The time has come for me to do our first service on SWMBO's 1997 Fiesta Ghia with a 1.25l Zetec engine. I know the early Zetecs fitted to Escorts etc needed a special oil (5W30?), but does a 1997 1.25l need it too? Looking at Wikipedia etc, it seems that although it's called a Zetec, the 1.25l is a totally different engine (Sigma) to the early escorts (Zeta), so I'm not sure.
TIA...Nick.
I believe it's a special grade. The easiest thing is to go to the ford dealer for oil and filter, it's often cheaper anyway.
5W30 is not really special...
As has been suggested, main dealer service parts for older Fords are often competitively priced, and you can be reasonably sure of getting the correct items.
Whilst there, get a new drain plug as the sealing washers are not designed to be replaced.
Chris
it is ford E 5w30 oil, nothing else should be used.
Chris Whelan gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
You are _kidding_...?
No. Why would I be?
Chris
You meant reused, didn't you?
Chris Whelan gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Because that's an absolutely brain-dead piece of design.
"Doki" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
If the washer was designed to be replaced but not reused, it'd be exactly the same as damn near every other car out there - and you wouldn't need get another plug, just a washer.
No, it's not designed to be replaced.
It's a flat washer that is retained on the plug by part of the plug being spun over it. It *can* be dug out and replaced, but it's designed so it can't be lost.
A complete replacement plug is only just over a quid, and they probably last three oil changes or so. That adds a massive 40 pence /year to the running costs, but means that numpties can't replace the plug without the washer.
Chris
No, it's actually rather a sensible piece of design.
(See reply to Doki.)
Chris
The problem was that people kept re-using the old plug, which wore out because they used crap spanners on them, then they got stuck in place and the owners blamed Ford for bad design, so Ford made the plugs with the o ring built in and said it should be replaced at ecah oil change, that way Ford did not get the blame for damaged plugs or oil leaks.
If the o ring still protrudes when the plug is off it can be re-used with no leaks several times at least. If the hexagon remains in good condition it can be re-used with the washer from the original type plugs indefinitely.
When I first started reading this board there was some one with a Ford diesel (alloy sump and the plug is recessed) that could not get the plug undone, he claimed that no method would undo it, I know I was itching to undo it for him, I wonder what happened to that one, the newsgroup thread was ever so long.
VAG have done this too- it used to be that you kept the plug, and replaced a copper washer, now you get a new plug with a non-removeable washer.
Thanks all, I'll take your advice and buy the oil from the Ford dealer along with the filters etc.
...Nick.
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