I think my Focus mk1 is completely wrecked

[redrabbit]

My 2001 (Y Reg) Ford Focus has around 118'000 miles on the clock.  For a few weeks there's been a couple of issues with it, one of which was that the oil light sometimes flickered on/off as I turned a corner.  But if driving in a straight line or just smoothly turning round a bed it wouldn't come on.  I tried to get the oil cap off but it was completely stuck on.

I booked it in for tomorrow at the garage to fix a few things (issue with cracking sound when steering, the oil cap and new tyres).  

...

On Saturday however the car started making a really loud rattling noise, it sounded similar to a loose exhaust but it's not as it's coming from the engine area.  It was made worse by accelerating and I thought it may just be something that's loose or related to the steering problem.  It seemed to drive on a short journey fine.

This morning I tried driving it to work and 15 miles in to the 20 mile mile journey the car just lost ALL power and I steered it to the side of the motorway.  The recovery truck said there was oil underneath the car.  

At the garage the mechanic had a really quick look and said he could smell burned oil, and checked the dip stick and found there was NO oil at all in there, completely dried.

He says there's two outcomes here:

1) the engine is seized and it's goodbye to the car

2) it will be fine and it can be saved

He is looking at it tomorrow as scheduled.

...

 

I am not holding out much hope and I fear the worst.  Sad times as the car is really good and I like it.

[dezwez]

2 minutes ago, redrabbit said:

My 2001 (Y Reg) Ford Focus has around 118'000 miles on the clock.  For a few weeks there's been a couple of issues with it, one of which was that the oil light sometimes flickered on/off as I turned a corner.  But if driving in a straight line or just smoothly turning round a bed it wouldn't come on.  I tried to get the oil cap off but it was completely stuck on.

I booked it in for tomorrow at the garage to fix a few things (issue with cracking sound when steering, the oil cap and new tyres).  

...

On Saturday however the car started making a really loud rattling noise, it sounded similar to a loose exhaust but it's not as it's coming from the engine area.  It was made worse by accelerating and I thought it may just be something that's loose or related to the steering problem.  It seemed to drive on a short journey fine.

This morning I tried driving it to work and 15 miles in to the 20 mile mile journey the car just lost ALL power and I steered it to the side of the motorway.  The recovery truck said there was oil underneath the car.  

At the garage the mechanic had a really quick look and said he could smell burned oil, and checked the dip stick and found there was NO oil at all in there, completely dried.

He says there's two outcomes here:

1) the engine is seized and it's goodbye to the car

2) it will be fine and it can be saved

He is looking at it tomorrow as scheduled.

...

 

I am not holding out much hope and I fear the worst.  Sad times as the car is really good and I like it.

I would go with option 1

[Sarahmg19]

I beleive my cluch has gone in my ford focus I was driving along and her a clicking noise then all sudden my clutch went it was like it was james I couldn't get car into gear so had to be towed home any how when I got car home we had a look at it the clutch goes down to the floor bt comes straight back up I can not see no fulid leaking anywhere in the foot whel was a liltyle black clip like something has come off the pedal I don't no what's up with it any help would be appreciated 

[redrabbit]

1 hour ago, dezwez said:

I would go with option 1

If it is option 1 I'm so disappointed and quite sad.  It sounds sad but I get emotionally attached to cars I've had and at 117'000 miles I know there was many more miles that would have been possible if it wasn't for this problem.

Fingers crossed it's not as bad as I think.

...

 

I am going to spend tonight working out my budget for a new car and what I may get to replace it. It will be a significant upgrade so lots of different possibilities 

[isetta]

re the clutch query. I know that on fiesta mk6 it was a common problem for the clutch master cylinder push rod to come detached from the pin sticking out of the pedal - near top of pedal up under dashboard. that problem just needed someone to get there head down by the pedals, look up and hook it back on and put a clip on to stop it sliding off sideways again. you might be lucky and it be a similar problem.

 

Re the oil problem. probably wrecked. all cars have an oil pressure light, some have an oil level light in addition.

If the oil pressure light comes on when the engine is running it means the pressure is too low and damage to the bearings - big end bearing, main bearings etc is occurring right there and then. it does not mean carry on until you get round to topping up oil. It really is that bad. If the oil light comes on with engine running you must stop the engine STRAIGHT AWAY  and fix the problem which is usually topping up the oil (but in extreme cases can be blocked oil filter due to not changing oil or filter for far too long).  I know other people who have wrecked their engine due to thinking the oil pressure light is a warning that they can ignore until they get around to it.

