Using excess oil... where does it go?

[NickR33]

Ok so my car has been using quite a bit of oil recently... checked under the car a few times and it doesn't seem to be leaking...

there is quite a few black spray marks on my rear bar when I wash my car... this builds up in the space of a week... could it just be oil blowing through the turbo and out the exhaust...

I have had to put in 2 litres so far and the oil was changed only 4,000kms ago...

The oil pressure also seems to be sluggish...

Any ideas before I take it to the garage...?

[timbar32]

Could be screwed rings or valve stem seals, meaning you're burning it up.

[NickR33]

that's not good...

I can sometimes smell oil in the cabin after long trip...

Are there any other symptoms of screwed rings/valve stem seals... such as excess smoke out the exhaust or poor performance/power output...

[Abo Bob]

If you can smell it then it might be leaking onto your exhaust then burning away, thus no visible drips.

Get someone to drive it away from you with a bit of stick and watch for blue smoke out your tailpipe to see if it's burning it.

[Abo Bob]

If it's valve stem seals you will get blowback, ie a puff of blue smoke when you let off the accelerator eg between 1st and 2nd gear. If it's rings then it will do it all the time, but particularly when revving hard.

[Busky2k]

For 1/2 liter/1000ks you're most likely not gonna get any tell tale signs. When a car starts blowing blue smoke due to shot rings you'll be using alot more oil than that. If your car smokes as soon as u start it, valve stem seals are gone. Otherwise your turbo seals could be on their way out aswell.

What oil are you using? You could use a thicker oil like Mobil 1 5W-50 to slow the consumption, and it'll have no ill effects.

[NickR33]

thanks for your input guys... no blue smoke on start up or revving hard etc...

I think I just was using oil that was too thin cos I put some heavier oil in 10-50w and the pressure is back to normal... but time will tell...

I don't think the engine has had a hard enough life to have farked the rings or valve seals well have to wait and see... checked the odometer last night and I've really only got about 750kms or so to go before I should get a service so once the oil has been changed I'm going only going to top up with the same oil... (which is Motul something or other whatever the guys at ice use)