JoeyBoyden

PH1 Silvertop Zetec 2.0 in our Fiesta is losing oil like nothing I've seen. Huge puddle of oil underneath car/dripping aswell as it being blown out the cam cover breather. Is it possible the headgasket can leak externally? (no signs of mayo or bubbling coolant) but the car for some reason smokes ONLY in 4th gear around 5k rpm and power loss. Not sure if cat is on it's way out as it started popping after the smoke. The smoke also enters the car inside as if the cat is red hot. Any typical leaks for Zetec other than cam cover? Can't see any noticeable leaks from cam cover, but it's all over the bellhousing and is dripping down from this side. Any ideas what could cause the leak and the oil to be blown out of the breather? Yesterday it managed to nearly lose a liter of oil in only 12-15 miles. There was oil on the lip of the cylinder head where it meets the block and the head hangs over a bit gearbox end which may have leaked down from cam sensor? Could a headgasket leak externally this fast? Could it be cam position sensor? Engine has supposedly been rebuilt 8k ago including pistons and rings...It also idles a little erratically if left to idle for a while, starts hunting and then cuts out. Idle control valve maybe? I've spent £440 on the engine and 2 days worth swapping the old lump out and putting this one in, seller also won't refund because "I've thrashed it" but I needed to see when it smokes and where it leaks etc. Anybody have any answers?

gcfcos

Blimey that engine sounds like a wrongun matey! Sounds like it hasn't been built properly. Best thing to do it steam clean it and engine degreaser and then run it to see where the oils
Coming from. Only way your gonna see it

JoeyBoyden

Yeah, luckily I paid via paypal goods/services so if needs be I'll take it up with them, will give it a good clean to check what might be up also will check spark plugs tomorrow. Is it likely the head gasket could have failed and leak this bad you reckon?

gcfcos

Sounds like there's excessive pressure there somewhere inside the engine pushing the oil out the breather mate. I'd take it to a local garage and get them to write a report on it and send that to PayPal to get your money back

JoeyBoyden

Last route I want to go down but will if I have to, will take it to get a compression test tomorrow I think then go from there, hopefully it's not that bad and cat is just clogged hence the smoke, not sure where the leak is though

Turbo Zetec

iTrader: (1)

clean everything down with brake cleaner and run the engine. if it's losing that much, it should be fairly clear to see where it's coming from.

JoeyBoyden

Will do tomorrow, weather has been crap all day and the underseal is still drying so didn't fancy it, is it likely headgasket could leak so badly externally or reckon it could be something else, upon further inspection it seems to be around the back of the block on the gearbox side

Churtz

From memory I think there's a core plug round there.....might not be in properly......Or at all?!

gcfcos

That would leak coolant out?

Churtz

No there's a plug on the crankcase... It just from memory but I think a crankcase breather goes there on certain applications.

gcfcos

Ah fair dos I was just thinking of the coolant core plugs lol

JoeyBoyden

Will have to have a look, looks of things rocker cover is leaking on the gearbox side, oil is very clean though so is difficult to spot, oil loss is also coming through the breather on the rocker cover, it really is throwing it out. I've put an old oil bottle in the engine bay and cable tied it, attached the breather pipe to the bottle and the bottle has loads in it after a drive. Looks like the engine is fooked and I've been ripped off.....:/

bigjohn0

Take it out and send it back mate as that engine is dead. Back pressure is causing the oil to come out of the breather system and from your description that amount of oil coming back out means its well shot.

JoeyBoyden

Problem won't refund, so I'm having to go through paypal. What annoys me most is I've taken 3 days of work to remove old lump and put new one in, now I'll have to book more of my own time off to do it all again, I've taken it out for a drive again today and cars were even backing off behind me due to the level of smoke. It's ridiculous....

bigjohn0

Yep it sounds like a problem with the rings so its not worth messing about with.

JoeyBoyden

Shame really as early 2.0 seem to be rare now, most are 1.8 that I can find

gcfcos

This for defo

JoeyBoyden

Last thing I want to do really, not even 100% I'll get the refund, plus then I've got to source another 2.0 or 130 spec 1.8 and they're hard to find with HO inlet and ECU etc

gcfcos

Without being rude buddy it's the only option u got, either that or take it out and strip it down to find the problem and rebuild it yourself if no major damage?

JoeyBoyden

Yeah I know mate, just a bit gutted I spent over £400 on it, probably better going for refund then buying a scrapped Mondeo. Cheaper to buy a full car than it is buying an Engine and loom. I had a similar issue with my old 2.0 Fiesta, used a lot of oil but didn't have the breather issues.

JoeyBoyden

So, Paypal have come to the conclusion that I'm not entitled to a refund. They have not informed why but they're not interested. £440 blown down the drain really, don't know where to go from here now....may aswell try a catch tank