A few months ago I decided we needed a second car, managed to get a C-Max 1.8 [125] LX Cmax on a 06 plate for £2800 with 76000 miles on the clock.All seems ok but I have noticed that it seems to be drinking lots of oil, about a litre per 1000 miles sometimes a bit more. There is no smoke, no noises infact it is really quiet and no signs of an oil leak. I have had it into my local Ford dealer a couple of times but they can't seem to find anything wrong. I got it serviced about 500 miles ago and it has gone from max to min in that time, combined driving - town, country roads and motorway.The dealer had a look on the Ford information system and he told me that half a litre over 1000Km is expected. I have owned quite a few Fords in the past and dont ever recall the need to top the oil up at all. Anybody got any thoughts or does this actually seem normal.P.S. on a side note: I had the powertrain light come on when I first got the car and it was juddering with real poor performance and MPG. Dealer fixed it with a software upgrade to the powertrain control module (PCM), amazing difference and goes like a rocket now! If your having power, running and mpg issues get the software checked!
Oil consumption (1.8 Duratec)
jimblob
41 - 49 of 49 Posts
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77 Posts
Hi there jimblob2
Sorry to hear u still having problems with ur duratec drinking oil excessively. I have not had a chance to do everything I planned.
I have however took off the inlet manifold-once more- this time armed in better tools to ease that pain in the ass process. I will post my findings later on together with photos to make it easier for ppl as I found the ford manual and especially Haynes manual are not good enough...
I have fully cleaned the inlet again using carb cleaner and some aquarium cleaning brushes set- I knew buying the fish for daughter wasnt such a bad idea!
Anyway, I was shocked to find how much crap there was in the inlet after only few months (when I cleaned it last time).
That again got me thinking that the PCV valve may be shot- it was not. Quite simply duratecs blow out so much oilly vapour/oil... Check other forums, especially Mazda 3 as they are using duratecs as well...
therefore have decided to fit oil catch can this time round- will post photos when I install mounting bracket as for now it is dangling there on cable tie attached to radiator fan
This will not cure the problem but I confirmed the PCV valve is OK and fitted the oil catch to clean the engine/ inlet manifold and be able to monitor how much oil/gunk comes out from oil separator.
Next is replacing oil valve stem seals and valve cover gaskets.
If that does not help then an engine swap or car swap! either 2.0 cmax or 2.5 turbo smax!
I will try the shell v power in the meantime!
Regarding the sound- that could be simply split air hose somewhere. Have a good listen under the bonnet. Use cigar or cigs smoke to find the leak-seriously check the youtube
Regards.
Sorry to hear u still having problems with ur duratec drinking oil excessively. I have not had a chance to do everything I planned.
I have however took off the inlet manifold-once more- this time armed in better tools to ease that pain in the ass process. I will post my findings later on together with photos to make it easier for ppl as I found the ford manual and especially Haynes manual are not good enough...
I have fully cleaned the inlet again using carb cleaner and some aquarium cleaning brushes set- I knew buying the fish for daughter wasnt such a bad idea!
Anyway, I was shocked to find how much crap there was in the inlet after only few months (when I cleaned it last time).
That again got me thinking that the PCV valve may be shot- it was not. Quite simply duratecs blow out so much oilly vapour/oil... Check other forums, especially Mazda 3 as they are using duratecs as well...
therefore have decided to fit oil catch can this time round- will post photos when I install mounting bracket as for now it is dangling there on cable tie attached to radiator fan
This will not cure the problem but I confirmed the PCV valve is OK and fitted the oil catch to clean the engine/ inlet manifold and be able to monitor how much oil/gunk comes out from oil separator.
Next is replacing oil valve stem seals and valve cover gaskets.
If that does not help then an engine swap or car swap!
either 2.0 cmax or 2.5 turbo smax!I will try the shell v power in the meantime!
Regarding the sound- that could be simply split air hose somewhere. Have a good listen under the bonnet. Use cigar or cigs smoke to find the leak-seriously check the youtube
Regards.
Joined
·
77 Posts
Hi all
Looking at the amount of views, this must be one of the most popular topics!
