1.5 tdci Fiesta ST oil level problem

[frund]

This has been discussed before but is there any fix for what I suspect is diesel getting into engine oil. My car is just 3 years old 26,000. The oil change is due. I do my own servicing when out of guarantee where possible. The oil is 25 mm higher than it should be after 8,000 miles. I will change it before using it again.

Is there a fix for this, what seems to be a regen issue with the DPF. The fan sometimes stays on for ages after a trip. 

I will welcome your help.

ta

[TomsFocus]

This is just part of owning a diesel that uses post injections for regen unfortunately, there will always be some oil dilution from it.

25mm seems a huge amount though, how often are you failing regens roughly?  You'll know it's failed as the fan runs on after switch-off like you've said.  That's totally normal now and then, but maybe you're failing too many?  Do you do a lot of short, cold journeys?

There may be a PCM update available for your car to help reduce it, you'd have to check with a Ford main dealer. 

[frund]

Thanks for that Tom. Mostly journeys of 15 to 40 miles. The fan has come on about 10 times in the 2 years I have owned it. Main dealer said perfectly normal part of regen hmm. My other car 1.6 tdci 2008 from new 70,000 runs like a watch with EGR blanking plate I fitted once out of guarantee about 9 years ago. 

I wonder if there is upgrade or a remap available. Where I control the regen cycle. Probably asking for the impossible. 

[isetta]

I too have 1.5tdci where oil level rises. I don’t know if it makes a difference but I read that if fan is going flat out when you turn engine off then turn it straight back on and thrash the car round the block for a few minutes. Whether you can do this depends where you are and as I say I don’t know if it truly helps

[TomsFocus]

2 hours ago, frund said:

Thanks for that Tom. Mostly journeys of 15 to 40 miles. The fan has come on about 10 times in the 2 years I have owned it. Main dealer said perfectly normal part of regen hmm. My other car 1.6 tdci 2008 from new 70,000 runs like a watch with EGR blanking plate I fitted once out of guarantee about 9 years ago. 

I wonder if there is upgrade or a remap available. Where I control the regen cycle. Probably asking for the impossible. 

10 times is 2 years is absolutely fine so sounds like there's another issue there.  Mine does at least once a month...sometimes 2 or 3 drives in a row if staying local.  I'd definitely see if there's a PCM update available for yours.

I've never heard of a remap where you could request your own regen...I'm sure lots of us would like that!  

 

3 minutes ago, isetta said:

I too have 1.5tdci where oil level rises. I don’t know if it makes a difference but I read that if fan is going flat out when you turn engine off then turn it straight back on and thrash the car round the block for a few minutes. Whether you can do this depends where you are and as I say I don’t know if it truly helps

I'm pretty sure it won't restart a regen again after switch off.  Wonder if @iantt could confirm that?

I just make a mental note and expect it to start again when I next drive.  As above, sometimes it happens a few times in a row if I'm just driving round the local retail park.

[isetta]

I don’t really know for sure how it works. I didn’t think the regen would carry on. But I thought the theory is: when doing a regen it is chucking loads of extra diesel into the cylinders. If engine stopped before regen finished then extra diesel sloshing around oozes down into sump, but if you restart engine and thrash it, the extra diesel hopefully goes into the exhaust before oozing down into the sump. But I don’t really know if that is what actually happens

[frund]

After fan running, restart and thrash around block seems a good idea and may well help. My own excellent garage, Fords at Llandrindod Wells,were closed last time I rang for mot now suspended until Sept. These folk will know. One other group of lads that may know something is a Remap place at Shrewsbury Harlescott Area. 

I am going to change the oil in a few minutes along with air and oil filter. I will leave the level just down a bit and see what happens.

Thanks for all your replies.

[frund]

I changed the oil and kept the old oil and when finished changing filters and replacing sump guard i measured how much came out. The expected amount to put in when changing oil and filter is 3.9 litres. I took out 4.4 litres max, so about 1/2 litre over. It looked worse on the dipstick. I only put in 3.5 Litres and after running for a few mins I checked the dipstick. It was 4 notches down from the high mark. So all in all not as bad as I thought.  This over fuelling is a  rather odd way of going on poor to put it mildly. I will leave the oil level down 400mL for a week or two and see what happens also take the above advice. If there is anything more I have to say at a later date I will resurrect this post. 

frund

[isetta]

I measured how much diluted oil came out of mine. I can't remember how much it was but I am sure it was more than 1/2 litre extra. it is quite worrying as thinning the oil with diesel must reduce it's ability to prevent engine wear I would have thought.  Even half litre is 13% extra. If someone said I am going to alter your oil from 100% proper engine oil to 87% proper engine oil and 13% diesel it sounds quite bad.