My puma oil consumption

[Lorenzo Zaga]

Hi guys, in about 5000 kilometers (i live in italy) my puma drunk about 0,5 liters of 5w-30 magnatec, i really like my puma, unfurtnately when i drive it, i squeeze all the power off it, i can't resist to go slow its too funny. But i really take care of it and i never sell it, its a family member, at this point what is the best thing to do now? My puma have about 260.000 km i have to replace pistons and rings? The pistons are available now in todays market? Thanks to all!!! :grin:

 

[Van_Dammesque]

Check for oil leaks like the rocker ccover gasket, make sure the breather pipe is in good condition. Mine drank oil too! ose:

 

[Lorenzo Zaga]

Thank you for the reply! But i have no oil leaks in the various gaskets, but where is the breather pipe? Thank you

 

[red]

I would say half a litre for half a years average annual mileage is not bad.

Chasing the cause could cost a fortune, it's probably something like the value stem oil seal but how will you know without renewing everything

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

My puma have about 260.000 km i have to replace pistons and rings? The pistons are available now in todays market?

Hi, answer #1: Most probbly the rings would do with replacement.

Answer #2: This is the part I HATE about Ford the most. There are NO piston rings for 1.7 engine, neither from Ford (NLA), nor in aftermarket. However, you can patch up a set combining rings from NPR for Honda accord A18 engine (only the second rings) and the set for Nissan engine with also 80 mm bore. However, if your engine is drinking oil excessively, it could just be a matter of baked in oil rings which do not spring out anymore because of carbon build up (usually a result of neglecting oil changes in time). If the compression is good, then it is just this, the piston rings need cleaning properly and after reassemble it will OK.

I am talking about this (this is a honda piston, but the problem is clearly shown here)

The rings should spread out like the two top compression ones. The 3rd set of rings is the oil control one and it is seized solid in: it wipes no more oil from the cylinder wall and that is why the engine uses oil.

And this is how it should be after clean (and new rings installed since for Honda they ARE obtaineable).

Unfortunatelly, the oil ring(s) are not very good visible here, but they are spread out as well, only at the back of the image. So, if you try a compression test, and it turns out fine, that means the oil is sealing the compression rings. Also, if you can use a small camera to look inside cylinder (Lidl one is completely OK for peanuts money!) the piston should be full of burned oil. Something like this:

So just cleaning up everything and reassembling should bring the oin consumption to normal levels. Having said that, Honda engines are notorious oil drinkers if you engage VTEC mode often (it kicks in at 5600 rpm, roughly) and if you are exploring the engine revving often, given the age, it is normal for it to use oil....

 

[Lorenzo Zaga]

Thanks to all guys!! I haven't any idea if an half of liter in a year is good, but i want to remake like new the puma engine, and change pistons rings and all the other components worn out, (valves, connecting rods). Is a big job to disasembly and clean the rings, for shure the problem is like this, but if i disasembly, i take advantage for refurbish the engine . In italy i have CPS in Turin, that creates tailored pistons, (high compression) can they make the rings? I can try? Is a good idea to refurbish my engine with new more perfomances parts? Thanks!

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Half a liter of oil per 5000 km is completely reasonable for the car of this age especially if you drive it hard(ish). If someone is to make you a set of piston rings, you need to be aware that engine block is nikasil and piston rings SHOULD NOT be chromed. Everything else is OK, but not chromed ones. OEM are nitrited, for your reference.

 

[Lorenzo Zaga]

Thank you so much!!! Now i'm more calm, i hope this group in Turin can make, 4 pistons and rings, for the engine i need to replate the cilinders with nikasil for you? After 260.000km what i need to change to refurbish and give more power in this engine? Thank you! (My project is 200hp in 1.7 n/a)

 

[mmc757]

Don't overlook the crankcase ventilation system. A lot of oil can get eaten through that if its not right.

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
Contact Chris at Lightening Motor Sport https://www.lightningmotorsport.co.uk.
He can supply rings and engine parts.
Regards,
Richard.

 

[Waterboard]

You can get rings, a few years ago it was impossible but now there’s an option or two.
The 1.7 engine fairs well so the compression test will tell you if the pistons and rings are your issue before tearing her apart.
What I’m finding is that valve guides and stem seals are suffering a bit.
If the compression checks out and there are no leaks then i would check it’s pre cat sensor stats and see what’s coming out. If that’s healthy at normal idle then look for a little smoke at cold startup or find a long fast downhill stretch of road and run it on the engine break down the hill - when you feed it some onions at the bottom of the hill, look for a little smoke.
If you get a little puff then valve guides / seals…