Anyway, i have been doing some more research trying to understand why my car started to run, not only on expensive petrol but also oil
The text below is easy to understand and collates all important information regarding burning the oil so enjoy
Quote:
"Some engines use more oil than others, but how much is too much? Leaf through the repair manuals of several auto manufacturers and you will find a variety of specifications. One states that the engine should use no more than 1 quart (.946 litres) of oil in 3200 km. Another states a litre in 500 km. This wide range of specifications challenges anyone to determine what is excessive. A lot has to do with the design of engine, the application, the oil viscosity and how it is operated.
When the oil level goes down, it has either been burned inside the engine or it has leaked past a gasket or seal. Even a small leak will cause the oil level to drop rapidly, but this problem is easily noticeable because of the oil stains on the bottom of the car and the driveway.
Determining how the oil disappears when there are no external leaks may seem complicated but it is really very simple. There are only a few ways where oil can enter the combustion chamber and be burned in the engine: past the valve guides, past the piston rings, through the engine ventilation system, or on some engines, through a leaking intake manifold gasket. Let's look at each in a little more detail.
The engine's valves move inside valve guides that are part of the cylinder head. A little oil inside the guide is necessary to provide lubrication for the moving parts and oil seals are used to limit the amount of oil that can enter. Excessive clearances between the valves and the guides or worn seals can allow too much oil to run down the guides and be drawn into the engine.
The only time you will see oil smoke from the tailpipe of a vehicle with worn valve guides or seals is when you first start up the engine after it has sat for several hours. The oil has had time to run down the guides and collect behind the valves. As the engine is cranked, the oil runs into the combustion chamber and is quickly burned. Stop and go driving will tend to pull more oil down the intake guides because of higher intake manifold vacuum but the oil is burned as it is pulled in and the problem has to be very bad before the oil smoke can be seen behind the vehicle.
The first step in repairing this problem is to replace the valve seals. Often the mechanic can estimate the wear in the valve guides while the seals are replaced. If guide clearance is too large, the cylinder heads must be removed for repairs.
Worn piston rings and cylinder walls allow oil past the piston into the combustion chamber. Oil is thrown onto the cylinder walls from the crankshaft bearings so large bearing clearances can also cause oil consumption because there is too much oil on the cylinder wall for the rings to control. High rpm driving will also throw more oil on the cylinder walls, so oil consumption can occur even with good piston rings.
Oil that goes past the piston rings may leave a smoke haze behind the vehicle while driving but won't cause a cloud of smoke at engine start-up. Engine compression test results may appear to be fine but this is because the large amounts of oil on the cylinder walls help seal the rings at cranking speeds, so the best way to diagnose bad rings is visually. Remove the spark plugs and use a small light to look at the top of the piston. Normal burning cylinders will have an even brown or black carbon coating on the piston top while a piston with oil coming past the rings will have the carbon washed off around the edge of the piston.
Industrial engines and high performance engines are often built with larger clearances and will use more oil. Operating any engine under heavy loads or high rpm will also cause it to use more oil. Using an oil with a higher viscosity will reduce oil consumption but also uses more horsepower from the engine too.
Finally, other ways oil can be consumed in the engine are not common but a leaking intake manifold gasket on some V6 and V8 engines can allow oil to be pulled into the combustion chamber. Because the leak is on the underside of the intake manifold, it can be difficult to test for, but often this type of problem will cause the spark plug to foul in the one cylinder affected by the leak.
The engine ventilation system's job is to remove harmful vapours from the crankcase. It does this by pulling the fumes through a PCV valve or orifice into the intake manifold where the fumes are burned. If the wrong PCV valve is installed, the flow rate may be too high and oil mist can be pulled through as well. This can use a lot of oil quickly, so always replace the PCV valve with the correct one.
Fixing excessive oil consumption can be costly but some of the problems can be repaired at relatively low cost. For most drivers, the engine oil shouldn't drop below the "add" mark between oil changes. If it does, the challenge is to find out how the oil is being consumed."
This is from the below address and i take no credit for it whatsoever!
Vehicle Oil Consumption, Why's & Wherefores
I will post my findings regarding the new PCV valve and oil catch can next week.
Regards.
Looking at the amount of views, this must be one of the most popular topics!
