Excessively High Oil Use (?)

Hi all,

Excessively High Oil Use (?): Ford Focus 2009. 1.8 Engine. 195K.

Currrently and for 4 years consistently burning 5 or 6 litres of oil a month. Had it looked at several times with regular servicing and reliable garage says they cant find anything wrong with it.

Some have said "its the model and age and engine size", but I think that cant be right?

Any thoughts? Suggestions of what it might be? Thanks.

Whatwicklow

What milage do you do that burns 5/6 liters a month?

Very low. About 130km a week max. Car only used to drive to work and back and shopping at weekend. Then a return drive of 400km total every third month.

Whatwicklow

So 5/6 liters per c1000km... Crikey, At that rate the car must be incredibly smokey or incredibly leaky and a garage should be able to diognos by smell or by the oil pouring out of it.

Start the motor. Open the bonnet, open the oil filter cap. If oil comes splashing out your compression is leaking and your rings are short (rebuild or new motor)

Hi, thanks for that.

There are no signs of oil leakage or oil burning. I’ve driven behind the car and exhaust is sound. I guess any problem would have been picked up at NCT? And it’s had at least 5 NCT’s and possibly 6, never any problems at all.

The car always parked on drive and never any leaks.

A possible clue. About a year ago the car engine was cutting out and for a day prior to that there was a smoke residue mark on the drive, presumably from when it was being started.

A cracked pipe was the problem and that was replaced and no problems ever since. But the oil use has stayed the same.

I’ll try what you’ve suggested. Thanks

Henry Ford III

Oil doesn't just vanish. It's either burned off in the combustion process or is leaking out somewhere.

Get a 2nd opinion as your oil consumption is very high.

The Continental Op

If you do an oil change and fill the engine back up to the top of the dip stick how much oil do you use? Wrong dipstick? You aren't over filling and then burning off the excess?

Car was serviced 5 months ago. Oil change and fill up. Can’t be exact but oil low warning light came on soon enough after.

Oil light comes on when stopping at light and applying brake. Goes off immediately after taking foot off brake.

That’s when we top up, little or no oil registering on dip stick. We put in two litres or so and barely registers on dip stick. Touching minimum level at best.

Continental Op, I think you might be right about the dipstick. Even when I put in 3 litres, the dipstick is on absolute minimum, barely on register.

Hi lads.

On the day I posted this thread (8th June) I put about 1.5 litres in. After putting 1.5 litres in the dipstick reading was on absolute minimum.

Its showing zero now (13th June).

I've posted up a separate thread to see if i can get correct length of dipstick confirmed. Thanks

artanevilla

Was it an oil level warning or an oil pressure light you got?

Thanks.

Not sure, wife’s car. She tells me the dashboard warning light comes on when the car stops at traffic light, possibly when the clutch is down.

The light goes off when clutch released.

The above doesn’t happen all the time.

But when it does occur, every few weeks, particularly after a long journey. I put in at least a litre or two.

the dipstick reading is rarely above minimum, even when I put in 3 litres.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120709990#Comment_120709990

Why aren't you filling to the top of the dipstick?

Do you know someone who can pump it out so you can see how much is in there when its at the bottom of the dipstick?

To the top of the dipstick from empty (with an oil filter change) that engine takes 4.3 litres afaik (from google but a lot of Fords take 4-4.5 litres of oil).

To top up from bottom mark on dipstick to top normally takes 1 litre of oil. You've filled up to the bottom mark with 1.5litres of oil

So with that info we can deduce back before the 8th Jun you have been running your car with only around 1.8 litres of oil in it?

3.3 litres to bottom of dipstick minus the 1.5litres added.

You seem to be back there again? Something really doesn't add up?

Quick RANT Who in their right mind doesn't run their engine topped up to the full mark on the dipstick?

You are checking the dipstick with the car parked on the level, not on a hill?

Are you using the recommended synthetic SAE 5W-20 Oil?

XsApollo

If you were driving around that car around and it actually needed 3 litres of oil , would the engine even last?

something sounds off here, you should be seeing it coming out the exhaust or sitting on your driveway, oil doesn’t dissappear.

if you know someone with the same car, take the dipstick out of theirs and compare with yours.

Kimbot

I believe piston rings were a problem causing oil consumption in those engines, i remember a few people having similar issues. If I am talking to one of the lads this evening I will ask him but Im fairly sure he said the piston rings were the problem.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710122#Comment_120710122

Thanks Continental OP, Kimbot and XsApollo.

Yes correct type oil put in and on level. I think I was cautious about overfilling the oil as it just wasn't making sense where all the oil was going. Looks dumb now I give you that. 😊 Kimbot has suggested it might be pistons, so possibly that's the answer.

I'll take it to garage (wife's car btw) and ask them again to check out oil levels etc.

Thanks guys for your time and advice, much appreciated. 😀

sonar44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710209#Comment_120710209

If the rings are worn, then oil is making its way into the combustion chambers. I would have thought you'd see white smoke in the exhaust?

Although - you may only see that when the engine is under load - taking off hard etc.

Another test for op would be leave the engine idling for 10-15 minutes and then giving it a healthy rev. If you see smoke from the exhaust - it's most prob rings.

wandererz

I stopped at a roadside parking area yesterday to check my lights.

There was a family in a SUV type vehicle who had just had the engine warning light come on. I checked the dipstick and there wasn't a drop of oil.

Nothing showing under the car or around the engine either.

I drove to a petrol station and got them 5ltrs of oil which allowed them to continue their journey to a mechanic.

He diagnosed it as blown turbo.

Makes sense to me, turbo kept injesting oil.

Could have been worse. Could have ended up with a runaway turbo/engine.

Thanks Kimbot.

I've now been googling "ford focus piston rings oil use", and it seems to be a common enough problem. I'll get the garage to check that out. Many thanks.

sonar44

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710854#Comment_120710854

Interesting. If the turbo oil seal goes on the air intake side - you can have runaway engine. If it goes on the other side - it may not be obvious at all and it can flood the exhaust with oil, and fills the silencers etc. Worth running a finger around the exhaust pipe to see if there's engine oil there.

Hi folks.

Just giving you the end update.

Car checked again today. Nothing found but engine burning oil, emissions off the scale. (Passed NCT in Feb 2023).

Would need a "new" engine, not worth going there, so its for the crusher. Was a great car. Oh well.

chrisd2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783513#Comment_120783513

Hi,

Have you considered a leaking oil pressure switch? I have had this issue myself previously with a different make and model of car myself, though your oil loss rate seems very high to occur without physical oil appearing under the car.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784386#Comment_120784386

Thanks for that, definitely not leaking. Engine gone, probably time for the crusher, shame too, was a great car.