I have afew things to ask.

How much does a normall cosworth engine use?

My car is a 89 2wd and has a metal piggtail handle on the dipstick. How many ML's is it from the max to the min on the gauge? And is this dipstick ok?

The car has done 50kmiles, but was laid up for 10 years while the owner was getting divorced etc. Then is was driven a very small amount then sold to me and im now starting to drive it after keeping it over the winter months.
It seems to use more oil than i expected. I know they all use some oil. The car was on the Rolling Road afew weeks back and there were no signs of smoke out the back when the revs were going up. Only afew puffs etc when he lifted off throttle. The operator said this is normall and most cars smoke alot more than mine did. So im realy not sure where the oil is going.

Im not sure if the car being out of use for so long has cause problems with the oil consumption or not.

Thanks Bruce

 

Stem seals will no doubt have gone hard by now, most likely got some turby wear as well ?
They can be VERY leaky engines, have a good look around for oil leaks too.
tabetha

 

Yeh the stem seals could well be hard that would make sence. But it does not seem to burn much when driving. Only on the over-run. Im not sure if the turbo would wear just sitting for a long period of time. Defonatly the stem seal will not be tip top.

As for leaks. The cam seal are still leaking/weeping. A very very small amount.

The Rear main oil seal is also leaking but again not alot. Does not drip when the engine is running.

Everywhere else is completly dry.

But for the above leaks im sure they have been caused by the car not being uised for so long.

Whats your oil consumption tabetha? With normall driving?

Bruce

 

Before my engine rebuild mine drank the stuff, but didn't smoke noticeably, but as has been said these engines do like to use oil. It'd go Max-Min on the dipstick in 200 miles.

My last car was a Granada Cosworth, only had it 6 months, but in that time I never had to top up the oil, on a 100,000 mile engine, fucking unbelievable, it just wouldn't use any oil. But the Cossie YB engine is another thing entirely.

 

That does seem like abit of oil to be used in 200 miles. Does anyone know how much the Max to the Min actaully is? Was that hard driving or normall?

I know what you mean about other engines not burning/using any oil. It just shocks me on the amount the YB's use. And coupled with the fact that i cant see ANY smoke when the car is on full throttle. Only on the overrun is it seen.

Bruce

 

It might also be the oil you are using.
The oil that I have found ace is SILKOLENE PRO S 10W/50, from OPIE oils on here.
I used CASTROL RS once never again it was crap, like water when hot.
tabetha

 

Yeh the pro S is what im using. It is ment to be realy good stuff. Im pretty sure the max to the min gauge is not very much, in terms of volume. I cant see it being 1L from top to bottom.

Any ideas?

Bruce

 

The overun burning is probably the valve stem seals so new seals will probably sort that mate. Most leak somewhere as Tabetha says, but remember that Fords introduced a 'check oil daily' sticker on the F/G plates for a very good reason... if yours is original it will have one of these on the pulley cover and another inside the fuel cap.

Mine uses up to half a litre on a fast n hard 250 - 300 mile motorway run incidentally. Always has - and had it since 92 Oil does weep from the cam seals and the lower front crank seal... they harden up with lack of use and mines only done 57k.

If I recall correctly I was told that 0.7 litre is the difference between full and bottom of the dipstick - just checked the Ford spec and it ain't in there. It does seem to fit with what I use though.

Hope this helps,

Andy

 

Yep I had guessed 0.5 litre from max-min. And yes it was on a motorway run that (pre-rebuild) it used so much oil - for some reason motorway use drank the oil.

 

i thought it was a litre from max to min

 

Andy,

Thanks for that information, you have been a great help. And as you say the car does have both stickers. I was just not aware on the amount that a normall engine would use. But it sounds very like your engine, and has done the same miles give or take.

Just out of interest does your car drip oil? Im pretty sure oil from the cam seals would start to drip, if i left it and did not wipe it off. Do you notice your car smoking at any time?

Im off to the ring in a week, so dont realy have the time to do the stem seals. But as i say it does not burn much anyway on the overrun.

But thanks for the reasurance. So I might have to get some shares in SILKOLENE lol.

Bruce

 

A lot leak from the CAP at he front of each cam as ford did not use sealer here also.
But most is most likely from the turbo as it does not posses any STEP GAP SEALS.
tabetha

 

Yeh your prob right there about the turbo. But as long as my engine is suing similar amounts of oil as most other i will be happy. (ish) lol

Bruce

 

Mine uses about the same aswell BUT from a 108k mile original bottom end

IMO its the turbo that eats the oil,some other mates run roller bearing turbos and there consumption is reduced

 

YES the dipstick is correct

 

I know someone who had a new turbo wiuth STEP GAP SEALS and it reduced he said by about 80/90%, so was the turbo in his case.
tabetha

 

My car used to use about 1 litre to 300 miles, smoked on the over run, was told by a reputable tuner that 2wd piston design was not as good as later ones and most show wear at 50k miles, mine had done 63k miles, did the usual turbo and valve guides and seals, but found out that it was in fact bore wear, it had 0.008" of wear, new 4wd pistons and a rebore and now it don't use any at all, do approx 1200 miles a year in it and never have to top it up, so if its running fine don't mess with it and just wait until the consumption is really bad then do the lot, as could be a small amount from all 3 areas due to general wear.

