Don't know if you wanted to include mk 2.5, but here goes.

Focus 2009, 1.6 petrol Zetec. Average 36mpg (Dropped to 35.7 now i've got the air con back on) - I don't drive slowly.

I can get it to 44mpg if I drive like a saint everywhere, moment you go above 50mph on national roads it drops.

mk2.5 1.8tdci on a 200mile run average 70-80 mpg was averaging around 65-68. around town average between 450-45mpg. hope this helps

Hi Tom

I suppose it depends on how bad the filter is clogged, Mine as I said was almost completely blocked, It was so bad it was difficult to start and the engine and needed a lot of revs to keep it ticking over when cold. I am curios what did you use to remove the thick sludge with, I used spray paint thinners which are expensive, (they were left over from spray jobs that I had done) , petrol did not work very well at all.

On your cars that you cleaned how were the filters constructed.

I am always willing to learn something new, and to pass on my knowledge on to others.

Can you tell me why did Ford go to the expense of incorporating a filter if it was of no use.?. I do not want to go into technical matters as I am no expert, As I said it made a big difference to my car.

My motto is do not mend it, if is not broken,

Barry T

Hi Tom

I suppose it depends on how bad the filter is clogged, Mine as I said was almost completely blocked, It was so bad it was difficult to start and the engine and needed a lot of revs to keep it ticking over when cold. I am curios what did you use to remove the thick sludge with, I used spray paint thinners which are expensive, (they were left over from spray jobs that I had done) , petrol did not work very well at all.

On your cars that you cleaned how were the filters constructed.

I am always willing to learn something new, and to pass on my knowledge on to others.

Can you tell me why did Ford go to the expense of incorporating a filter if it was of no use.?. I do not want to go into technical matters as I am no expert, As I said it made a big difference to my car.

My motto is do not mend it, if is not broken,

Barry T

Hi Barry,

I think the reason they don't put filters in now is because of them clogging up and causing problems like you said. It's a bit of a compromise because on one hand keeping the oil out of the inlet is good, but on the other when it blocks it causes more problems.

Also don't forget car manufacturers are always looking for ways of saving money too, if they realised the filter wasn't absolutely necessary and costs 10p to make for every car, that's a huge amount saved by not fitting it across the thousands of cars they produce! Also if it required cleaning at service intervals (20k miles maybe?) it'd take a lot of labour time to do so which again adds costs and time that they don't want.

I used engine degreaser and oven cleaner to remove the sludge but it did take a while I'll admit and probably wasn't cheap (had the stuff already though). The best option would be to use a proper parts washer at a garage, they use paraffin or similar usually.

My 57 plate 1.8 diesel averages about 42mpg. But that's when the weather was cold, not sure what its like on fuel at the moment that the weather is getting a bit warmer, My mate has been using it for the last 2 weeks. .Dont even know when I am getting it back lol.

My 08 plate ST averaged about 18mpg with the cold weather, but it did average around 23mpg last summer and now that the weather is getting warmer is averaging around 23 again. best I have ever had out the ST on a long run was 29 mpg and I was over the moon.

No one has the same driving style which I think has a lot to do with it also. When I had my BMW 530 I averaged around 18mpg. But when my mate used the car he averaged around 29mpg. Exact same car, just different driver, Suppose that makes me a bit heavy footed

2009 1.6 petrol mk2.5 100bhp zetec

Avg 32-34mpg

Drive it like i stole it.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

I've got a mk 2 2005 2.0 tdci which if I drive responsibly I get between 60-70 mpg, 580 miles until empty.

69.1 on way back up north this weekend. I use bp ultimate diesel too.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

I've got a mk 2 2005 2.0 tdci which if I drive responsibly I get between 60-70 mpg, 580 miles until empty.

69.1 on way back up north this weekend. I use bp ultimate diesel too.

ImageUploadedByFord OC1429043141.188261.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

I am guessing you use the OBC for the figures, the Focus has a 53 litre tank, so assuming you use all 53 litres at an average of 60MPG then you should be covering over 700 miles to a tank full. If you are covering around 580 miles to a tankful then you are averaging around 55MPG give or take not the figures you state.

Have you actually done a brim t brim test and worked out your actual MPG?

I had mine showing 62MPG last week but still actually only achieved 52MPG when I worked it out manually.

Don't think you'll use the whole tankful, well not without breaking down lol.

I haven't managed to even get 50 litres in yet, usually about 48ish even when showing completely empty and very few miles on range. Always get over 600 miles to that though which is 58mpg roughly.

Is the focus tank not 55L?

The handbook and Parkers both say 53l, but you can probably fit another couple of litres in the filler neck.

Hi Tom

It seams you only used the oven cleaner on the inside of the cylinder head covers, ( on a mk3 Cortina you would never have got it all off the filter, the damage it could have done to the big ends I dread to think , the engine may have needed a complete overall). I have only ever used a paste to grind in the valves when doing a de coke and then to make sure every bit was cleaned off. I have always used a volatile liquid to clean the inside parts of an engine, but today I would have used a steam cleaner to clean the sludge filter and ensure it was completely dry before refitting.

Do you know what model of Ford it was when they did away with incorporating a engine sludge filter in the cylinder head cover, I think the filter was an integral part of the cylinder head cover on the mk3 Cortina.

I agree with you that manufacturers try to keep costs down as much as possible, but some times not to the benefit to the consumer, A typical example an electric shaded pole motor by incorporating different types of bearings a motor can last between say about 10 thousand or 50 thousand hours that can be say 5 to 25 years, The difference in the cost being only a few pence to manufacture, but very expensive to replace when they fail. In my case over £120.00, for a motor that cost say less than £5.00 to make

Barry T

According to the hand book, the petrols have 55 litre tanks the diesels have 53 litre tanks.

Filled up again today.

258 miles on £26 of fuel. 10p per mile.

21.87 Litres /4.5= 4.86 gallons

258 /4.86 = 53MPG

Range to empty 340 miles.

So had I managed to keep the MPG high and used most of the tankful then I should have hit 600 miles or so.