I tried doing a search for oil consumption or Fords allowable specs on how much oil a motor uses. I can't seem to find any info. My Focus has 17,000 miles on it and i don't believe it burns oild but its going somewhere. Earlier on, I happened to check the oil because it was around 4000 miles since my second oil change. There was no oil on the dipstick. I brought it in immediately and the have been monitoring it. Now that it has more miles on it, I have let it go to about 7000 miles while watching it. It seemed to be staying at a scratch mark the tech made in the dipstick, and I just checked it this morning. Its below the hash mark now but above the lower hole and withing the x's. The oil looks fairly clean still and I am bringing it in when I have time to change the oil, hopefully today. Can someone tell me how much oil is between the holes? Is it a quart? I also looked on my Ford and don't see any mention of this problem in my vehicle maintainence history like the dealer is hiding something. I don't get any satisfactoin surveys. Whats up with that?
oil consumption
sterg
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I tried doing a search for oil consumption or Fords allowable specs on how much oil a motor uses. I can't seem to find any info. My Focus has 17,000 miles on it and i don't believe it burns oild but its going somewhere. Earlier on, I happened to check the oil because it was around 4000 miles since my second oil change. There was no oil on the dipstick. I brought it in immediately and the have been monitoring it. Now that it has more miles on it, I have let it go to about 7000 miles while watching it. It seemed to be staying at a scratch mark the tech made in the dipstick, and I just checked it this morning. Its below the hash mark now but above the lower hole and withing the x's. The oil looks fairly clean still and I am bringing it in when I have time to change the oil, hopefully today. Can someone tell me how much oil is between the holes? Is it a quart? I also looked on my Ford and don't see any mention of this problem in my vehicle maintainence history like the dealer is hiding something. I don't get any satisfactoin surveys. Whats up with that?
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The way the motor is set in the 2012 focus, you really have to have the car on level ground to get a real reading of oil level.
Second, how long you wait from engine 'off' to pulling the dipstick has a big impact on the oiil level on the dipstick too.
If the car is at a curb, where usually the car is tilted slightly down at the curb, that alone is going to make the dipstick look like you have no oil. [hihi]
Second, how long you wait from engine 'off' to pulling the dipstick has a big impact on the oiil level on the dipstick too.
If the car is at a curb, where usually the car is tilted slightly down at the curb, that alone is going to make the dipstick look like you have no oil. [hihi]
Most manufacturers, including Ford, consider oil consumption of up to 1 quart every 1,000 miles as "normal" (i.e. they won't repair to improve).
Also, while this may not help your problem, it seems the Focus is more sensitive than most to temperature, time and location when checking oil level. The manual says to check oil level when warm, on a level surface 15 minutes after the engine is turned off: it takes a while for oil to return to the sump and, if you check when hot and check again when cold, you will find the level is 1/8 - 1/4 quart lower.
While you likely realize this, the oil should be checked more frequently than once every 4,000 miles. Every fuel fill seems about right.
Also, while this may not help your problem, it seems the Focus is more sensitive than most to temperature, time and location when checking oil level. The manual says to check oil level when warm, on a level surface 15 minutes after the engine is turned off: it takes a while for oil to return to the sump and, if you check when hot and check again when cold, you will find the level is 1/8 - 1/4 quart lower.
While you likely realize this, the oil should be checked more frequently than once every 4,000 miles. Every fuel fill seems about right.
lol 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles? im a mechanic and ive never heard that one. So...let me know if my math is off, but 1 qt every 1k miles, the oil change interval on the focus is roughly 10k miles according to ford, and the engine takes 4.6k qts with the filter, so after driving 10k miles you are now 5.4qts behind on oil, and have been driving it on no oil for over half the oil change. If a car is 1 qt of oil low after 3k miles, its either leaking somewhere or its burning it off. Engines shouldnt burn any oil since they got rid of saturns 2 years ago. ive never had it low on oil after 3 or 4k miles, not by 1 drop.
