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Old 10th August 2018, 01:17   #901
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post
Pay attention to the heat generated or you could end up with warped rotors and brake pad imprints. But it's not much of an issue with front disc brakes as they are ventilated. It's the rear solid discs that heat up far more due to lower ventilation at the rear and lack of cooling vanes when in use.
Yes, I'll follow the procedure you've mentioned there. I assume holding on to the discs for a long duration(i.e. keeping the brake pressed for long) when they are hot can lead to warping, as the metal will be marginally softer and prone to deformation, am I right?

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Also, old high mileage engines can run rough after a flush or even with synthetics that clean up the engine far better than mineral oil.
Oh okay. What's the reason for this? Shouldn't a cleaner engine run smoother and be more efficient?

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I prefer to avoid sludge formation & accumulation in the engine as much as possible hence regularly replace even synthetic oil and the oil filter annually or 10K km whichever occurs first.

Replacing a seal is not a complex job but I don't relish the thought of my car's engine or tranny being even partially dismantled for this purpose. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure IMO.
Yes, I'll follow the normal 10K interval itself for the synthetic.
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Old 10th August 2018, 10:08   #902
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by Rohan24 View Post
Yes, I'll follow the procedure you've mentioned there. I assume holding on to the discs for a long duration(i.e. keeping the brake pressed for long) when they are hot can lead to warping, as the metal will be marginally softer and prone to deformation, am I right?
Pressing the brake pedal when the rotor and pad are hot can result in pad imprints. Warping the rotor is not easy so don't worry to much about it. Pad imprints will result in the rotor surface being uneven and cause vibrations whilst braking.

Also, make sure the wheel bolts/nuts are torqued evenly to specs. Uneven or over tightening (which is so common) can result in warped rotors with the heat/cool cycle over the long term.

For the first time in decades of owning cars I finally came across a tyre wala who actually uses a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts. How accurate that beaten up TW is is a matter of debate and he uses the same setting (100 NM) for all cars. I like the thought behind it but rechecked the torque settings after returning home.

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Oh okay. What's the reason for this? Shouldn't a cleaner engine run smoother and be more efficient?
OK, consider this, please name ONE, yes just **ONE** car or engine manufacturer who recommends using a flush every x thousand miles/km in a modern engine.

There are people who swear by flushes. I am one of those who prefers using top quality lube and filters combined with regular changes to minimise sludge formation. To each his own.
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Old 10th August 2018, 13:31   #903
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post

OK, consider this, please name ONE, yes just **ONE** car or engine manufacturer who recommends using a flush every x thousand miles/km in a modern engine.

There are people who swear by flushes. I am one of those who prefers using top quality lube and filters combined with regular changes to minimise sludge formation. To each his own.
Haha no, I get your point, I was asking what could be the technical explanation for the engine running rough after a flush.
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Old 10th August 2018, 18:04   #904
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Haha no, I get your point, I was asking what could be the technical explanation for the engine running rough after a flush.
Well, the primary reason is the flush may cause seals to leak and for freed up gunk to combine in the engine + flush solution (that's what the flush is meant to do) and clog vital parts of the engine. As I said before, when it comes to the engine and tranny I err on the side of caution hence my advice to stay away. If you have been regular with (good quality) oil and filter changes you'll have a clean engine automatically.

Some more reading at Amsoil's blog: Is an engine flush good or bad

Hope this suffices to take a call one way or the other.
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Old 10th August 2018, 18:23   #905
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post
Well, the primary reason is the flush may cause seals to leak and for freed up gunk to combine in the engine + flush solution (that's what the flush is meant to do) and clog vital parts of the engine. As I said before, when it comes to the engine and tranny I err on the side of caution hence my advice to stay away. If you have been regular with (good quality) oil and filter changes you'll have a clean engine automatically.

Some more reading at Amsoil's blog: Is an engine flush good or bad

Hope this suffices to take a call one way or the other.
Yes, I've read this article from the other thread. The reason I was thinking about flush is because I bought this car pre-owned at 50k kms, and am unsure about previous oil changes.
Will stick to just using synthetic, seems good enough for me, rather than going with the expense of changing oil seals,etc. all for a little bit of power gain.
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Old 10th August 2018, 18:39   #906
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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The reason I was thinking about flush is because I bought this car pre-owned at 50k kms, and am unsure about previous oil changes.
Precisely why you should stay away from a flush. You don't know how that engine was treated by the previous owner and the amount of accumulated sludge inside.

