My 2001 Focus 2.0 Zetec is leaking oil. I have monitored this whilst on idle this morning a not a drop fell down....But when I take her out for a drive for say 5 or so miles with fairly hard driving she drips oil? I took some pics last night and again this morning......I cant understand where it is coming from although the seal around the sump is very oily.....But would a leaking sump gasket chuck up oil around the other parts of the engine when driving hard?


Any help would be really great.

Pictures......


















thanks again for any help in advance

 

I cant see the pictures at work, is it the front or the rear of the engine? Have you checked the oil filter is tight? Dipstick tube seals can also leak.

 

The sump itself won't throw the oil around but the crank would, so it could well be the sump gasket. Any oil around the sump bung? Might be worth changing the washer on it.

 

sump looks rotten, needs renewed with a new gasket/sealer IMO

 

It is in a bad way mate.....Rust all over it. If I get a new sump, sump plug, washer, gasket and sealer that could rule out the sump?

Would hard driving make it worse as in the oil leak if it was something to do with the sump? I am not the best with how engines work so please excuse me!!

Thanks for the help so far guys

 

ammended your shopping list mate, good luck

 

Because when your crank is rotating it's splashing the oil everywhere, when you're driving it hard the crank is rotating faster which is splashing the oil up faster.

 

Not really, The PCV keeps the crankcase in vacuum at idle and other low throttle positions, keeping the oil in. But when driven up the road and the crankcase pressure rises, the oil will come out. the crank is well baffled

 

So the crank lives just above the sump mate? Is this what the cambelt is joined to, I know it is joined to a pulley at the top which controls the valves etc.... I think?!?!

Also mate....I have to ask as I see a Saff Cossie in your pic, what are they like to run petrol wise, lets say Ł20 of petrol at todays prices of Ł1.35 per litre, how many miles would you get around town and B roads?

 

It is a 2.9 24v turbo, was a beast, now sold and i have a subaru impreza, also a weapon. Saff was not great on fuel, but what do you expect lol. Ł20 would get you 20 miles if you were driving spiritedly on a B road

 

Will you need to remove the exhaust manifold / cat to get the sump off? If so you will need a new gasket for when refitting that.

 

Bloody 'ell......So they are rather juicy then?! Reason I ask is I am nearly 37 with full no claims, driving since I was 17 and am really drawn to buying either a Saph Cossie or a UK Scoob.


RichieST Will you need to remove the exhaust manifold / cat to get the sump off? .....It looks that way mate

 

I forgot to say bud..... I have 5 litres of Total Quartz 9000 fully synth' 5/40 here....But have been told to only use fully synth' 5/30 oil in my car?

 

my scoob is a better car to live with and better on fuel, but i have a diesel polo i use daily

 

Yes it is 5/30 you will need

 

You can get the sump off without removing the cat, easier with it off though, there is no gasket on the sump just sealant, it will probably be well and truly stuck on i would also replace the sump bolts they wont be in great condition pretty sure when i replaced mine the new sump came with the sump plug

 

The crankshaft is above the sump yes, at one end (The drivers side) you have a crank pulley and at the other is the flywheel, the cambelt is fixed to this pulley and the two camshaft pulleys at the top (There is two as it is a DOHC) engine, a SOHC, i.e a Pinto to keep it topical only has one pulley.

The camshaft is what actuates the opening of the valves via tappets (Or lifters), this is why it's very important this belt is not neglected, else if it snaps piston to valve contact will occur and you can now understand why it causes the damage it does!

In between fixed to the crankshaft are your connecting rods and then the pistons are attached to these.

As to the Saph they are not really everyday cars imo/ime mainly because of the theft problems they suffer from, and yes they are expensive to run.

As said the reccomendation is 5/30 thicker oils have been known to cause problems, the visocity you have means yours will be thicker when the oil is hot.

Martin

 

is that how it works? the thicker oils cause probs on early zetecs as ford never build the engine right

 

Not really as it happens on other manufactures engines as well, why would you want to go against the recommendation and benefits of a thinner oil anyway though?

I think the early Zetecs with hydraulic lifters had troubles period.

Martin

 

thinners oil is only good for the top end, mains and big ends love the thick stuff, im not an oil expert like, but that is how i see it ken