1999 Focus 1.6 16v zetec

Went to Preston last night, started with 3 quarters of a tank, come back with just under a quarter.

I am sure there was a previous thread about petrol consumption and the conclusion was that gauges are no real use in calculating fuel consumption.My Renault will tell me I have say 120 miles left and a few minutes later it is beeping to say I have less than 50 then it just goes blank as if to say "you are on your own mate get some fuel"

Mine is in garage now on the Exhaust Gas Analyzer machine.

That's meaningless. You need to know how many gallons/litres you used and how many miles travelled, then maybe someone can give an opinion. Anyway, as stated, gauges are wildly inaccurate and certainly not linear.

86 miles in total and it used ½ a tank, by any standards that is not right

I used one of the vans in work to pick an arcade machine up from Preston, the van had no fuel in it so I put £15 in and it got me there and back and still had fuel left.

It was a 1.8 turbo diesel escort which from my experience are not that economical.

If that's any help.

There is no leaks, as if there was, fuel would be peeing out as with it being injection, its under pressure.

The tank is plastic so can not be leaking out of rusty tank.

It seems to be using more since I put new fuel filter on.

I should be getting car back within the hour so I will see what Mike Hurst says.

If it is the tank, I have a spare one in shed.

I agree, doesn't sound right, but you still don't know how many gallons/litres it used. The gauge reading may vary.
It might be that the engine temp. sensor has failed and the ECU thinks the engine is cold, so feeds more fuel.
Hope you get an answer.

Please keep us updated Burger, will be interested to hear the diagnosis.

Will do, still have not got it back yet.

Well got car back, all gases test normal.

So its booked in to fords on monday morning, to get an ecu update

How did you get on?

I think I got robbed, they say update done, but car feels no different, £60 for code reader scan, and £30 for update.

Updating wouldn't help anything, you need to address the reason why you've suddenly got poor mpg. Try checking for air leaks around inlet and then spend more money replacing sensors (AFM, lambda/02 sensor).
You should leave well alone anyone who charges more than 10 quid to plug in a machine.

All sensors have been changed, am still getting strong smell of petrol coming into car, its getting the point now, i do not feel safe driving it, as the smell is strong when it comes. its not all the time.

Devil's advocate here, do you carry a spare petrol can?

No. I was thinking maybe a split in the plastic petrol tank, but tonight, the smell was coming in through air vents when i had heater on.

You probably have a split in a hose somewhere - it doesn't have to leak much to stink though! Try looking at the bit behind the engine?

It could be a leak on the petrol return pipe.

Also check the breather hoses are not split.

I've checked them all ste, and there can't be leak, as due to it being injection, the fuel is under pressure, so if the pipe was split, it would be spraying out.

The return isnt under pressure.....

ahh thanks, will go check.