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Yeah, one quart per thousand miles is ridiculous. One quart in ten thousand miles and I start wondering.
Temp makes a difference as does how level the car is.
Brian
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Temp makes a difference as does how level the car is.
Brian
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Mines not losing 1 quart every 1000. It was blowing about a quart or 1/2 quart 3-4000 miles. All the dealer did was monitor it,as I was. It appears to be getting better. I have 17,000 on it now and at around 16,000 it was about 1/3rd below the first hole. At 17,000 it was in the middle of the hash marks. Thats with 7,000 miles after my last oil change. Still not acceptable in my eyes.Ford won't do anything about it but ignore the problem. I'm stuck with a motor that burns oil I guess.[
!]My 2005 Silverado will go until it tells me it needs an oil change, 8-10,000 miles without burning a drop. I could probably let it go until the oil turned black and it would still be full. I had a Golf also and that didn't burn a drop. I'm hoping this problem will continue to get better as time goes by or the rings seat more.
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383 Posts
Why are you going so long between oil changes, and what oil are you using?Mines not losing 1 quart every 1000. It was blowing about a quart or 1/2 quart 3-4000 miles. All the dealer did was monitor it,as I was. It appears to be getting better. I have 17,000 on it now and at around 16,000 it was about 1/3rd below the first hole. At 17,000 it was in the middle of the hash marks. Thats with 7,000 miles after my last oil change. Still not acceptable in my eyes.Ford won't do anything about it but ignore the problem. I'm stuck with a motor that burns oil I guess.[
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383 Posts
I'll give you my professional opinion as a technician, a 15 year Ford tuning and engine building veteran, and as someone who has spent immense amounts of time on the subject of oil (thank the GT500 world for that).
First of all, Motorcraft oil is complete junk. This is not my opinion, this is fact based on compiled oil analysis data that has been databased over the years as compared to other oils. It has horrible shearing (it shears down to a lighter weight within 2000 miles), and very low burn off tolerance (it burns off very quickly). The additive package is usually completely depleated by 5000 miles. And this is for the Motorcraft full syn, so think how much worse the semi is.
Second, I do not believe it to be a good idea running oil past 5000 miles, unless you are using oil that can make it that far. The manufacturer intervals on maintanance things are getting rediculously stupid in the past few years. If you are running motorcraft oil to 7500 miles, then I am not surprised you are burning it off.
My PERSONAL advice, is to switch to Amsoil 5-20 full syn. It has the highest burn off rate of any brand, has a better additive package, does not shear down, and I run my engines at 10k intervals with it.
With that said, this is my opinion. I know how oil threads can go, and I am not trying to start a 30 page discussion on oil. I've been through many of them.
Power surge, this is just what I;m looking for. Thanks for the advice.
what about regular dino oil? any recomondations?
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383 Posts
Honestly Steve, if you run the Amsoil 5-20 at a 10k interval, it should cost about the same as 2 or 3 dino changes in that same time. Plus you're getting so much better protection for your engine. I don't have a suggestion for regular crude oil, I can't think of the last time I have even used it.
Motorcraft semi-syn is highly regarded on Bobistheoilguy.com based on used oil analyses published there, so it certainly isn't junk. Amsoil if fine (if you can accept its Ponzi-like marketing approach), but is really only useful if you go to truly extended oil change intervals. The world is full of cars that go 200,000 miles following the factory maintenance schedule with regular old conventional oil. To get really good service out of an engine, there's no need to go to an expensive, boutique oil like Amsoil, just use a name brand meeting the correct specs and change it regularly.
Where is this documented? I would love to have that reference.
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Like I said, not wanting to start an oil debate. People can think what they want. I have spent a lot of time on this subject and I gave my advice. Take it or leave it.
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I used to work for Ford, and I can attest that is true. Ford considers 1 quart per 1000 miles "normal". And yes, I think that's nuts.
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