My new to me mondeo!

Had a trip to Fermanagh this weekend, was on the phone to the guy yesterday morning and said it would be fine to drive, probably just a faulty sensor. Well...

I know what's wrong now, the car is burning oil. Returning home (after about 200 miles, 250 since I got the car), about a minute from the house while accelerating from a light (with full power for a change!) the oil warning light came on. No sooner had I looked for a gap to pull over in then it had gone out again. So I drove down my street slowly and pulled into the drive. Let the oil settle and had a measure. The dipstick wasn't even wet! over 3l into the engine later and I start her up, bout 20s and the exhaust is smoking quite a bit. I assume that's why the power has been poor - there's oil in the mix!

Trying to get in contact with the guy now to get him to look at it again. Gutted though, in the 5 weeks of owning the car I've only been able to drive it for 2 :(
 
MrMoonX said:
I think you bought a lemon id try to get your money back asap
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I'm giving it one more chance, it it's not fixed proper this time I'm going down that route. It's just irritating, I finally get a car big enough for me and it goes and breaks all the time! I've driven the flipping thing less than 2 weeks since I got it!
 
Sorry to hear about your bad luck, I wonder whether it would be better to get rid of it. It doesn't sound like a (mechanically) good example, and its not as if Fords are known for their reliability and build quality.
 
MarkDavis said:
Sorry to hear about your bad luck, I wonder whether it would be better to get rid of it. It doesn't sound like a (mechanically) good example, and its not as if Fords are known for their reliability and build quality.
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As usual another load of balls from markdavis - the mondeo is an exceptionally reliable car on the whole. This experience shouldn't tarnish your view of the mondeo as a car, sounds like you've been very unlucky this time
 
MarkDavis said:
As Arsene Wenger once said, 'Everyone thinks they've got the prettiest wife at home'.
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I haven't owned a mondeo for some time now, but the mk3 mondeo (especial in petrol guise) is well known as a very reliable motor. Just because the doors don't thunk like a BMW, doesn't make it unreliable, this has been explained before ;)

The op has obviously been very unlucky, beginning to think it's a bit of a dodgy dealer. Short of a leak, consuming that much oil is going to be a problem in the depths of the engine. Maybe it's third engine lucky for this car?
 
Just an update, it's going back today to have a look at the power and oil issues. Although since filling up with cheap 10w40 (or 30, can't remember, whatever was in haynes), the power problem has become increasingly hard to reproduce. Can't comment on the oil though, only done about 25 miles since the topup. Had a look at the spark plugs last night too, new plugs, but the electrodes were black and coated in carbon (or something like it)! Definitely a problem there! Will keep you posted.
 
death_looms said:
Just an update, it's going back today to have a look at the power and oil issues. Although since filling up with cheap 10w40 (or 30, can't remember, whatever was in haynes), the power problem has become increasingly hard to reproduce. Can't comment on the oil though, only done about 25 miles since the topup. Had a look at the spark plugs last night too, new plugs, but the electrodes were black and coated in carbon (or something like it)! Definitely a problem there! Will keep you posted.
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From what you have described about the spark plugs, you have definately got a problem with the engine there and it is not running right at all. The black coated carbon will give an indicator to what is causing this and their is a pictured diagram somewhere on the net showing the different conditions of plugs and what causes then to go that way, are you sure that the black carbon is not oil at all by any chance as this may be related to the oil problem you have too? I will try and dig it up for you.

Edit - I found a pictured diagram but I'm not sure if posting photos hosted by other sides is allowed on here but looking at the carbon fouled & oil-fouled articles, here is the description:

"insulator nose, electrodes and spark plug shell covered with velvet-like black soot deposits. Cause: Incorrect mixture setting (carburetor or fuel injection); mixture too rich, air filter very dirty, automatic choke not in order and spark plug too cold."

"insulator nose, electrodes and spark plug shell covered with shiny soot or carbon residues. Cause: too much oil in combustion chamber, oil level too high, badly worn piston rings, cylinders and valve gaskets.

Liam
 
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It's not really velvety or shiny, more like a rough compressed powder really. But after 300 miles, no way should they be like that! Could you link to the site?

I hope this time it's fixed, I'm dying to not have to borrow the mums i20 again!
 
Cheers for the link!

As an update, the car's back to get fixed, had him out in the car and got him to acknowledge both the power and oil issues as problems (still tried to duck a bit at the oil, but he did say that it was excessive). I may get it back today if it's a minor issue, I'll find out when I get the call. I would love it to be something simple, dying to just be able to drive the thing. For 6 months before I trade it in anyway.
 
Just off the phone to him, he's fitted new rings and valve seals, gave me some guff about how the first lot just diddnt bed in right. Am I right in thinking that's a load of guff? Seems to me he got an old engine form s scrappy and put it in, cleaned it up and hoped for the best! Although it may all be true, I don't know!

End of the day, says it will be finished by the end of today, but wants to keep it overnight to drive it from/to work to make sure it's driving right. I'm inclined to let him, but he diddn't pick up the obvious power fault last time!

Any thoughts?
 
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