Ive been loosing quite a bit of oil recently, like today i did a 100 mile trip and the oil went from the max to the min markers on the dipstick.

Doesnt appear to be headgasket; cant see any oil in water or vica versa and it doesnt appear to be dripping any oil.

The only place that it looks like its loosing oil is the rocker cover, seems a bit oily in places, but i cant see it loosing that much oil from there.

Have a feeling its something internal, but dont have a clue what, any ideas anyone of what it could be?



Thanks, James

Got any smoke coming out your exhaust?

Might be worth changing your gasket if it's leaking a bit. It might be leaking on one of the inner gasket seals if it's a Zetec. Have a look down all of your spark plugs to see if it's laeking into there.

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Thanks for the speedy reply, i get some smoke from my exhaust, say like when i rag it away from a set of lights with someone. Its as if its burning the oil?

Il have a check by my plugs to see if theres any oil there.

Oh yea, it is a zetec. 1.6

Edit:, il have a check when my engines cooled down and report back.

Thanks, James

Ok, no oil where plugs sit. Rusty coloured if anything.

Whats Next?

MY old car was losing loads of oil... it was the valve seals that were the problem.

A mate said it could be that.

What kind of money am i looking at for that being fixed at a garage?

Or, what kind of money for the parts and is it difficult to do. My mates a competent DIY mechanic. He might be able to help me to do it.


Thanks.

Not to expensive then.

What exactly will we have to take out to change the seals? Ive read that you can do it without taking the cam out, and using a air compressor? Anyone know of a guide? Or is it a good old haynes manual.

Thanks, James

I'd say it check out the piston rings too

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I didn't actually get round to doing the valve seals on my old car before I sold it.

A friend of mine is a mechanic and he said it would roughly take 2-3 hours depending on your knowledge of the engine. I would refer to a Haynes manual for the procedures

I'm unsure of how to do it on the 1.6 Zetec, but on my old 1.1 HCS overhead valve engine, I think you have to take the cylinder head out and remove the valves (I'm not very clever when it comes to taking engines apart).

Ok, so if it is the valve seals, would it be worth just getting a 2nd hand head a putting that on or actually changing the seals.

I need a cheap fix.

Good luck with it... let us know how it goes

my si did a piston ring coming back from fiesta in the park but it smoked a lot i mean the car disapreared in smoke and i had to put in a litre of oil in every 30 miles or so to keep it going, i'd say valve stems if its not smoking that much, r u losing power? my si 1.6 with a blown piston ring couldn 't go over a 100mph

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