Anyway, i have been doing some more research trying to understand why my car started to run, not only on expensive petrol but also oil
The text below is easy to understand and collates all important information regarding burning the oil so enjoy
Quote:
"Some engines use more oil than others, but how much is too much? Leaf through the repair manuals of several auto manufacturers and you will find a variety of specifications. One states that the engine should use no more than 1 quart (.946 litres) of oil in 3200 km. Another states a litre in 500 km. This wide range of specifications challenges anyone to determine what is excessive. A lot has to do with the design of engine, the application, the oil viscosity and how it is operated.
When the oil level goes down, it has either been burned inside the engine or it has leaked past a gasket or seal. Even a small leak will cause the oil level to drop rapidly, but this problem is easily noticeable because of the oil stains on the bottom of the car and the driveway.
Determining how the oil disappears when there are no external leaks may seem complicated but it is really very simple. There are only a few ways where oil can enter the combustion chamber and be burned in the engine: past the valve guides, past the piston rings, through the engine ventilation system, or on some engines, through a leaking intake manifold gasket. Let's look at each in a little more detail.
The engine's valves move inside valve guides that are part of the cylinder head. A little oil inside the guide is necessary to provide lubrication for the moving parts and oil seals are used to limit the amount of oil that can enter. Excessive clearances between the valves and the guides or worn seals can allow too much oil to run down the guides and be drawn into the engine.
The only time you will see oil smoke from the tailpipe of a vehicle with worn valve guides or seals is when you first start up the engine after it has sat for several hours. The oil has had time to run down the guides and collect behind the valves. As the engine is cranked, the oil runs into the combustion chamber and is quickly burned. Stop and go driving will tend to pull more oil down the intake guides because of higher intake manifold vacuum but the oil is burned as it is pulled in and the problem has to be very bad before the oil smoke can be seen behind the vehicle.
The first step in repairing this problem is to replace the valve seals. Often the mechanic can estimate the wear in the valve guides while the seals are replaced. If guide clearance is too large, the cylinder heads must be removed for repairs.
Worn piston rings and cylinder walls allow oil past the piston into the combustion chamber. Oil is thrown onto the cylinder walls from the crankshaft bearings so large bearing clearances can also cause oil consumption because there is too much oil on the cylinder wall for the rings to control. High rpm driving will also throw more oil on the cylinder walls, so oil consumption can occur even with good piston rings.
Oil that goes past the piston rings may leave a smoke haze behind the vehicle while driving but won't cause a cloud of smoke at engine start-up. Engine compression test results may appear to be fine but this is because the large amounts of oil on the cylinder walls help seal the rings at cranking speeds, so the best way to diagnose bad rings is visually. Remove the spark plugs and use a small light to look at the top of the piston. Normal burning cylinders will have an even brown or black carbon coating on the piston top while a piston with oil coming past the rings will have the carbon washed off around the edge of the piston.
Industrial engines and high performance engines are often built with larger clearances and will use more oil. Operating any engine under heavy loads or high rpm will also cause it to use more oil. Using an oil with a higher viscosity will reduce oil consumption but also uses more horsepower from the engine too.
Finally, other ways oil can be consumed in the engine are not common but a leaking intake manifold gasket on some V6 and V8 engines can allow oil to be pulled into the combustion chamber. Because the leak is on the underside of the intake manifold, it can be difficult to test for, but often this type of problem will cause the spark plug to foul in the one cylinder affected by the leak.
The engine ventilation system's job is to remove harmful vapours from the crankcase. It does this by pulling the fumes through a PCV valve or orifice into the intake manifold where the fumes are burned. If the wrong PCV valve is installed, the flow rate may be too high and oil mist can be pulled through as well. This can use a lot of oil quickly, so always replace the PCV valve with the correct one.
Fixing excessive oil consumption can be costly but some of the problems can be repaired at relatively low cost. For most drivers, the engine oil shouldn't drop below the "add" mark between oil changes. If it does, the challenge is to find out how the oil is being consumed."
This is from the below address and i take no credit for it whatsoever!
Vehicle Oil Consumption, Why's & Wherefores
I will post my findings regarding the new PCV valve and oil catch can next week.
Regards.