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Will stick to just using synthetic, seems good enough for me, rather than going with the expense of changing oil seals,etc. all for a little bit of power gain.
Power gain due to an engine flush? That doesn't happen. Some parts of the engine are cleaner & it allows the new engine oil to do its job more efficiently. Don't let anybody make you believe you get a HP boost by using a flush.

Shell synthetic will do a good job of cleaning out the gunk gently and over a period of time..provided of course you change it at manufacturer recommended intervals.

Choosing between a good engine oil & a flush to clean the engine is like choosing between Lux liquid soap or Nirma washing powder to wash your hands.

Last edited by R2D2 : 10th August 2018 at 18:40.
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Old 23rd August 2018, 14:29   #907
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

I found the rubber beading at the ends of both wipers slightly peeling off the frame, when I cleaned them last Sunday. I knew that soon they would start leaving streaks on the windscreen. They were Bosch wipers that I had installed way back in 2013.

I immediately place an order on Amazon Prime for a similar set of 22/16s that cost me Rs 315. I got the delivery on the very next day. I though of installing them myself, after watching videos on YouTube, but did not want to risk damaging the clip that seemed delicate. Therefore I got them installed at the accessories shop nearby.

What impressed me was that they lasted more than 5 monsoons. The stock Motorcrafts never lasted more than 3 monsoons. Very impressed with Bosch.
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Old 23rd August 2018, 16:20   #908
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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
I found the rubber beading at the ends of both wipers slightly peeling off the frame, when I cleaned them last Sunday. I knew that soon they would start leaving streaks on the windscreen. They were Bosch wipers that I had installed way back in 2013.

I immediately place an order on Amazon Prime for a similar set of 22/16s that cost me Rs 315. I got the delivery on the very next day. I though of installing them myself, after watching videos on YouTube, but did not want to risk damaging the clip that seemed delicate. Therefore I got them installed at the accessories shop nearby.

What impressed me was that they lasted more than 5 monsoons. The stock Motorcrafts never lasted more than 3 monsoons. Very impressed with Bosch.
11 years of ownership. That's really long. Do you love her the same way you did on the very first day?
Seriously, 11 years is like 2 cars for an average Indian.
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Old 23rd August 2018, 16:55   #909
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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11 years of ownership. That's really long. Do you love her the same way you did on the very first day?
Seriously, 11 years is like 2 cars for an average Indian.
I sure do. It is as thrilling as day 1. Few cars can carry that charm for so long.

And by the way, I'd owned a used M800 for 12 years before. I still own a 17-year old WagonR. Long story short, I retain cars for a long time.
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Old 23rd August 2018, 20:58   #910
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I sure do. It is as thrilling as day 1. Few cars can carry that charm for so long.

And by the way, I'd owned a used M800 for 12 years before. I still own a 17-year old WagonR. Long story short, I retain cars for a long time.
You are an inspiration to me. But personally I like change every 5 years. It is more from the good feeling than need.
But what about the insurance? Do you insure it every year? Maintainence of cars? Service center's still help source parts and do the routine service?

I know many of us change cars frequently but people like you really own them the way they should be.

Last edited by SDP : 25th August 2018 at 18:57. Reason: adding last line from another post
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Old 25th August 2018, 17:38   #911
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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You are an inspiration to me. But personally I like change every 5 years. It is more from the good feeling than need.
But what about the insurance? Do you insure it every year? Maintainence of cars? Service center's still help source parts and do the routine service?
Changing cars every 5 years is an expensive proposition, as you take a lot of depreciation hit. My cars are mostly petrol, and my usage in each is around 6 to 7 k kms a year. Therefore my usual target of usage is much longer, and after 15 years, there is hardly any difference in resale when compared to a diesel.

I have comprehensive insurance on all my cars. Renew meticulously. Car maintenance record is available on this thread---scroll back a few pages.

As regards boredom, yes, most of us are feeling bored with the WagonR, and we plan to change it next year, after my daughter-in-law masters driving. The Waggie has taken a few scratches after she started using it a couple of months ago.

As regards the Fiesta, i find it more exciting that all cars under 10 lakhs today. I've driven my friend's 2013 Honda City and found it lethargic. Even high-speed stability was not good. And I'm not a fan of features that are offered by competitors. The driving dynamics, steering feel, AC and ICE are most important to me, and the Fiesta 1.6 has all of them par excellence.
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Old 25th August 2018, 22:34   #912
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Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
Changing cars every 5 years is an expensive proposition, as you take a lot of depreciation hit. My cars are mostly petrol, and my usage in each is around 6 to 7 k kms a year. Therefore my usual target of usage is much longer, and after 15 years, there is hardly any difference in resale when compared to a diesel.