I know in this case an attempt was made to get the cap off to top up but it was stuck. But  the engine should still have not been run at all until the problem was fixed.

Just to hammer it home, if your oil pressure light is on when the engine is running YOU MUST STOP THE ENGINE.

Sorry if it sounds harsh but everyone needs to know the importance of this, and reading this might just stop someone else doing the same thing

[redrabbit]

1 hour ago, isetta said:

Re the oil problem. probably wrecked. all cars have an oil pressure light, some have an oil level light in addition.

If the oil pressure light comes on when the engine is running it means the pressure is too low and damage to the bearings - big end bearing, main bearings etc is occurring right there and then. it does not mean carry on until you get round to topping up oil. It really is that bad. If the oil light comes on with engine running you must stop the engine STRAIGHT AWAY  and fix the problem which is usually topping up the oil (but in extreme cases can be blocked oil filter due to not changing oil or filter for far too long).  I know other people who have wrecked their engine due to thinking the oil pressure light is a warning that they can ignore until they get around to it.

I know in this case an attempt was made to get the cap off to top up but it was stuck. But  the engine should still have not been run at all until the problem was fixed.

Just to hammer it home, if your oil pressure light is on when the engine is running YOU MUST STOP THE ENGINE.

Sorry if it sounds harsh but everyone needs to know the importance of this, and reading this might just stop someone else doing the same thing

 

Hey, no it doesn't sound harsh at all.  Makes complete sense.  

The only thing I would say in my defence is that the oil was filled up about 2 months previously.  It was then the case that I would be driving along without any issues at all and when I turned a corner the oil light would flickering on/off almost as if the oil inside the tank was just displayed and so the car was reading it as low.  Then when I straightened up the oil light was off.  

I'm not saying that I am faultless, just that I thought I had assessed the situation correctly... but maybe I hadn't!!! :-(

 

Thanks for your input/advice 

[Micro]

31 minutes ago, redrabbit said:

 

Hey, no it doesn't sound harsh at all.  Makes complete sense.  

The only thing I would say in my defence is that the oil was filled up about 2 months previously.  It was then the case that I would be driving along without any issues at all and when I turned a corner the oil light would flickering on/off almost as if the oil inside the tank was just displayed and so the car was reading it as low.  Then when I straightened up the oil light was off.  

I'm not saying that I am faultless, just that I thought I had assessed the situation correctly... but maybe I hadn't!!! :-(

 

Thanks for your input/advice 

My old corsa would use 1 litre every 1000 miles or so, which the user manual said was ok. This meant I had to check the oil every week at a minimum as i would need to top it up.

The oil pressure switch is not measuring level in the tank (like your petrol sender), but measuring the pressure of the oil coming out of the pump - as previously said, blocked or restricted oil filter, or just not enough oil in the sump to pick up on bends. You should NEVER see the oil warning light come on in normal driving (and I have never seen my Focus oil light come on, even in the sharpest of bends I have taken at brisk speed ).

A simple one my driving instructors have all taught me - with the exception of the brake warning light on at a standstill (handbrake), if you get any RED warning lights, you MUST stop immediately to minimise the risk of serious damage. Orange lights are not so important and can be checked at the earliest available opportunity.

[Guzzilazz]

Flickering oil pressure light on cornering means the oil pick up in the sump isn't sucking any oil up because it's "sloshed" away from it... As has been said here, really bad news....

[redrabbit]

12 hours ago, Guzzilazz said:

Flickering oil pressure light on cornering means the oil pick up in the sump isn't sucking any oil up because it's "sloshed" away from it... As has been said here, really bad news....

 

Yea, I've handed over ownership of the car to the garage now and they are going to dispose of it.  It's not worth anything unfortunately and it completely wrecked.

I can't help thinking there was other issues as there was oil beneath the car when it was recovered.  The recover man said it was everywhere.  Maybe a seal broke too or something.

Anyway, as I said, I'm gutted.  Looking to get a nearly new Ford Focus Titanium to replace it 

[isetta]

the oil underneath could be two things.

an oil leak that was occurring before the disaster, and that oil leak was what made the oil level go too low. eg. oil seal.

or

an oil leak that was caused by failure of a mechanical part which made a hole in the engine and that failure stemmed from lack of oil pressure. 

i guess it does not matter now

[v530anh]

Sorry to hear about your car, just curious if an oil flush was done during the oil change 2 months ago, which is a no no for oldish cars.