Burning oil?

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Billings MT
Ford 4.6L 3v, Pennzoil Platinum 5w20

I've noticed that over time the car seems like it's losing a small amount of oil. Over a two-three month period, 1500-2000 miles, it's down about 1/8th of a quart.

No noticeable oil leaks or smoke when the car runs.

Could this really be the PCV system doing this? I run the car pretty hard if it matters.
 
that amount of oil consumption in that engine is very normal - a layer of oil remains on the piston walls as the rings pass them and a little burns off. Generally you will see less oil consumption by using synthetic over dino - which you are already doing. you may reduce consumption a little bit more by using a PAO-based synthetic Mobil 1 EP, Amsoil; but no guarantee.

seriously, there is nothing wrong. some engines are built to different tolerances and do not use as much oil; others use even more. its pretty much a product of cylinder finish, design, ring pressure and design, compression ratios, RPM's etc. Historically speaking, most engines of Japanese design use less oil than American engines. of course, each engine has different goals as far as horsepower output and torque curve; ring design, pressure, and blah blah blah
 
I have the same engine and run it fairly hard also. I've seen no oil usage at all in the 25k miles on the car. You have noticed I'm assuming that when filled with the required 6qts that it shows half way between full and low on the stick right? Some Mustang guys think its using oil because of this and it isn't. I use M1 in mine. I also don't agree with the response that domestic cars use more oil than imports. I've owned literally every Ford engine made over the last 35 years and never had one use a drop of oil! Owned several imports and same thing there. Just my .02
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Mord modulars are know for burning a quart or slightly more during the OCI. Nothing to worry about. Neither of mine have ever burned oil, but I have seen several that have. Ask the dealer, they will tell you that it's normal.
 
Originally Posted By: sw99
Mord modulars are know for burning a quart or slightly more during the OCI. Nothing to worry about. Neither of mine have ever burned oil, but I have seen several that have. Ask the dealer, they will tell you that it's normal.


My 5.4L consumed 1L/10,000Km of 5w20, but doesn't consume on 5w40 (go figure, lol)
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: sw99
Mord modulars are know for burning a quart or slightly more during the OCI. Nothing to worry about. Neither of mine have ever burned oil, but I have seen several that have. Ask the dealer, they will tell you that it's normal.


My 5.4L consumed 1L/10,000Km of 5w20, but doesn't consume on 5w40 (go figure, lol)
Imagine that! You are the reason I tried the M1 0W40 this run and the mod's don't seem to mind the thick stuff do they? Maybe the Aussie's are right after all! ha ha
 
That amount of consumption is negligible. All engines burn oil; if they didnt that would mean the top ring is getting no lubrication. Some just burn less than others. Differences in design, break in procedures, and sometimes oil can affect the amount.
 
Originally Posted By: SAJEFFC
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: sw99
Mord modulars are know for burning a quart or slightly more during the OCI. Nothing to worry about. Neither of mine have ever burned oil, but I have seen several that have. Ask the dealer, they will tell you that it's normal.


My 5.4L consumed 1L/10,000Km of 5w20, but doesn't consume on 5w40 (go figure, lol)
Imagine that! You are the reason I tried the M1 0W40 this run and the mod's don't seem to mind the thick stuff do they? Maybe the Aussie's are right after all! ha ha


No, in fact they seem to bloody-well like it!
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The car is supposed to take 6 quarts even but I've noticed that only puts you midway between the two dots on the dipstick. And while that is certainly fine a person should probably keep a close eye on it since you have a little less wriggle room if the engine is going to slowly go through oil over time..

I went ahead and topped mine off last night and while it's not all the way up to the top dot it's back up to 3/4.

Glad to hear this is nothing to worry myself sick over. Just need to watch it. I wonder someday if I get a catch can whether oil will start showing up in it.
 
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I agree that your's is fine. These are pretty tough engines with very few if any issues. I've run MC 5W20-5W30 and M1 5W20, 5W30, and 0W40 in mine. To be honest I've seen no real difference in mileage, performance, noise etc with any of them. Guess I got a non picky engine!
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Nothing to worry about. The two Ford Mudulars I contol (a 5.4 and a 4.6) haven't used oil since I got them. That doesn't mean they aren't using some oil, it just means I can't read it on the dipstick. I fill mine to the top hash and it just stays there. If you are pushing the engine hard it is logical that you are going to use some oil.
 
Originally Posted By: tomcat27


seriously, there is nothing wrong. some engines are built to different tolerances and do not use as much oil; others use even more. its pretty much a product of cylinder finish, design, ring pressure and design, compression ratios, RPM's etc.


All are contributors, but IMO the biggest single factor is total ring circumference or cylinder surface area. A big-bore v8 has a lot more ring length and cylinder surface that gets exposed to combustion than a 1.8L four-popper. If both engines have rings that leave exactly the same amount of residue per square inch on the cylinder walls, then the big-bore will burn quite a bit more oil in normal operation. And even for two engines of identical displacement, the one with bigger bore cylinders will, in all likelihood, burn more oil.

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
Historically speaking, most engines of Japanese design use less oil than American engines.


Complete baloney. Maybe if you completely eliminate every Mitsubishi engine from that calculation, but doubtful even then. I've never had a Japanese engine that burned less oil than my Jeep 4.0. About 1/8 quart in 6000 miles with 130k on the engine. The Chrysler 3.5 I sold with 257k last year would do a 7000 mile OCI with less than 1/2 quart consumption when it was in its prime at between 100-200k miles. Even at the end, it was under a quart per 3000 miles, and a fair amount of that was weepage from the valve cover gaskets.
 
All good thoughts 440. These 4.6's are kinda strange though, they are a perfectly square engine. The bore and stroke is 3.55 X 3.54 so they are fairly small bore for a V8...just 281 cubic inches. The small bore and thus small valve sizes are why they respond so well to the 3 valve arrangement and especially well to supercharging.
 
My 96 Crown Vic has a LOT of vacuum at lower RPM's, and it sucks a lot of oil through the PCV system. I let it decelerate on its own rather than using the brakes, and it'll often completely shut off the fuel injectors (Like coming down Zimmerman, or Main street in the Heights). That engine braking keeps the crankcase under prolonged periods of strong vacuum, and pulls oil through the PCV line.

I just emptied my PCV catch can yesterday, and even though I'm using a thicker oil (Mobil 1 10W-30 high mileage) there was still about 5oz of fluid in it after just 1,080 miles.
 
Even though you have a none issue with oil consumption, these water thin oils may slip by rings and such easier. Try 5-30 and see what happens. I use it in my Focus with good results.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Even though you have a none issue with oil consumption, these water thin oils may slip by rings and such easier. Try 5-30 and see what happens. I use it in my Focus with good results.


I'm getting just as much oil consumption with a crankcase full of Mobil 1 10W-30 high mileage as I was with Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20.
 
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