My second fiesta this year has got the exact same issue as the last, flickering oil light around bends.. and then the tap...

I think (hope) its the cams, and as i'm piss poor at the moment I am going to replace them myself (I hope), how hard is it to replace them and will need to remove the engine or get a new belt?

Really don't want to have this one scrapped,

3rd ford this year,..

if wort comes to the worst go to a scrappy and get a new head like i did for my zetec only cost me 50 quid but question is why is the oil light commin on ?

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Hi there,

First thing first, which engine do you have in your Fiesta as that answers whether you need to get the engine out for changing the cams.

Secondly, I wouldn't think the cams would bring on the oil light. I think it is your oil pump that is either on its way out or the pick up pipe in the sump is clogged.
Either that, or you just don't have enough oil in your engine and its being starved when you go round a corner as the oil in the sump sloshes to one side and can't be picked up by the pump.

If it is the oil pump, and you have a Zetec then you will need to take the engine out to do it properly. You can do it with the engine in but it's very difficult to keep everything clean enough to not wreck the engine fairly quickly afterwards!!

Hope that helps

Paul

Cams wouldnt cause oil light to come on.

As its coming on when you go round corners, id say that youve not got anough oil in it and its surging everytime you go round a corner.

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Yeah I think it is probably low on oil, only had it a month and it was meant to had just had a change... my fault for not checking, you'd think the light would come on though for low oil but mehh...

I was told it was the camshafts knocking, which I would think is due to low oil or something related (the breather and air inlet was covered in oil when I fitted the kn) am getting new oil today but wonder wether theres a point if the cams gone?, is it hard to change the cams over?, I guess I could get a new head, would that be easier?

So poor due to the other fiesta and escort, when will I learn lol

N it's a 1.6, If I had a van, a hoist and a good jack my mate has a 2l engine I could use

I guess the final question is can it be driven with a ticking cam?, I don't want to kill the engine so I've been biking it everywhere but I need to drive 30 miles to and from college twice a week so will need the car for that.

This all started when I went to pick up my 16" mondy alloys

Cheers.

they must have really messed up the oil change as I have had to put in 4.2 litres today which gives it 300ml for the last 1-2 months

Ticking is quieter now but it smells rich as fook which is never good, bloody unlucky, i'm quite at the last owner who did the change tbh, can only imagine he forgot to put new oil in as theres no leaks whotsoever.

The light is only really an indication that you are at a point where the engine is going to eat itself, not a warning to top up!!

I'd give it a couple of hundred miles or so and see how the cams sound now they've got oil!!
Driving with tapping cams won't do any more real damage now they've got oil, just watch your levels often.

But TBH, they're probably worn a bit, but also the tappets are probably worn a bit too so you'd be as well to get a new head if you can guarantee that the cams and tappets are in decent condition, which is easier said than done at a scrappy!

Changing the cams is easy, the difficult bit is timing the engine, so based on that changing the head will probably be as easy and cheaper than new cams and tappets.

If you just change the cams and the tappets are fooked then your cams will wear uber-quick and rattle like a mo-fo!!

Hope you are lucky and she is all right!

Let us know how she goes

Paul

What grade oil are you using?

You say it smells like it's running rich, if so, that extra fuel will eventually lead to bore wash and eventually end up in your oil, in turn, thinning the oil. Get that looked at as well

Cams don't tend to rattle, unusual to be the hydralic lifters, which ive never seen go. If the oil light has been coming on, the bottom end bearings may well on there way out now due to lack of oil, hence the knock/tap.

On another note engines will use a small amount of oil over time.

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Info and guides on the Mk3 Fiesta

I like boost! Formerly cookie456_the2nd

I always use 5/30 fully synth havoline, its the first time i've done the oil since owning the car though, was told it had just had an oil change and well faith gets you nowhere

Regarding the cams the guy who looked at it said one was likely scored? due to oil starvation, but tbh at 300ml I can imagine all the engine is half dead.

The car settles down when its warmed up with the new oil, sounds like a jackhammer when first started though.

Will look at getting a whole new motor soon, I've been a bit put off fords tbh but I'm not giving up , going to get a two litre and as I told the gf, there will be a service rotor which includes oil checks every week

Been planning a few things for the car which i'm going to go ahead with regardless, I have refurbed some rs2000 calipers and have discs on the way, also I got some 16" mondy rims refurbed in white and will get px4s on tuesday, so poor as ever, will change everything over when I get the next one.

2 months of si and I already can't imagine life without one