Can "pinging" cause oil consumption ??

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I switched from 87 regular gas to 89 mid grade in my 06 lucerne. Not only has the Pinging stopped, but the oil useage in the car has decreased...any correlation?
 
Not directly, but I can think of a few indirect reasons. No pinging means the PCM can advance the timing, producing more power for a give throttle setting, less PCV air flow, lower ingestion of oil mist.

On the other hand, oil consumption very definitely CAUSES pinging very often. Oil mist in the air/fuel charge ignites more easily than gasoline vapor (counter-intuitive, but true- oil has a lower effective octane rating than gasoline)) so an oil-burning engine is more prone to detonation than one that doesn't burn oil.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Not directly, but I can think of a few indirect reasons. No pinging means the PCM can advance the timing, producing more power for a give throttle setting, less PCV air flow, lower ingestion of oil mist.

On the other hand, oil consumption very definitely CAUSES pinging very often. Oil mist in the air/fuel charge ignites more easily than gasoline vapor (counter-intuitive, but true- oil has a lower effective octane rating than gasoline)) so an oil-burning engine is more prone to detonation than one that doesn't burn oil.


Well said and I might add that extended pinging is rough on the pistons and rings so can cause oil burning.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
so an oil-burning engine is more prone to detonation than one that doesn't burn oil.
How right you are.

Years ago (like 20), my company had an old Ford Ranger with the L4 motor that burned a ton of oil. We had to run it on premium or it would ping like the dickens.
 
@RFOverlord: that's because there's significant carbon buildup inside the oil burner's combustion chamber, which essentially raised the compression ratio, and raised compression ratio will call for higher octane rating.

Q.
 
Originally Posted By: Quest
@RFOverlord: that's because there's significant carbon buildup inside the oil burner's combustion chamber, which essentially raised the compression ratio, and raised compression ratio will call for higher octane rating.

Q.


'That' and oil has a low octane value
 
Possibly the pinging was upsetting the rings...not that the top ring(s) should be dealing with oil control.
 
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