Ravenol SFE 5w-20 / 10,005mi on oil / 2017 Ford Focus 1.0L Turbo 6spd

[dnewton3]

It’s a design flaw. I don’t have a premise. If I owned this vehicle I’d start with shorter oci’s at 80k and strain the oil to see if the belt is shedding. It’s not the oils fault. I’d also change the belt before 100k or sell the car.

I disagree; it's not a "design flaw". It was a design choice.

It's not the only engine to use a wet-bath timing belt. For example the new little Dmax diesel from GM also has a wet-bath belt that has a claimed 150k mile life, but the engineer in the video interview hinted that it could go much futher than that. Perhaps they will also have "debris" clog the pick-up tube? Don't know; engine's too young to have a history yet.

I don't particularly like intermal belts; makes changes much more difficult for the DIYer. But then again, one of my fav engines (Ford 3.5L n/a "Cyclone") has an internal water pump. It also is not the only engine to have such a pump. I don't like the internal water pump, but the rest of the engine is spectacular and I just accept that some day, if I own it long enough, it will be a big expense for me to cover. That, too, was a "design choice" and not a flaw.

Often, packaging issues lead OEMs to make choices; they have to make compromises based on a large set of criteria. Sometimes a design emerges that may not be optimal to the end user, but it achieves the task and serves well, despite the cursing that goes on when it comes to maintaining the item.

I'm as guilty as others when loosely throwing words around at times. But this is a particularly specific topic here. The internal belt isn't a "flaw". It was a choice to accommodate other items which had higher priority.

 

[dhunter19]

Or, you could just keep the oci at 10k and save the anaylsis $.

I could but what fun is that?

 

[dhunter19]

A little sidenote:
The newer European Mk4 Focus with almost redesigned 1.0 EcoBoost engine has chain driven cams. The older Mk3 and Mk3.5 Focus with 1.0 EcoBoost engine was cam belt driven in oil.

FWIW, looking at the 2019 Fiesta Owners Manual the timing "belt" and oil pump belt is still supposed to be changed at 150K miles.

I also just checked the 2021 Puma with a 1.0L and it also specifies oil spec - WSS-M2C948-B. This too was the original spec for the 1.0L in the States but was changed just after the 2017 introduction to WSS-M2C945-A. Probably because Ford never intended to provide WSS-M2C948-B oil at the dealer. Prior to this change, the dealers were using WSS-M2C945-A anyhow as that was what they had in bulk.

Ford WSS-M2C948-B was created specifically for the 1.0L engine. I wonder if that was strictly for fuel mileage or for fuel mileage and ...?

 

[buster]

Nice results. When I think of Ravenol, I think of low Noack and shear stability.

 

[CleanSump]

Why not just change the belt somewhere between 80k and 100k and stop worrying about it?

 

[Artem]

Why not just change the belt somewhere between 80k and 100k and stop worrying about it?

But then we would miss out on this intriguing discussion about trying to strain used oil and searching for rubber particles in order to predict what sounds like inevitable failure one way or another.

Doesn’t seem like a very economical engine design to me. Cracking the block open to perform full blown surgery on the internals at 80-100k or else the **** will blow?!?! Amazing engineering. Literally throw away vehicles BY DESIGN.

 

[FZ1]

I could but what fun is that?

Good point.

 

[dhunter19]

But then we would miss out on this intriguing discussion about trying to strain used oil and searching for rubber particles in order to predict what sounds like inevitable failure one way or another.

Doesn’t seem like a very economical engine design to me. Cracking the block open to perform full blown surgery on the internals at 80-100k or else the **** will blow?!?! Amazing engineering. Literally throw away vehicles BY DESIGN.

Referring to CleanSump's post I'm not that worried about it. If it goes, it goes.

What does worry me is actually finding a dealership that can do the work. This engine isn't that prevalent and I can see taking it in for "preventive" work only to have it screwed up.

 

[Artem]

Referring to CleanSump's post I'm not that worried about it. If it goes, it goes.

What does worry me is actually finding a dealership that can do the work. This engine isn't that prevalent and I can see taking it in for "preventive" work only to have it screwed up.

You would almost need to find the master tech that does these engines for a living. Hahaha.

In all honestly though, any random shop worth a **** should be able to handle the work. They just need the repair manual for specs and have them not cheap out and replace everything properly by the book. Then you should be good for another round.

 

[Marcozi]

Why would a manufacturer put the camshaft drive belt in engine oil????? My old '85 325e had a belt which I religiously had changed every 4 years. It was not bathed in oil.

 

[dhunter19]

Latest oil analysis. This one went about 11,200 over 8 months. Circumstances changed and I'm not driving as much. Really didn't want to go 8 months but it is what it is.

Oil is the Ravenol SFE 5w20 with a Bosch Distance Plus filter. I worried more about the filter going 12K than I did the oil. Wasn't sure if it was up to it. Oil level was full at the drain and I didn't top off.