Really need some help please. Focus, 1.6TDCi

[Colin Brenton]

Hi,

Trying to do an oil change on this car, and I've undone what I thought was the sump drain plug (front of the engine, shown below)


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This I expected to release a flood of old oil, but it didn't.

I ended up with the following dribbling very slowly into the drain bucket

View media item 58909
So, what fluid is this, and how should I replace it???

Edited to say, all the fluid levels look to be normal under the bonnet as far as I can tell, nothing now looks 'low'...?????


Please, please, please post if you know what I;ve done wrong, really worried i've done something 'unfixable' at the moment.

Thanks,
Colin[/img]

 

[andyandy2]

The plug you have removed looks like the gearbox level plug, the engine sump plug is on the other side of the car, from memory at the back of the sump (13mm socket i think)

 

[Mursal]

Not sure what plug you took out. You might have to take the plastic under shield down to see the engine oil sump plug.

This is what the engine oil sump looks like when off the engine, you can see the drain plug in the middle of the pan. (obviously this is from the inside)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-F...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2574a096ad


Oil filter change ............

Watch it a few times and see how you get on ..............

 

[Burnerman]

Thats the gearbox filler / level plug - just pop it back in and no harm done.
The sump one - as said - is at the back of the sump, offside, 13mm socket needed. Make sure the rubber ring is intact!
Prepare for oil to your arm pits when you remove the filter.....
John

 

[Colin Brenton]

Thanks a lot everyone.

Am I OK to leave the transmission with less fluid than it had originally? The plug I (stupidly) removed only released a tiny dribble of fluid very slowly, and lost a total of around a coffee cup full - just don't want to leave the car short of vital fluids if it's something important.

If it's just a convenient place to store excess overspill, then it may be nothing much to worry about...?

Thanks for the pointers to the proper drain plug, I will do the oil change in a week or so - the four day weekend may give me enough time to finish it...

Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it.

Cheers,
Colin

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about this, because if the car was level when you undid the gearbox plug and oil came out, then it had slightly too much lube in to start with.....
Transmission oil comes in bottles with a flexy spout, and with your car you pop out the plug, insert the bottle spout and squeeze....oil squirts in.
When the level is correct, (oil has stopped dribbling back out) you pop the plug back in again - job done.
John

 

[Colin Brenton]

Thanks John,

I actually had the front of the car jacked 'up' (slightly), and it still came out...

If it had been level, I probably would have lost a bit more than I did, but by the same token it sounds like I probably did have too much in there to start with.

Sounds like nothing to worry about then?

Thanks for the info, had no idea that was how they worked, had always imagined systems like that being under high pressure, for some reason.

Thanks,

Colin

 

[Burnerman]

Check the oil level when the weather is kinder, and you have the car perfectly level too.
Gearboxes (manual ones, anyway) are lubricated by splash, and often there is no drain plug - although it is possible to get the old oil out usually.
Its only when you have the gearbox in pieces that you discover a magnet inside, that collects any metallic swarf.
Any oil that comes out of a gearbox should be clean, and have that distinctive fruity smell.
John

 

[theshrew]

ChAny oil that comes out of a gearbox should be clean, and have that distinctive fruity smell.
John

Depends what oil is in the box to the smell.

 

[Mursal]

John, a fruity smell, did you ever ...........................

Oil change:
Take your time with the oil change, do the oil change one day and leave the oil filter change to the next, if you want. You have all the time in the world, don't rush or listen to people telling you "I do it in 10 minutes".

Then when you get that done you can consider tackling the fuel filter (also on UTube) and so on .........

 

[Burnerman]

Was that not an apt description then I've always thought that Hypoid / E.P oils had a fruity smell (and taste if the truth be known )
Changing the diesel filter is a gem, compared to the one on the petrol Focus (stuck high up on the side of the tank, secured by a rusty clamp and plasticene screw ).....but I always prime the thing with diesel courtesy of 'er indoors cream jug
John

 

[Colin Brenton]

....but I always prime the thing with diesel courtesy of 'er indoors cream jug
John

Lol, that made me smile, thanks! Reminds me of a long and probably mis-spent period cleaning various 'projects' in my parents (lovely and clean, for some reason) kitchen sink... but always while they were out(!)

 

[Burnerman]

if you ever get round to replacing the pollen filter, do book an appointment with a chiropractor first
John

 

[theshrew]

Oil change:
Take your time with the oil change, do the oil change one day and leave the oil filter change to the next, if you want. You have all the time in the world, don't rush or listen to people telling you "I do it in 10 minutes".

.

This is possibly the worst tip ive ever seen about changing oil + filter.

Yes take your time always always always change the oil + the filter before you use the car again.

If you do as said above all you will do is contaminate the new oil with the old cack your trying to get rid of.