I have comprehensive insurance on all my cars. Renew meticulously. Car maintenance record is available on this thread---scroll back a few pages.

As regards boredom, yes, most of us are feeling bored with the WagonR, and we plan to change it next year, after my daughter-in-law masters driving. The Waggie has taken a few scratches after she started using it a couple of months ago.

As regards the Fiesta, i find it more exciting that all cars under 10 lakhs today. I've driven my friend's 2013 Honda City and found it lethargic. Even high-speed stability was not good. And I'm not a fan of features that are offered by competitors. The driving dynamics, steering feel, AC and ICE are most important to me, and the Fiesta 1.6 has all of them par excellence.
(By no means wish to make you feel old) This is what your generation was extremely good at. My grand father treated our first car Fiat Padmini with so much care and attention to detail. We also painted it with original Fiat Premier Company paint post 5 years. Unfortunately these days an entire brand sells only on features (read Hyundai) Not everyone is bothered of driving dynamics.
Fiesta was and is a cult. It's ac I personally call it Fridge On RoaDs. Unfortunately I have never driven the Ikon and Fiesta. I wish to if and when I do get an opportunity.
Will read the previous posts and shall follow ahead. You can actually have a thread advising on how to maintain cars if one intends to own it for 15 years.
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Old 27th August 2018, 20:13   #913
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

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Originally Posted by VWAllstar View Post
Will read the previous posts and shall follow ahead. You can actually have a thread advising on how to maintain cars if one intends to own it for 15 years.
Thanks for the accolade. I've updated my service costs and am uploading the spreadsheet with this post.


Fiesta Service Cost.xlsx
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Old 14th September 2018, 22:21   #914
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Having learnt driving from my dad more than 3 decades ago, I had inherited his habit of checking engine oil, gear oil, battery fluids, coolant and wiper fluid levels every Sunday when I owned a used M800. But after buying a brand new WagonR in July 2001, the habit died in a couple of years, as nothing every went wrong with the levels, and also because it was bought brand new.

Similar laziness continued with the Fiesta and Figo that i bought new in 2007 and 2012. 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.

Going by the above, I'll check the oil level soon after the next service, and keep a scrutiny on how much it drops after 6 months. Everything has been smooth so far, and there is no smoke on hard acceleration.

Can other 1.6 Duratec users keep a watch also on their oil levels?

Last edited by vnabhi : 14th September 2018 at 22:23.
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Old 15th September 2018, 00:29   #915
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re: My Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI completes 13.7 years and dies by drowning!

Quote:
Originally Posted by vnabhi View Post
Having learnt driving from my dad more than 3 decades ago, I had inherited his habit of checking engine oil, gear oil, battery fluids, coolant and wiper fluid levels every Sunday when I owned a used M800. But after buying a brand new WagonR in July 2001, the habit died in a couple of years, as nothing every went wrong with the levels, and also because it was bought brand new.

Similar laziness continued with the Fiesta and Figo that i bought new in 2007 and 2012. 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.

Going by the above, I'll check the oil level soon after the next service, and keep a scrutiny on how much it drops after 6 months. Everything has been smooth so far, and there is no smoke on hard acceleration.

Can other 1.6 Duratec users keep a watch also on their oil levels?
Although mine is not a 1.6 Duratec, i check my 1.4 Duratec's fluid levels at least once a month. I park my car on the flattest part of my garage overnight, and check the next morning. Sometimes, i do the same after a couple of hours, post reaching my office, for the engine to cool down and all the engine oil to go down into the sump (basement parking lot is as flat as it can get). I average around 20k Kms/ year on my Fiesta.

At 1.05L Kms, i used Motul 4100 5W30 4 liter bottle (flushed the engine and replace the oil filter). It now stands at around 1.12L Kms, and i finished another 500ml oil can, on regular top ups, till date. These 7k+ Kms does include a 2300 km road trip and peak summer Hitec city traffic. Since the engine capacity is 4.2 liters of oil (Oil filter replaced), that means the engine has consumed 0.3 liter (4.2-4-0.5), which is normal, as far as i know. I also top up my coolant as per requirement (did not have to top up this 7k Kms, strange!!). Now the oil level is at 3/4th distance, near the full mark, on the dip stick. Hope this info helps.
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