I have a 1.6 2001 ford focus, it is running fine but seem to be suffering from what seems to be an oil loss problem. There's no "mayo" or anything like that under the engine oil filler cap suggesting the head gasket is fine. There is also no sign to any leaks at the bottom of the car/engine. My previous cars peugeot 106 and mitsubishi carisma never lost any engine oil.
Is it common for these engines to consume engine oil?
Thanks in advance guys

I had a Focus Mk1 1.8 Zetec it had circa 80k on the clock when it was written off. It never needed topping up between it's annual oil change. Same with my current Mk2 1.6, never moves off the full maker on the dip stick, in fact that goes for all the cars I've owned in the last forty odd years. If you cannot see any oil leaks, it must be burning it, does it smoke ?

[url="http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081024021840AA2V9a3"]see this link [/url]

'Is it common for these engines to consume engine oil?'

YES! very

had exactly the same issue with mine, and from posts on here and a big of digging myself it seems that most suffer from this. from reading, it seems that piston rings are the culprit.
How much oil is it using?

How many Mk1 1.6 petrol where made, now what percentage of those are on forums as "drinking/loosing/ burning oil"

Did a Google [url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Mk1+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking+oil%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&pq=mk1%20focus%201.6%20petrol%20are%20they%20an%20engine%20that%20is%20known%20for%20drinking%2F%20burning%20oil&xhr=t&q=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using&cp=81&pf=p&sclient=psy&client=firefox-a&hs=Aq3&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&biw=1152&bih=594&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using+oil&pbx=1&fp=406b21159bfa7b1e"]Focus 1.6 petrol are they an engine that is known for drinking/ burning/using o[/url]

The results hardly back up your opinion Stef. And you say after a "bit of digging" well if it was the case of it being renowned for drinking oil, you would not have to dig the web, links would be falling off the page onto your lap.

Sure you are going to get motors who's engines need looking at because they are either badly assembled, badly maintained or worn out. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28international%29"]I mean they produced a few of them[/url]But to say "most" suffer from it is total bollards

Quote the article:
Altogether, over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles in two generations have been sold worldwide since its 1998 launch in Europe.[5] The Ford Focus was the best selling car in the United Kingdom for January 2011.End quote

And that reputation was built on a car that was renowned for drinking oil .........I don't think so

[quote name='catch' timestamp='1305731870' post='127881']
How many Mk1 1.6 petrol where made, now what percentage of those are on forums as "drinking/loosing/ burning oil"

Did a Google [url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Mk1+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking+oil%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&pq=mk1%20focus%201.6%20petrol%20are%20they%20an%20engine%20that%20is%20known%20for%20drinking%2F%20burning%20oil&xhr=t&q=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using&cp=81&pf=p&sclient=psy&client=firefox-a&hs=Aq3&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&biw=1152&bih=594&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using+oil&pbx=1&fp=406b21159bfa7b1e"]Focus 1.6 petrol are they an engine that is known for drinking/ burning/using o[/url]

The results hardly back up your opinion Stef. And you say after a "bit of digging" well if it was the case of it being renowned for drinking oil, you would not have to dig the web, links would be falling off the page onto your lap.

Sure you are going to get motors who's engines need looking at because they are either badly assembled, badly maintained or worn out. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28international%29"]I mean they produced a few of them[/url]But to say "most" suffer from it is total bollards

Quote the article:
Altogether, over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles in two generations have been sold worldwide since its 1998 launch in Europe.[5] The Ford Focus was the best selling car in the United Kingdom for January 2011.End quote

And that reputation was built on a car that was renowned for drinking oil .........I don't think so
[/quote]

Well after owning one myself and searching to find a common cause i certainly wasnt short of very similar cases! And from my finding and readings here the 1.6 engines do love to drink oil probably because of broken or cracked piston rings.. admittedly perhaps 'most' wasnt my best choice of word

i never hear many people saying their 1.8 engine drinks oil

It doesnt take much googling to find other plenty cases of 1.6 zetec engines burning oil. Mondeos have a good reputation, but common issues with injectors and egr valves dont stop people do they?

Im saying no more, im not arguing about a subject i looked into for weeks after discovering i had an oil consumption issue

[quote name='stef123' timestamp='1305736027' post='127886']
Well after owning one myself and searching to find a common cause i certainly wasnt short of very similar cases! And from my finding and readings here the 1.6 engines do love to drink oil probably because of broken or cracked piston rings..

i never hear many people saying their 1.8 engine drinks oil

It doesnt take much googling to find other plenty cases of 1.6 zetec engines burning oil. Mondeos have a good reputation, but common issues with injectors and egr valves dont stop people do they?

Im saying no more, im not arguing about a subject i looked into for weeks after discovering i had an oil consumption issue
[/quote]

its a hit and miss thing some 1.6 engines have an oil consumption issue ford are aware and simply recommend a top up between services 1.8s being a different engine dont have the issue so yes if you pwn a 1.6 oil loss is common and known as long as the loss isnt heavy then theres no issues monthly or fortnightly oil checks are always a good thing

[quote]How much oil is it using? [/quote]

I had to top up about 3 Litres after 6-7 months

[quote name='wijcc' timestamp='1305752947' post='127957']
I had to top up about 3 Litres after 6-7 months
[/quote]

what sort of mileage are you covering in that period?

i reckon in 6 months i was using about 5 litres of oil, over 10k miles

[quote name='stef123' timestamp='1305788511' post='127978']
what sort of mileage are you covering in that period?

i reckon in 6 months i was using about 5 litres of oil, over 10k miles
[/quote]

I think I did about 7-8K miles~

By the way exactly how many litres of engine oil does the 1.6 engine take when you change the oil and oil filter?

Also someone suggested that I use a thicker grade of engine oil (currently using 5/30).. what grade engine oil is everyone using?

[quote name='wijcc' timestamp='1305804062' post='128005']
I think I did about 7-8K miles~

By the way exactly how many litres of engine oil does the 1.6 engine take when you change the oil and oil filter?
[/quote]

less than five

And I will reiterate, an engine burning more than a normal engine is expected to hold in it's sump, every ten thousand miles is not the norm. .......nor am I going to argue about it.............I'm merely making a statement of fact.

[quote name='catch' timestamp='1305814295' post='128020']
less than five

And I will reiterate, an engine burning more than a normal engine is expected to hold in it's sump, every ten thousand miles is not the norm. .......nor am I going to argue about it.............I'm merely making a statement of fact.


[/quote]

gotta admit i was talking about approx 1 litre over that kind of mileage that amount of oil is excessive and theres clearly an issue somewhere ford admit to around 1 to 1.5 lotres max but thats more oil than the engine takes that youre burning