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Oil questions

895 views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  336Racer 
#1 ·
Well add me to the dreaded list of "my car burns oil". I bought this back in October and refurbished it for my niece who lives in Oklahoma City (I am in Dallas).

Well for two weeks, I drove it in our lovely Dallas rush hour traffic and didn't burn a drop of oil. I never got above 65 mph. But over thanksgiving break, I drove my camper rig while my wife followed behind me in the Rolla. She said she got up to 80 mph (75mph limit on I-35) while trying to catch up to me. By the time we got to OKC (~200 miles) the car had burned over a quart (it was below the lower dot on the stick)

Questions:
1) Does anyone burn oil when they keep it at 65 mph or below? My niece tells me she doesn't go faster than that because all higways around OKC are roughly 60 - 65

2)I didn't fully tighten the oil cap back on (thought I did) and it came loose. When I pulled it while the engine was running, the pressure coming out of the valve cover was immense!! Is this normal?

Sucks about the oil. I've harped on her to check the oil every filllup and bought her (3) 5w-30 dino oil bottles to start her off. But for $1300, I guess it wasn't too bad of a buy.

She had no car before, so this is infinitely better.

TIA
 
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#4 · (Edited)
Almost all my driving is 30-50 mph and with a lot of coasting in N (pulse and glide) and engine off at stoplights longer than 30 sec and I still burn more than 1 qt/1000 mi. Now that it sounds like I have an exhaust leak I think it's time to do "the fix" but I'm sure to put it off until the weather is warmer.

You can have oil leaks even without drips under the car. Often the valve cover or timing chain tensioner seal leaks and can drip onto frame or suspension components, and then it stays there until wind from driving blows it onto the roads instead of onto your driveway. However, the amount of oil leaked is typically inconsequential to the amount being burned in the cylinders.
 
#5 ·
I agree with this 100%, if its leaking over a qt in 200 miles there should be some evidence of where it is going. Now on my car there where a lot of places where minor sweating would occur but I take care of that stuff pretty frequently so I don't end up have to do every gasket on the motor at the same time with oil all over the street where I park.

I never really had major oil consumption problems but doing my timing chain tensioner gasket, CCV gasket, other misc gaskets, etc. Did prove to make a difference. Not a big difference but I went from about a half qt. maybe every 5K+ or so to really nothing after 4-5K miles I haven't even checked in awhile. Its most likely a combination of things but these days most people don't like to fix their cars and let them fall apart to the point where it has so many little problems its not worth fixing. Although this is the idiot talking who's spent like $2,500 is parts on my 98 Corolla in the past 4 years, lol.
 
#8 ·
I just don't think its leaking. It went 2 weeks both driving in rush hour traffic and sitting in my driveway and nearly 300 miles without losing 1 drop of oil. Then a 200 mile road trip at pretty high speeds it loses a quart.
I was really just saying that as food for thought. Not that its your exact problem but sometimes it adds onto another problem. Just rechecked, im down about a half qt in 7-10K miles.

Brake cleaner makes rubber swell and can eat away at gaskets but I have no problem spraying my motors down till they are nice and squeaky clean. I'll give up 5-20K on some gasket to find a problem easier.

Can you duplicate the problem. I don't really remember the whole thread but you filled the oil back up and reinstalled the oil cap properly. Whats the deal? Is the problem repeating itself?
 
#7 ·
While investigating, it might be a good idea to degrease/wash engine bay and bottom of chassis below bay (or at least good wipe). Then take some good pics in daylight. It will be easier to catch leaks.
 
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