Central · 11-10-2015, 08:04

I had put card under the car yesterday afternoon and just had a look and its bone dry.

Will leave it to run idle later for 10-15 minutes to see if it leaks while the engine is running. Will update.

mrmistoffelees · 11-10-2015, 12:33

If it's dry then the engine is burning the oil somehow

I had a similar problem on my z4m no oil leak on the floor

Was using a litre every 900 miles

Changed the
crankshaft vent gasket
Rocker gasket
Tested to see if it was the valve stem seals
Oil filter housing gasket

Engine flush new oil and filter and the problem is gone and oil use is back within recommended limits

Also don't use cheap oil !!!

rhyds · 11-10-2015, 16:07

Silly question: Does your focus idle badly? Mine's been using extra oil of late, and I can't see an obvious leak. What I have had to change recently however is the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve pipework, and while it's an outside chance, I'm thinking a breather problem might be part of the reason its using more oil.

Other possibilities include the sump drain plug itself. Ford ones have an integral gasket and can go weak. Best way to test is to run the car until it's hot (lots of revs and a good long run as oil takes an age to warm up) and re-do your card under the engine test while you leave it overnight.

As mrmistoffelees mentions, valve stem seals could cause an issue, but that usually shows up as blue smoke on startup (old Ford CVH engines were terrible for it).

And one other thing. In my experience, the 1.6 Zetec-SE engine in the Focus MK1 is the most sensitive engine I've seen as to where you check the oil, and when you check the oil. As long as you're always checking the oil with the engine stone cold and the car in the same place then it should be OK, but checking it even after the engine has been stopped for a while will show a drop compared to stone cold. Also, watch for escaping drops of oil off the end of the dipstick!

Central · 12-10-2015, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhyds

Silly question: Does your focus idle badly? Mine's been using extra oil of late, and I can't see an obvious leak. What I have had to change recently however is the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve pipework, and while it's an outside chance, I'm thinking a breather problem might be part of the reason its using more oil.

Other possibilities include the sump drain plug itself. Ford ones have an integral gasket and can go weak. Best way to test is to run the car until it's hot (lots of revs and a good long run as oil takes an age to warm up) and re-do your card under the engine test while you leave it overnight.

As mrmistoffelees mentions, valve stem seals could cause an issue, but that usually shows up as blue smoke on startup (old Ford CVH engines were terrible for it).

And one other thing. In my experience, the 1.6 Zetec-SE engine in the Focus MK1 is the most sensitive engine I've seen as to where you check the oil, and when you check the oil. As long as you're always checking the oil with the engine stone cold and the car in the same place then it should be OK, but checking it even after the engine has been stopped for a while will show a drop compared to stone cold. Also, watch for escaping drops of oil off the end of the dipstick!

The idle was pretty bad last year. I swapped the PCV then with a Ford part.

I have checked the card again and its still dry. I do think a change in how far I drive now due to the new job has taken me by surprise a bit in regards to the oil.

Its gone from 90 miles a week to 210 miles a week.

raging bull · 12-10-2015, 08:34

Given that you report no oil leaks, no smoke from exhaust yet oil level dropping at an alarming rate has me head scratching.
[I have done Yorkshire to Devon twice this year in an 05 Meriva, not a drop of oil used]
Have you tried checking oil level whilst engine warm (say 5min after returning from work), I always get engine up to working temperature before checking level on level ground.

mrmistoffelees · 12-10-2015, 11:37

If you drive the car fast or accelerate hard when you get out of the car does it smell hot/burny?

Put your finger into the exhaust (not with the engine on) is it black and sooty?

rhyds · 12-10-2015, 22:12

Another thing you could try is to give the engine a proper clean with some degreaser, which should make any leak easier to spot.

rhyds · 18-11-2015, 13:02

I'm not sure if you ever sorted your car Central, but mine seems to have stabilised after doing the following:

1: I gave the oil filter an extra 1/8th of a turn by hand (no tools)

2: Front of the block cleaned to try and find any leaks, no obvious signs

3: I cleaned out the small sponge breather filter in the bottom of the air filter box

Central · 23-11-2015, 17:49

Still keeping an eye on this.

Done about 1400 miles so far and had it fill it up by 500ml so far.

alferret · 23-11-2015, 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Central

Still keeping an eye on this.

Done about 1400 miles so far and had it fill it up by 500ml so far.

Are you sure there isnt an Audi 2.0 TFSI engine shoehorned in there?

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads...models.237270/