Focus 1.6 petrol Ecoboost blue smoke

[Avocet]

Does anyone know if this is a known issue on the 1.6 Ecoboost engines? The car has done about 60,000 miles and is usually driven gently (lady owner). Oil consumption over the last few weeks (just looking at the dipstick) is negligible. On cold startup, there's a puff of blue smoke. This doesn't happen on warm startup, but blipping the throttle in neutral will result in a (very small) puff of blue smoke from the tailpipe.

Interestingly, it only started after a recent service. The car ran fine for a few days and then the lady's husband noticed some oil on the drive. On closer inspection, the entire fibre undertray was absolutely soaked in oil and there was none showing on the dipstick! They took it back to the garage, who said that the problem was a cracked oil filter. They said they'd never seen one like it (neither have I!) and had sent it back to the manufacturer. Whether that has anything to do with it, I don't know. It could be that the husband has been taking more of an interest in the car recently as a result of the service mishap, and has therefore noticed it.

 

[DaveHerns]

Sounds like worn valve stem seals. Unlikely to have been caused by a cracked oil filter but if the engine has been run without sufficient oil in it, it won't have done it much good.

 

[Burnerman]

Cracked oil filter
More like not tightened in the first place, I'll wager. If this is a turbo engine the oil smoke may get worse sooner than later.
John

 

[DaveHerns]

Unless it's one of those paper filters in a plastic container. They'd be easy to crack.

 

[Burnerman]

Canister type I think.
Never had the plastic sort crack but have had one or two with rounded off hexagons
John

 

[Avocet]

Thanks all, yes, I think it's a canister. I haven't actually seen the car, I'm just being asked this by my mate. (And yes, I was somewhat sceptical over the "cracked" filter story. I wonder if some junior mechanic got an absolute roasting?!

 

[pete50]

Or the rubber seal got twisted when the filter was installed. Whatever I wouldn't mind betting that the car was run with insufficient oil and now the engine is junk. A fight with the garage is in order.

 

[Burnerman]

Pete, I'm afraid you may be right
Despite the smoke, the shell bearings on the crank will be ruined in an instant if there wasn't any oil pressure. I'd guess the oil light was lit on the dash.
John

 

[JohnD]

"cracked" filter

what a pity the filter has been "sent away" and is not available for inspection. I wouldn't be surprised if it's been "lost in the post" by now.

 

[DaveHerns]

Why don't they design engines to cut out if the oil pressure drops? A lot of people don't check the oil until the pressure light comes on, by which time it's too late.

 

[Burnerman]

With oil level indicators, this should be simple enough. Granted, the sump level drops sharply when the engine starts but it should be easy enough to average things out.
John

 

[Keithmac]

Why don't they design engines to cut out if the oil pressure drops? A lot of people don't check the oil until the pressure light comes on, by which time it's too late.

I thought about this as well, what I came up with was the scenario of pulling off a slip road on to a motorway and the engine cutting out, big liability for the manufacturer..

 

[mointainwalker]

Might the garage have refilled the car with a very low-viscosity oil - 0W something - possibly thinner than was previously used ? Lots of cars now allow different ranges of oil and I remember reading on another forum that some people claim that the 0W will find any possibility to leak and will thus not use it.

 

[Burnerman]

For sure, using a very low viscosity oil on any engine that has some miles on - or isn't designed for it - will get burnt.
In this case I'm sure there's been a filter problem that we'll never get to the bottom of!
John

 

[DaveHerns]

I suppose you should refuse to let the garage take control of the filter as it's vital evidence and your property. You should be the one organising the testing.