1.6 Zetec Grey Smoke

[steve-focus1.6]

i have a 2001 1.6 with 81500.most of the sevice history.it has a k&n induction kit and cat back scorpion.i dont normal thrash it but the other day i took it to the limiter and it chucked a cloud of thick grey smoke out. my friend was following me the other night and he said when i accelerated it chucked grey smoke out (i didnt acellorate that hard). she does use a litre of oil every 2-3 weeks.any ideas thanks steve

[artscot79]

i have a 2001 1.6 with 81500.most of the sevice history.it has a k&n induction kit and cat back scorpion.i dont normal thrash it but the other day i took it to the limiter and it chucked a cloud of thick grey smoke out. my friend was following me the other night and he said when i accelerated it chucked grey smoke out (i didnt acellorate that hard). she does use a litre of oil every 2-3 weeks.any ideas thanks steve

a litre of oil is too much in that amount of time mate so you need the engine looked at most likely the rings are needing done but cant say for sure the oil use is excessive and will naturally get worse a good garage will be able to tell you more but ide have it looked at

[steve-focus1.6]

yeh i am going to get it checked.going to see if its easyer to trade it in for another 1.wen you rev it you can smell oil :(

[steve-focus1.6]

i have changed the oil today as it wasnt golden any more.i know you shouldnt realy put 10w40 in a zetec but id thought id try it as it is thicker and might seal a bit better.also since i have bought the car when the engine is under load ie up hill there is a rattling noise from the engine.i was told this is normal on zetecs is this true?

[artscot79]

i have changed the oil today as it wasnt golden any more.i know you shouldnt realy put 10w40 in a zetec but id thought id try it as it is thicker and might seal a bit better.also since i have bought the car when the engine is under load ie up hill there is a rattling noise from the engine.i was told this is normal on zetecs is this true?

putting 10w/40 in could give you more problems than you have it is thicker and therefore can cause blocking i certainly wouldnt advise using 10w 40 oil and neither would ford to be honest

[steve-focus1.6]

might have to change it again then.i have bin to see a ex ford machnic today and he said that the 1.6 does use alot oil and the smoke is because "i dont drive it hard" and they need to be thrashed.i have been to a couple of other garages and they said that they have had loads of 1.6 (with more miles than mine) and they have never used a drop of oil.i am confused now lol

[artscot79]

might have to change it again then.i have bin to see a ex ford machnic today and he said that the 1.6 does use alot oil and the smoke is because "i dont drive it hard" and they need to be thrashed.i have been to a couple of other garages and they said that they have had loads of 1.6 (with more miles than mine) and they have never used a drop of oil.i am confused now lol

well i dont have the 1.6 but the 1.8 and i dont use any oil at all so i cant say for sure some say theres do and some say they dont ide try to find out from youre ex ford mechanic what the oil usage of the car is it could be possiible that they do use oil without having owned a 1.6 i cant honestly say they do or dont i know i dont use oil other than what is expected from a car it will drop ever so slightly eventually due to the heat etc

[DAM13N]

That don't sound too good, I have a 2000 X 1.6 and never thrash it any were, I give a little stick every now and then to about 4000rpm/ 4500 rpm in 3rd/4th I don't see the need/point to do it to be fair.

In regards to oil mine had a full service last September which of course includes a oil and filter change and I honestly have not needed to top it up, it has stayed and at around the 3/4 quarter mark. some thing is deffo wrong there pal.

the mechanic I used did say keep a eye on the oil as they "apparently" drink it, - to be fair don't know what's he is going on about. however everybody says different things they drink it they don't drink it. all matter of opinions and I suppose it has a lot to do with the amount of millage and how hard you drive it or how hard you drive it when cold etc.....

let me know what the outcome is.

Damien

[steve-focus1.6]

i thought it was strange.i dont realy drive mine hard either. i do the same as you, every now and again i take it to 4500 gonig down the a610 but thats it.iv never heard of a car smoking because you dont thrash it.ervey one i have spken to has said that the 1.6 engines they have come accross have never used any oil.my mate has got 1,fair enoguh it has only done 50000 but he hasnt had an oil change for 2years and he has never had to top it up and he drives like an idiot (lol) and it only had 30000 on when he got it

[artscot79]

i thought it was strange.i dont realy drive mine hard either. i do the same as you, every now and again i take it to 4500 gonig down the a610 but thats it.iv never heard of a car smoking because you dont thrash it.ervey one i have spken to has said that the 1.6 engines they have come accross have never used any oil.my mate has got 1,fair enoguh it has only done 50000 but he hasnt had an oil change for 2years and he has never had to top it up and he drives like an idiot (lol) and it only had 30000 on when he got it

its fair to say all cars should use some oil over a period of time even ford state that the car should use so much every so many thousand miles simply due to the fact oil is what mainly cools the engine so some of it will burn off over time just like a deep fat fryer really the oil wont stay the same forever but theres a big line between normal use of the oil and excessive and youres does sound excessive in how much its using add that to grey smoke i would suggest yiou take it for a second opinion

[steve-focus1.6]

hum i have taken it to two garages now, one was the one with the for machnic who said its normal and the other one said yes the oil use is not good and needs an engine. so iv to very different opions,i personsly would agre with the second 1

[artscot79]

hum i have taken it to two garages now, one was the one with the for machnic who said its normal and the other one said yes the oil use is not good and needs an engine. so iv to very different opions,i personsly would agre with the second 1

i wouldnt go as far as that just yet but 1 litre of oil is what a car should use over a year so 2-3 weeks if there are definately no leaks is a bad sign you need a really good garage ide take it directly to ford mate and find out what they say that way you know for certain what the issue is

[steve-focus1.6]

thats what i thought.my mum used to have a 1.6 auto ghia and we had that 4 years,it was serviced every year and we never topped the oil up and that had done around 70000 when we sold it.the ford machanic said all ford will say is to fill it to max and drive it as usual,check it in so many miles and see how far down it is.if its bellow a certain amount its normal,well thats what he said any way.but littre in 2 weeks is a lot and to say thats only 500 miles if that

[spikeymj]

Steve

I have got a 1.6 on an 03 reg and I have not put any oil in mine for about five/ six months and it has about 86000 on it (going good) and the same with me brothers focus, I would take a put luck by saying if ya loosing water aswell get ya head gas checked, it will most prob be one of ya seals, my cuz (ford mac) moaned at me last time I took it to him for a check when he asked me if I cane it I told him ya abit but not a lot and he said u will just blow seals if u keep doing it

Good luck