Oil Consumption--Causes and Remedies

[TallPaul]

I have three vehicles. One uses no oil. One uses a quart every 2000 miles. One uses a quart every 1300 miles. All run great and have good power. None blow blue smoke. None are leaking, that is no puddles underneath, though some seepage is present on most any engine.

So where is the oil going?

Is there any way to eliminate the consumption? I have run fuel system cleaners and crankcase cleaners, etc. Don't want to run thicker oil. Using 10w30 now.

 

[adam123]

May want to try auto-rx if you havent already.

Maybe the rings are worn and their letting just enough oil by to burn a noticable amount but not enough for a blue fog.

 

[johnd]

You don't say what the vehicles are which is the first thing I would want to know as there are specific issues with certain engines. I had a VW Rabbit that used a quart in 400 mi and it went to zero when I had the valve stem seals redone.

 

[carock]

The oil goes through the valve guides, or past the rings, or through the PCV.

 

[stogiedude]

What kind of car(s), what motor and how many miles?

 

[TallPaul]

No consumption: Ford 4.9L inline six

1 qt per 2000 miles: '90 Ford 7.5L (460 cid) V8 in motorhome. Always consumed since I bought at 52000 miles.

1 qt per 1300 miles: '92 Ford 3.0 Vulcan pushrod V6 in Aerostar. Always consumed since I bought at 27000 miles.

 

[adam123]

those 4.9 ford's are great engines ! Got one in a truck right now with 450K on it. The dash mounting bracket has given out and when I press the clutch in the dash kinda pooches out. sorry to go OT but does anybody know what the correct name is for this bracket ?


May want to check your PCV as already mentioned it might be clogged.

 

[TallPaul]

PCV sucks air and valve is good.

My '84 F150 4.9 didn't consume any oil either. Now has over 225,000 miles (boss drives it). After about 15 years the clutch bracing rusted through on the firewall. We bolted a metal brace along the firewall and it is holding still. Was leaves in the cowling under the windshield that rotted it through.

 

[TheTanSedan]

Send Terry a PM as I seem to recall he has one (not sure of year), he's been trying to get that 300-6 in shape.

 

[alreadygone]

None of those sound out of line to me.

Bob

 

[Gary Allan]

Have you done an Auto-Rx treatement on your Vulcan, TallPaul? My daughter's Taurus consumed oil by the hour of operation regardless of how you were driving it. Auto-Rx reduced that to months of operation. Literally becoming a "better check it ..it's been a while" type thing.

It's using MC 5w-20 now.

 

[TurboJim]

I'd pull the valve cover's off just to see if there are any signs of sludge.

Repacing your PVC valve's with new Motorcraft units can't hurt. Neither will a Auto-Rx treatment or two.

 

[TallPaul]

Has Motorcraft PCV. Pulling valve covers is mission impossible on an Aerostar.

I have not tried Auto Rx, but did not notice much cleaning in my F150 from it, that is peeking into the valve covers. The ARX did make for some pretty nasty blotters on the F150 during rinse cycles, but valve area still looks about the same through filler opening. Also don't know about consumption because F150 never did consume.

I was thinking the Redline should do some cleaning, but ....

 

[milwaukee]

I wouldn't count on the redline cleaning anything.

 

[surfstar]

Plus if its using that much oil, the cost of redline would be higher than two ARX treatments after enough miles.

Time for some motor honey or Lucas or other stop leak / stop burning product? It can be a BITOG guinea pig.

 

[TallPaul]

How about cheap SAE 30 and two bottles of VSOT to make a 20w50 with juiced up additives?