BA XR6 needs new engine

[turbomark]

Hi guys, just thought I'd share a (true) story with you all,

A week before Easter my father traded his Landcruiser wagon in on a Series 2, lightning strike XR6. He optioned it up with the 18 inch wheels and premium sound.

Dad didn't bother test driving the car or even looking at any other types of cars (such as commodore), as 3 of his cousins and his brother all have BA XR6s, so he figured he was on to a sure thing.

All went well for the first week, the car ran great, handled great and looked awesome! Apart from the wheels being fairly heavily scratched by the rattle gun at the ford workshop, my father was rapt in his new toy. (Ford have since agreed to replace the wheels, as my father thinks that paying $1500 extra for scratched wheels is not good value)

The car was put through 800km of normal driving around town to run it in before mum and dad left for a trip down south the day after easter.

After travelling a further 1500km to their destination, Dad and his mate (a mechanic by trade and currently running his own mobile mechanic business), washed the bugs off the car, checked the coolant level and then proceeded to check the engine oil.

This is where the drama starts...

The Dip Stick said "add". Dads mate added 3 litres of oil to the engine before the dipstick read the right level.

A phone call to the nearest dealership was made to try and book the car in but they couldnt fit it in in time, so dads mate dropped all the oil and dad purchased a new bottle of oil recommended by the ford mechanic.

The salesman my father bought the car off said that maybe the car had arrived from the factory with low oil and perhaps it had been missed in the pre-delivery, so now that the engine has new oil it should be right.

The car traveled another 1500km home and when home dad checked the oil again. The dipstick said "add" again.

This time the car went back to the dealership it was purchased at and the mechanics spent 2 days checkin valve clearances and checking for oil leaks. They topped the engine up with another 3 litres of oil.

Ford has offered to monitor the engine for the next 1000km, and depending on what the oil level is at the end of the 1000km, they might have to replace the engine.

600km since then and dad has just checked the oil. Yep, the dipstick says "add".

So, after 5000km, the car is up for a new engine and wheels.

Sorry for such a long post, but I just thought you should all know.

I advise that everyone out there should check the oil and other vital engine liquids often. The ford mechanic himself said that not even he wouldve thought to check the oil on a brand new car. My father says if he hadnt noticed it and tried to drive the 1500km home again, the engine wouldve seized.

[HUSTLER]

hmm, damn, mines seems fine to this day!

Series 2???? HUH?? series 2 doesnt exist nor has a release date!

[JB]

Series 2 eh?

[martaw]

You forgot to mention that your dad works in marketing for GMH................

[mattson]

mines a feb 04 build, no problems with oil, still at correct levels, and is in fact going in for it's first oil change this weekend

I'll monitor it after that, if anything changes I'll be sure to let for know!

Cheers guys,

Matt

[Guest]

You forgot to mention that your dad works in marketing for GMH................

What abdule said

vik

[Marcos]

With an oil loss that great, it should either be blowing a LOT of smoke out the tailpipe or leaving a pool of oil in your driveway. Where is all that oil going ????

[geea]

I can't remember any other "T's" using any oil.

Has it happened before or is this an isolated incident?

Geea.

[Chris xr6]

Kinda thought the new utes getting around with the different rear tail lights IE ones with orange were sreies two obviously not!

My car used around 500ml of oil per 500km of city driving more on the highway when newish

I was thinking sh*t I haven't run the engine in properly and spoke to a few engine gurus who told me to stop stressing it will be ok so ended up taking to ford and having a polite whinge about the situation suggesting I should be getting a new engine

anyway at about 9000 - 10000 km it was all apples engine stoped using oil and hasnt ever since

the only explanation I could figure is that the low tension rings they use on the pistons of new cars take a long time to bed in, as there is minimal pressure between the ring and the bore to create the vital seat for the rings/bore to seal with!

I also had the feeling that maybe my dealer used synthetic when I had them flush and change the oil at a thousand kays and again at 3 thousand starting getting better after I put pennzoil in at five and ten (and ever since good oil)

[TURBO4LT]

Mine hasnt used a drop since new , I didnt know that the series 2 was out?