 

I GOT TOLD BY KARL NORRIS FORD USED THE WRONG DIPSTICK AND TO ONLY TOPUP TO THE HALFWAY MARK MINE SEEMS TO SMELL A BIT WHEN BACKING OFF THE REVS KARL TOLD ME IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE VALVE GUIDES I DID A 250 MILE RUN TO RIPPON AND THE OTHER WEEK AND IT HARDLY USED ANY I JUST TOPPED UP ON THE WAY HOME JUST FOR PEICE OF MIND REALLY I HAVE JUST SWAPPED OIL FOR MILLERS 10/60 RECCOMENDED BY MR NORRIS SO I WILL SEE HOW THAT PERFORMS THIS WEEK IF IT STOPS GOD DAMN RAINING

 

Cheers costina

 

I would have expected it to smoke when going up the revs on full throttle if it was the rings/bores. Whatever it is i do agree that i should leave it for now. As its not exactly uncommon that these engines use this amount of oil.

I would agree more with tabetha and costina on the turbo. And as tabetha says the seals on the turbo on a standard 18 year old design are not going to be great.

Thanks again guys. Any more info on this would be great.

 

Might be an idea to see how much gets used when the level is on the full. And compare to the level on the mid point.

bruce

 

The reason behind only filling to half way on the dip is because to cos head holds aprrox 1 litre of oil..

Hence if its filled to max theres too much in it

This is way when cossies hit the track they blow smoke out due to filling them to the top to compensate oil stavation on the bends..

Its not that there fooked its just for safety

 

What are the implications of over-filling? I've always wondered, as I'm always doing it.

 

Ok thats interesting. So for example normall driving conditions you want the level at half way. And on the track you want it further up at the max mark, to help prevent oil starvation on the long bends?

 

Castrol RS 10/60 Viscosity at 100Deg C - 24.2centistrokes

Silkolene Pro S 10/50 Viscosity at 100Deg C - 18.17centistrokes


What Castrol RS were you using as the one you should have been using is more viscous than the Silkolene when hot, therefore not like water???



Pete.

 

I was given my info from woodford garage cos my car smoked alot on boost if u think about it its logical,say u filled to the top had a hard drive all the excess oil gets blown thru breathers etc and can cause excess pressure in the crank case,which then in turn blows oil thru seals etc

 

i'd say 1l too or not much under.

 

Yeah - to answer your question mine will give a drip or two after running then stop. I am not running an oil seperator as its all standard... so crankcase ventilation (oil mist or whatever) goes straight into the air filter box to be burnt off. Many a cossie or rs has followed me on the way to shows etc. and no smoke reported... and believe me I've asked

My 500 puffed at the usual gear changes and that was the turbo bearing / seals. This car now runs an extra breather and a seperator but I've yet to run it properly to check on consumption I'm afraid.

A lot of people have commented on how quiet my engine in the 2wd saff is... yet it will still burn oil on long runs... after 30k of this over 10 years I've got used to it

 

Yeh thats good news. I have noticed that its not till i switch of the engine that the oil leaks from the cam seals. Not driped on the floor yet anyway.

Thanks again for the info andy

Bruce

 

mine seems to use a fair bit also but is chucking out a fair bit of smoke when on full boost, upto a bar is ok just on full whack, any ideas what this is?? turbo??

 

Jamie,Is the smoke blue or black???

Black = overfueling
Blue = oil

Also check for oil from turbo to cooler hose u should have a fine mist at most which is sticky or if its drips then its your seals.....

As when on full boost small amounts of oil find there way into the inlet then into bores to be burnt...

Do you know what power your running???

 

[quote="costina"]Jamie,Is the smoke blue or black???

Black = overfueling
Blue = oil

its blue smoke id say,looked in the hose seems to be hardly any oil in there??

 

is running about 380-400bhp by the way

 

Jamie, check your Kidney box/ flame trap remove it and clean it out as if its blocked will cause it to breath heavy

Is that 32 psi peak?? are you running low comp??

Paul

 

what do you mean by kidney box paul? it peaks at 32 yes not low comp tho

 

its under the inlet manifold metal box thingy that sits in block and the breather pipe goes on top

Paul

 

cheers mate ill take a look at it tomorrow, i have an aftermarket breather fitted so will it be the same?

 

should be not many remove them but i have replaced it with an adaptor so the 19mm pipe fits on less of a restriction imo