Engine oil consumption is a problem nobody wants. Most new engines today use less than half a quart of oil in 3,000 miles. Some use almost no oil. But as the miles accumulate, wear and oil consumption naturally go up.
Using a quart of oil every 1,000 miles is not unusual for a high mileage engine. The amount of oil used is still acceptable, but by the time it reaches a quart of more in 500 miles it’s using a LOT of oil. Blue smoke in the exhaust is a classic sign that an engine is burning too much oil.
Should you be concerned? It depends on your budget, the value of your vehicle, if you can afford to rebuild or replace the engine, and whether the oil consumption is causing other problems.
An engine that burns oil will usually foul the spark plugs. That, in turn will cause ignition misfire, higher emissions and likely damage the catalytic converter. Also, an engine that is burning oil usually won’t pass an emissions test because of elevated hydrocarbon (HC) emissions.
If an engine is using oil because of leaks (valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, crankshaft end seals, etc.), the problem can be fixed by simply replacing the leaky gaskets.
Unique visitors to post: 0
Discussion
No comments for “Oil Consumption”