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New poster and a Focus

Hi there people,

I'm the owner of a 2001 Focus TD and it looks as if we will be staying together for quite some time, rather than exchanging at the end of the finance deal. Hence I want to keep the engine and car as sweet as possible.

Currently change the oil and filter every 5k, other servicing as Ford recommend. Car does 20 mile runs and about 17k a year. It's got 55k on the clock.

I managed to get 230k out of my Rover 214 till some b*****d pinched it so I'd like to beat that if possible...:-) I'm wanting to know if there are better oil/air filters than the Ford Motorcraft ones - I cannot find any hard data about them and since I don't pay the dealr to service it, just for parts he's not really enthused to find out more for me.

TIA everyone.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Street
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The message from Chris Street contains these words:

Sounds to me like you have sufficient mechanical sympathy to manage quite well enough with the standard oil and filters. A bit of understanding and kindness to vehicles goes a long way towards keeping them feeling young.

I've got friends who can turn a new car into a thoroughly second hand one in less than a month, while Dad could keep a car for five years and it'd be "nearly new".

Reply to
Guy King

I think you'll find that using standard Ford parts is going to do quite well enough. You may want to shop around for your oil however. There should be a spec in the owners manual which will give the recommended type of oil and the SH/CPI(?) numbers. So long as the oil you buy is at least up to that spec you won't go far wrong. Or just keep on buying the Ford stuff. Given the mileage you got out of your

214 I'd say you can't be doing anything wrong in the way you care for your cars.
Reply to
Malc

Morris Multilife - excceds the relevant Ford ESD number and correct grade etc. Same oil I used in the Rover and my bikes.

I used to use a reusable oil filter (Traskos) for the Rover where you swapped the centre - looked a bit like a high class toilet roll. Sadly they are American and hence do ones that fit the petrols, but not diesel Foci, since you cannot get a diesel Foci over the pond....

I'm also getting a decent oiled air filter to replace the paper ones, as I've never liked paper and it does go down the occasional gravel track.

Reply to
Chris Street

Well I did trash two gearboxes in that time. (input shaft bearing, both times.) The engine though was still within bore wear and compression (well not cylinder three...) when it blew it's head gasket at 210k. I never did put an oil pressure gauge on it though.

Reply to
Chris Street

NO!!!!!!!!! An oiled air filter allows some of the more volatile "oils" escape from it and they migrate to the Mass airflow sensor clouding its operation. You'll then get drivability problems as the sensor cannot accurately read the airflow so passes dodgy info to the ECU. Stick with the standard Motorcraft paper element.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

Do diesels have a MAF sensor? I certainly cannot see one on mine.

Reply to
Chris Street

The message from Chris Street contains these words:

I believe some newer ones do.

Reply to
Guy King

Yes, both the DI and CI have MAF's.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

I think the guys at ford who design the filters are no fools !

Reply to
JK

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