Metal shavings in oil at 20k!?!??

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SwampSurvivor

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Well my day has been ruined.

I just changed the oil on my 2011 focus (19k Miles) and I noticed a lot of metal shavings.

This is bad isn't it?

I know Ford is going to give me the runaround if the engine comes apart.

1) I didn't keep receipts from when I bought the oil, but I DID keep track of when I did the oil changes

2) I used 0w-20 Castrol Oil (does not meet their specs).

Guess I should pay it off as quick as I can and trade it?
 
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Not totally unusual from my experience and the filter may very well have protected you. I doubt you will have any problems with this. With such a newer car with such low mileage why would you not use an approved oil and if you did change the oil why would you not keep a written record? Seems foolish to me.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Well my day has been ruined.

I just changed the oil on my 2011 focus (19k Miles) and I noticed a lot of metal shavings.

This is bad isn't it?

I know Ford is going to give me the runaround if the engine comes apart.

1) I didn't keep receipts from when I bought the oil, but I DID keep track of when I did the oil changes

2) I used 0w-20 Castrol Oil (does not meet their specs).

Guess I should pay it off as quick as I can and trade it?


It doesn't matter to Ford that you CLAIM you kept track of when you changed the oil. If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.

They are probably NOT going to honor the warranty unless there is a TSB about such a problem.

If you are going to be dirty about it and trade it I wouldn't take the car in to have the dealership look at it.

I almost think this post is a troll effort. Is it?
 
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Originally Posted By: Eddie
Not totally unusual from my experience and the filter may very well have protected you. I doubt you will have any problems with this. With such a newer car with such low mileage why would you not use an approved oil and if you did change the oil why would you not keep a written record? Seems foolish to me.


I have a record of when I did the oil change and the filters I used. I just don't have receipts from when I bought the oil changes.

I guess I was ignorant and thought that a new car wouldn't have an engine problem. And if it did, the manufacturer would just shrug me off.

My parents have a 2008 Jeep with a lifetime powertrane warranty; it knocks and burns oil (and we've found metal in the oil as well) and chrysler says it's normal.
 
Originally Posted By: chubbs1
You need to do a UOA. Use the approved oil. Keep records from here on out.


Well I keep track of each oil change in a small notebook. It's also the book that i keep track of each fill up, tire rotation ... I even keep track of installing wiper blades!

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell

It doesn't matter to Ford that you CLAIM you kept track of when you changed the oil. If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.

They are probably NOT going to honor the warranty unless there is a TSB about such a problem.

If you are going to be dirty about it and trade it I wouldn't take the car in to have the dealership look at it.

I almost think this post is a troll effort. Is it?


What constitutes not keeping track? I do write it down.

Why would someone troll about finding stuff in the oil?

Good point on the dealership thing. It's going to be entered into Ford's database and any dealer is going to run an oasis report on it. We'll have to see.
 
Quote:
I just changed the oil on my 2011 focus (19k Miles) and I noticed a lot of metal shavings.


Not good at all! I don't want to sound like an alarmist but something may either coming apart or it could be something as simple as a bolt backed out and is rubbing on something (i doubt it but its not impossible).
Quote:
I used 0w-20 Castrol Oil (does not meet their specs).


Keeping track of when you changed the oil is pretty much useless without the receipt i would think. I think you will get a lot less out of Ford then even the runaround.

IMO You sure did leave them a lot of holes to climb out of with the warranty, i hope they will do something for you but i suspect in this case they just may want an oil sample, make darn sure you have spec oil in this car when you go and dont even mention 0w20, don't even think it.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Quote:
I just changed the oil on my 2011 focus (19k Miles) and I noticed a lot of metal shavings.


Not good at all! I don't want to sound like an alarmist but something is either coming apart or it could be something as simple as a bolt backed out and is rubbing on something (i doubt it but its not impossible).
Quote:
I used 0w-20 Castrol Oil (does not meet their specs).


Keeping track of when you changed the oil is pretty much useless without the receipt i would think. I think you will get a lot less out of Ford then even the runaround.

IMO You sure did leave them a lot of holes to climb out of with the warranty, i hope they will do something for you but i suspect in this case they just may want an oil sample, make darn sure you have spec oil in this car when you go and dont even mention 0w20, don't even think it.


They're getting out of the warranty anyway; even if I brought it to a Ford dealer to get the oil changed ... they would get out of it. You don't make money by honoring warranty claims. Engine runs fine and doesn't consume or make any noises.

If my parents' jeep is any indication as to how long you can drive on an engine that knocks and burns oil, I have quite a ways to go before this one at least dies or spits rods through the pan.

My mistake was getting a new vehicle!

The material isn't magnetic ... which isn't surprising considering that it's an aluminum engine.
 
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Originally Posted By: Trav

Keeping track of when you changed the oil is pretty much useless without the receipt i would think. I think you will get a lot less out of Ford then even the runaround.



Yes. I'm not talking about the OP writing (easy to fake too) I'm talking about computerized receipts with the sale of the oil and filters from each change.

If you don't have those documented receipts it never happened, that is USUALLY how business works today.
 
I don't think you have a real problem with either the engine or the warranty.
The OM calls for a 5W-20?
No 0W-20 could cause the kind of damage you fear.
Why don't you share your concerns with your dealer?
Ford isn't going to deny you warranty based upon your using a syn 0W-20 where a dino 5W-20 is recommended.
If your engine really does have problems, the oil you used didn't cause them.
 
Originally Posted By: johnachak
You didn't think Ford had a reason to spec the oil they did?


Probably OP doesn't want to present the receipts because it clearly shows that he FAILED to use the specified spec oil, which in my view is an instant REJECTION of ANY warranty claim. All the OP could do is investigate if Ford has a TSB about defective engines, which I doubt is the case.

Sorry to say that that 25k automotive investment just took a huge hit. \

I will never understand why ANYONE would risk the warranty on such an expensive item.
33.gif
 
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I don't think you have a real problem with either the engine or the warranty.
The OM calls for a 5W-20?
No 0W-20 could cause the kind of damage you fear.
Why don't you share your concerns with your dealer?
Ford isn't going to deny you warranty based upon your using a syn 0W-20 where a dino 5W-20 is recommended.
If your engine really does have problems, the oil you used didn't cause them.


The filings are small. I don't see them when I change the oil on my Cherokee.

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: johnachak
You didn't think Ford had a reason to spec the oil they did?


Probably OP doesn't want to present the receipts because it clearly shows that he FAILED to use the specified spec oil, which in my view is an instant REJECTION of ANY warranty claim. All the OP could do is investigate if Ford has a TSB about defective engines, which I doubt is the case.

Sorry to say that that 25k automotive investment just took a huge hit. \

I will never understand why ANYONE would risk the warranty on such an expensive item.
33.gif



EEK! I wouldn't pay 25k for a vehicle. I only paid $12k for it, new.

Truth be told, I'm horrible at organization. I lost the receipts.

There's no TSB for the engines, the 2.0 duratecs are very reliable.

My plan is to run the current oil for another 4000 miles and then see what I'm looking at. I'll do a UOA and see what they think.

Are very very small shavings normal?
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I doubt there's an issue.


I agree. I certainly would not trade the car. This is probably more common than most think for a new engine.
 
Aluminum shavings.Makes one wonder where they are coming from.Maybe the oil pump? Unless its a Vega engine,the rings arent running on aluminum,they are running on a steel sleeve at least.So,unless a piston is getting all scuffed up,I would think oil pump is the only other source of aluminum.Bearings are tin/lead,cams and followers are steel,crank is steel...hummm..??
 
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