I bought a shonker.
read on if you wish.
1st letter:
*******
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 ***
08/12/09
Dear Sir/Madam
I am bringing my car KM55 OHA in for diagnostics.
I ask if you could read through this letter before proceeding. I would be grateful.
I noticed the car was using more oil than I anticipated. Approximately 4.5 litres in around 4000 miles.
I am familiar with basic car maintenance and thus can check an oil level appropriately.
There is no apparent “mayo” build up around the engine, the coolant is clean and the car doesn’t overheat. The exhaust to my knowledge does no puff excessive (if any) smoke, the car runs fine, odd lazy start in keeping with pre ’06 ST’s but otherwise fine.
I thought I would check the condition of the spark plugs. The car was serviced by Evans Halshaw prior to my purchase though I have no record or service stamp to prove this.
The spark plugs look like the same ones that Ford put in when the car was made, hey ho, no big deal, I’ve put some new NGK premium ones in.
However the spark plug closest to the battery is oil fouled, the thread is wet. No apparent oil is dripping down as far as I can see.
The new plug is also fouling straight away, So I guess it’s a valve seal or piston ring?
This leads me to this:
I collected the car on the 28th of August 2009 so I have missed my 3 months free guarantee by a week which I am annoyed at.
However I took out an extended warranty covering me for 24 months. I do have some issues with this.
Apart from near nothing be covered by the said agreement (not your issue I know) It remains cryptic to me:
Exclusions:
“Cracks and failures to valves and cylinder heads as a result of carbon build up”
So does that include rings and seals? Who determines carbon build up to be the cause of fault?
“faulty manufacture”
Again who decides on this?
Finally:
“car must be factory spec”
My car wasn’t factory spec when bought from the garage; Windows were already aftermarket tinted etc. Engine/drive train is standard.
Please could you run diagnostics as required, I understand the warranty doesn’t cover this but if you need to undertake a lot of work in stripping the engine please phone me before doing so, quoting, if required the cost as its Christmas and I’m budgeting.
07891 ******
01691 ******
Hopefully my issue will be covered by the extended the guarantee. To say that I am disappointed after such short ownership would be true.
Yours sincerely
Oliver Pretty.
Hmmmm, no result, letter number 2:
*******
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 ***
24/02/10
Dear Sir/madam
I bought my car (KM55 OHA) in for diagnostics on the 9/12/09 after I got fed up of my car using oil.
I purchased the car on the 28th August 2009 with 39219 miles on the clock.
At that point the car had done 4000 miles in my ownership and had used 4.5 litres of the recommended spec of oil.
I explained that the cylinder nearest the coil pack was fouling the spark plug with wet oil.
I was told that my car was fine and that the amount of oil used was acceptable. Evans Halshaw topped up my engine with oil and asked me to keep an eye on it and if needs be bring it back in a few months later down the line.
I asked why the spark plug was fouled and I didn’t really get an answer I was satisfied with.
I find it hard to believe that a 2005 Duratec burns off more oil than a 1980 CVH.
This is confirmed when I asked members of the Fiesta ST owners club via the internet what their oil consumption is. The general consensus is that my car is drinking far too much oil compared to other peoples cars whose use next to nothing (less than ½ litre between services). After all it is a modern engine.
Since the 9/12/10 my car has continued to use oil. Approx 2.5 litres, the dipstick is currently reading near full after I have topped it up again. The bottles I have bought since December are in the car. This equates to 7.5 litres of oil used in 6 months if you account the amount Evans Halshaw topped it up with. This is frankly awful. Nobody would be happy with this.
That is more than the sumps capacity. Therefore I would be using up to 15 litres every 12 months between services.
On checking the engines plugs on the 22/02/10 each plug seemed to be wet with oil with dark deposits.
I have conducted a compression test on the engine and have got high compression across the cylinders of 245-250 psi or 16.5 bar. On this engine with a compression ratio of 10.8:1 I work the maximum compression to be:
10.8 x 1.38 = 14.9 Bar
10.8 x 20 = 216 Psi
As per my last letter (enclosed) I explained I have an extended warranty (which appears to be worthless with regards to what it covers)
What I am looking for is some answer or fix with regards to my vehicle. If work or extensive (and expensive) work needs doing please contact me.
I don’t wish to be told nothing is wrong with my car. If there genuinely isn’t I would like a decent explanation as to why it uses so much oil.
I feel that I will have the right to return the vehicle as I believe it unfit for purpose and to be in bad condition for a car of its age.
My number: 07891 ******
Yours sincerely
What do reckon my chances are this time? let you know tomorrow if you care....
