Hi,

I recently had an oil change on my 1.6 TDCI 2010 Ford Focus. When the engine is cold from startup, there seems to be a louder than usual, deep rattle from the engine.

It only makes this noise when idle and the engine is cold. Before the oil change everything seemed normal.

I checked the receipt and the oil used was 5w30, as agreed before the work was done.

Is this normal and will it go away?

What could be the cause?

Any help is much appreciated! :)

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have you checked the oil level?

Sorry I should have said, yeah I checked it a few times and it's near the max marking

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It's possible you just have a lazy oil pump this sort of thing is common on the Vauxhalls first thing in the mornings take a while for the oil to quiten down the hydraulic tappets usually went quite after a miles running .

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It sounds as though that could be what is happening. I just don't get why it would start after an oil change, but be fine beforehand? :(

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With 5w It should be thin enough when cold to power up tappets etc instantly, sound like the quantity is low or its wasnt 5w

On the Mk1 Zetec, Ford stated 10W/40 oil, but that made a huge noise on start up, they very quickly specified 5W/40 which fixed the issue

Maybe use 0W/40 next time,

But first top it to the max which it should have been after an oil change anyway!

Ahh thank you for that advice, I wasn't sure what these numbers really meant, or how it affected the engine...only that 5w30 is what Ford recommend!

It's only maybe half an inch off the top of the max marking, doubt I'll be taking it to National again though!

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That's the difference between empty and full on most dipsticks!, you sure they put anything back in! Thats too low, you need to top it up, bet the noise stops then. Take it back an tell em to put the oil in you paid for

What make have you put in your engine

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Yeah I'm gonna make sure it gets topped up, thanks! :)

It's Fuchs Titan that was put in.

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hopefully they inserted the filter correctly nipple in the hole in the filter housing usually though this brings the oil light on if not fitted correctly.

FUCHES TITAN OIL quality stuff previously. known as silkolene.

double check they used super syn F and not just any 5/30 oil.

With 5w It should be thin enough when cold to power up tappets etc instantly, sound like the quantity is low or its wasnt 5w

On the Mk1 Zetec, Ford stated 10W/40 oil, but that made a huge noise on start up, they very quickly specified 5W/40 which fixed the issue

Maybe use 0W/40 next time,

But first top it to the max which it should have been after an oil change anyway!

Mk 1 Focus was 5W-30 from day one.

Do Ford specify the oil filter also needs to be primed with oil after oil/filter change?

Got vague memory about something along those lines, though it could have been a TSB relating to when a replacement engine is fitted?

Sounds like they used rubbish oil to me some of these places use really cheap stuff give them a call and ask what they used

Gta agree with the above, what they say they have put in and what they actually put in could be the question....

Mk 1 Focus was 5W-30 from day one.

Yes but the zetec was used in the Mondeo while the focus was still a twinkle in the Escorts eye. The focus got about the third variant of the engine

It does say on the receipt the correct oil was used as agreed, but like mentioned...whether or not they actually used it is something to question.

They did say it requires a low ash oil due to having the DPF filter. No other garage mentioned this. Do you think this could have something to do with that type of oil being used?

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Hi, reference the rattle heard after oil change, suspect the oil filter which may be faulty.

I had a similar fault some years ago which was solved by changing the oil filter for a new Ford one, it led me to suspect the new filter previously fitted was not maintaining the oil flow / pressure.