Engine using oil

[skene]

Hi there.

Right I know this isnt a great amount of oil it is using. Anyway the car is a 2001 Fiesta ZS with the 'black-top' engine. When I picked it up a month ago the oil was at the top of the correct area on the dipstick. Checked it since and noticed today it's at the bottom of the correct area. I know this isnt a lot of oil but, Are these engines meant to use oil?

Also, how crucial is it to use 5w-30 oil in it?

[McSam]

No, they shouldn't use any oil, but I would check it a few more times in a few different situations to be sure. Quite warm oil with a recently stopped engine will read higher than cold oil that's been sitting overnight, or you could've been on a different slope, etc.

I can't think of a good reason to not use 5W/30 part synthetic to Ford's specification, it's readily available and should be what the car had since new. Don't be throwing 15W/40 in it just because you have some lying around!

[skene]

Yeah I have been putting in 5w-30 I was just wondering. I was told to so thats what i'll do.

Anyone else had experience of these engines?

[marshalla]

How many miles between checks and what sort of driving ?

[skene]

its done 3500 since I got it and spirited but not absurd.

[bamberwell]

if it's used , say 500 ml , in 3500 miles surely that's perfectly acceptable??

[McSam]

bamberwell said:

if it's used , say 500 ml , in 3500 miles surely that's perfectly acceptable??

Yeah, not unreasonable at all, more miles than I was expecting. If it's not a very high-mile engine maybe I'd start to think something wasn't quite right, but obviously it's not catastrophic just yet!

[skene]

Yeah it's a high mileage engine anyway and to be honest it hasn't even used 500ml. Due to it's mileage I guess I'm just being pessimistic.

[davepoth]

That's acceptable usage to me. Most of my cars have used that much in a tank of petrol.

[robsco]

I would say that's almost certainly nothing to worry about. Just enjoy driving it and keep topping up!

[Fartgalen]

McSam said:

Quite warm oil with a recently stopped engine will read higher than cold oil that's been sitting overnight

What ?!

[robsco]

Oh dear. What an imbecile.

[Fartgalen]

Ha ha - tempted to quote. But thought better of it.

Buh-bye then.

[sebhaque]

Is this the bloke who got banned a couple of days ago for asking about deleting his account?

If you're reading this in the future, it's off topic, just some idiot posting lots of silly pictures.

[McSam]

I didn't just miss the Return of the PH PornFest, did I?!?

Fartgalen said:

McSam said:

Quite warm oil with a recently stopped engine will read higher than cold oil that's been sitting overnight

What ?!

For "quite warm" read "90'C and a bit expanded", and for "recently stopped" read "half the oil still draining from everywhere but the sump". This is what I've always been told, accurate check will be on a cool engine that's been off for at least a couple of minutes, and it makes sense to me?

ETA - I have no idea how much oil expands with heat, mind. It's the draining thing that seemed most relevant to me.

Edited by McSam on Thursday 2nd June 09:47

[Fartgalen]

McSam said:

or "quite warm" read "90'C and a bit expanded", and for "recently stopped" read "half the oil still draining from everywhere but the sump". This is what I've always been told, accurate check will be on a cool engine that's been off for at least a couple of minutes, and it makes sense to me?

ETA - I have no idea how much oil expands with heat, mind. It's the draining thing that seemed most relevant to me.

Edited by McSam on Thursday 2nd June 09:47

So a recently stopped engine will read lower than one that has rested for a few minutes.

[JM]

Some dipsticks have markings for hot and cold, basically 4 marks, 2 for max and 2 for min.

[McSam]

Fartgalen said:

So a recently stopped engine will read lower than one that has rested for a few minutes.

Oh, God. Yeah. Come back to me when exams are over and I can think properly

[Olivera]

McSam said:

No, they shouldn't use any oil, but I would check it a few more times in a few different situations to be sure. Quite warm oil with a recently stopped engine will read higher than cold oil that's been sitting overnight, or you could've been on a different slope, etc.

I can't think of a good reason to not use 5W/30 part synthetic to Ford's specification, it's readily available and should be what the car had since new. Don't be throwing 15W/40 in it just because you have some lying around!

Any engine will use some oil, of varying quantities, especially one over 10 years old. Secondly, using a thicker oil on an older engine is often recommended for smoother running, so you suggestion of 15W/40 might actually lower consumption!

[wmg100]

We ran a Zetec s for 70k miles and it always used a lot of oil, needed topping up from min to max every 1k or so miles.