Well I have been monitoring my oil usage, 7 litres over 4000 miles. I would say that is excessive.
I was having a poke around the engine today, I cleaned the valve cover and took out a spark plug - just curious. I took out spark plug number 2, there was oil around the thread so I took a picture of the spark plug hole. It looks like oil is leaking from the valve cover into the spark plug hole.
Would a bad valve (rocker) cover gasket cause the oil burning issue I have?
I don't know much about engines any thoughts?
I was having a poke around the engine today, I cleaned the valve cover and took out a spark plug - just curious. I took out spark plug number 2, there was oil around the thread so I took a picture of the spark plug hole. It looks like oil is leaking from the valve cover into the spark plug hole.
Would a bad valve (rocker) cover gasket cause the oil burning issue I have?
I don't know much about engines any thoughts?
Went to see the dealer, they were a bit stumped. I have noticed that there is oil in all spark plug holes, the third from the left as a pool of oil.
They have suggested an engine flush & oil change. I have also asked them to change the valve cover gasket. Its booked in for the 2nd of September. Fingers crossed and I'll keep you posted.
They have suggested an engine flush & oil change. I have also asked them to change the valve cover gasket. Its booked in for the 2nd of September. Fingers crossed and I'll keep you posted.
The engine flush did not fix my oil drinking problem, on a plus note the car is running very fast & smooth. They did not change the gasket, they said that the leak was not big enough to be of concern.
Done 90000 now - engine running well, I guess I'll just have to top it up until I trade it.
Joined
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1,424 Posts
Think id have set it on fire by now. Sounded like a right chew on
Thread revivial timetherefore have decided to fit oil catch can this time round- will post photos when I install mounting bracket as for now it is dangling there on cable tie attached to radiator fan
Where did you get the kit for the catch can please? Was it off the shelf, or did you have to fabricate something?
I know this is an old thread, but I have some information to input linked to my own 1.8 petrol. I have oil comsumption a tad higher than the TIS firgure quoted above, but my engine has done 136k. It is still quiet, smooth etc. and combined mileage is 35-39mpg of normal and occasional spirited driving.
The oil consumption seems constant as opposed to getting higher over time, which is reassuring. I have no smoke that I can see when starting or driving.
* When I first got the car I was alarmed by my dipstick readings. If the car has been idle for a day or so and I check the dipstick, there is sometimes nothing on it, or a little touching the end. It is on a flat and level surface.
* If I wipe that off and 're-dip' it, I get a more expected reading showing a clear and onbvious level betwen the bottom and top lines, but only if done by the method in my solution below.
* If I re-dip it but turn it around 360 degrees before pulling it out, I get a reading that suggests it is overfilled.
The solution? I make sure the dipstick markers are facing the rear of the car and take that as my reading. I have no idea how I discovered this, but I was concerned by the apparent vagueness of the level.
I now check the oil each week or around the 500 mile mark, whichever somes sooner. I figure those few minutes checking could save me a world of pain. Time will tell if anything else needs to be done or if there is a bigger/serious problem.
I think I will change the PCV valve soon as I do not think it has ever been changed and it probably needs changing anyway under the 'good practice' attitude.
The oil consumption seems constant as opposed to getting higher over time, which is reassuring. I have no smoke that I can see when starting or driving.
* When I first got the car I was alarmed by my dipstick readings. If the car has been idle for a day or so and I check the dipstick, there is sometimes nothing on it, or a little touching the end. It is on a flat and level surface.
* If I wipe that off and 're-dip' it, I get a more expected reading showing a clear and onbvious level betwen the bottom and top lines, but only if done by the method in my solution below.
* If I re-dip it but turn it around 360 degrees before pulling it out, I get a reading that suggests it is overfilled.
The solution? I make sure the dipstick markers are facing the rear of the car and take that as my reading. I have no idea how I discovered this, but I was concerned by the apparent vagueness of the level.
I now check the oil each week or around the 500 mile mark, whichever somes sooner. I figure those few minutes checking could save me a world of pain. Time will tell if anything else needs to be done or if there is a bigger/serious problem.
I think I will change the PCV valve soon as I do not think it has ever been changed and it probably needs changing anyway under the 'good practice' attitude.
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