re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning! Quote:
Originally Posted by vnabhi But after reading a thread on this forum on how to check Engine Oil, I thought of giving it a try. When i checked the engine oil level early morning, I was surprised to see that the level was at the minimum notch of the dipstick. I checked an hour after reaching work, and found it to be at the same level. As the car was serviced in March, and had done only 3000+ kms, I was a bit worried. I placed newspaper beneath the engine bay at home and also at work, but there was no sign of spillage! This confused me even more.
As the next service was more than 6 months away, I did not want to take a chance. I visited Vibrant Ford and got it checked. They confirmed that oil was indeed low, but that it was not abnormal. I told them that last year also, I had got them to elevate the car to check for any leaks, and none were found. They had topped up a liter of oil then, and the car had done 5000+ kms after the prior service. So I declined their suggestion of leaving the car and getting a thorough scan done. I asked them to top up the oil in my presence, and they put in around 900 ml of engine oil. They also said that it was normal for oil level to drop after a few thousand kms. They also said it changes consistency over time.
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeroen Anything up to 1 litre per 1000 tends to be considered as "normal". Obviously, if it is leaking out, you might want that seen to. But if it disappears through the exhaust don't worry. Luv oil is a whole lot cheaper than an engine overhaul!
Jeroen | Quote:
Originally Posted by R2D2
Also, about seals, well, the parts are not expensive but it is a labour intensive replacement. You know that saying "chaar ane ki murgi baara ane ka masala". People need to weigh the benefits vs the risks.
If one is regular with oil changes using mid to high quality mineral/synthetic oil & filter changes one does not need to flush the engine. |
The mystery of oil decreasing seems to have been unraveled. I visited Vibrant Ford to get my suspension checked because i was getting a clunky sound while turning the steering just after an early morning start for the past few weeks. Also, sometimes the steering would turn a bit more than intended. I suspected worn tyres or drive shaft bushes.
The test drive revealed minor issues cropping up with the link rods. I'd changed the stabilizer bars 2 years ago when the odo was 70000 kms, and the tie rods and bushes 5 years ago when the odo was 48000 kms. With the odo now at 80400 kms, the link rods were beginning to wear out. i am not sure if they are the same as tie rods, but the SA gave me the option of having them changed later, as he felt they were fine. This apart, the issue was only during early morning starts, when turning perpendicular right from my parking spot.
I also asked them to check the engine oil level, as the car was driven around 3700 kms after the last service in April. That is when the SA found it was at the minimum mark of the dipstick. I told him I was facing this issue for the past 2 years, but earlier inspections did not reveal any leak. Therefore, he got the car elevated for an inspection.
This time we did find a minor oil lead under the oil sump, but not originating from it. Further inspection with a torch light indicated that it was leaking from far above. They then suspected that it was leaking from the valve seal/ gasket on the engine. They advised me to top up a liter of oil and give the car to them next week for a thorough inspection, as they had too many cars that day. I felt relieved that the mystery of oil loss was discovered after 2 years. As the car is nearly 13 years old, i guess it is normal for seals to leak.
I'll update the thread after the repairs next week. I will post pictures of the lead after downsizing a couple of photos.
Images below:
Last edited by vnabhi : 11th January 2020 at 23:23.
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