Oil Burn Rate

[WonkyGibbon]

Hi there,

Here's a Q for you all. My S3 has done a couple of thousand miles since it was last topped up (a little continental driving etc ...) - and the oil level has dropped from just above the top strike on the dip - to just below the bottom strike.

Obviously - I'm going to top it up ASAP - however - does anyone know what the expected burn rate is for engine oil in the V6, the Bible quotes the V8 as being 1 litre per thousand miles - but doesn't say for the V6 ?

Also I rang up the garage who last filled it so that I could use them same oil they'd put in - and they used mineral based Castrol 15/40. I thought we were supposed to be using synthetics in the V6 ? What's the score ?

Many Thanks,

WG

[PetrolTed]

My V6 used to use almost no oil at all when it was younger.

Somewhat different case now (most of it coming out of the air filter on track days ).

It's an old design of engine - I'm sure mineral oil is sufficient. I think that's what's in mine these days.

[RichardR]

In the year that I've had the S, I've never really noticed any movement in the level on the dipstick. :toucheswood:

I'm not sure what oil was used at the last change, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't synthetic.

[Rozza!!!]

My 72k mile S2 seems to keep its oil pretty well. I use synthetic too!

Roy.

[tvrmark]

PetrolTed said:

Somewhat different case now (most of it coming out of the air filter on track days ).

Mine did that a few years ago. It was the right bank breather collapsing under the vacuum of heavy loads (trackdays).

The V6 does not use any oil.

Mark

[PetrolTed]

Can anything be done about it? (the breather)

[Rozza!!!]

I have removed the pipe that goes to the air filter and replaced it with one of those little crankcase breather filters. The reason for this was that over the years the air flow meters had become all gunked up with oil which cant be a good thing.

Roy.

[pies]

Lucky so n so's.my V8 drinks it like i drink

[Psychobert]

PetrolTed said:

Somewhat different case now (most of it coming out of the air filter on track days ).

Friend had the same problem when ragging an old Audi Quattro, and after having spent a considerable amount of time building a complicated collection and return system, (using IIRC artificial heart values or something similar), eventually solved the problem by replacing a couple of vacumm pipes.

Not that it helps, but at 64K mine doesn't use a drop. :willbecheckingtomorrowthough:

Starting to loose a bit of coolant though..

[WonkyGibbon]

PetrolTed said:

My V6 used to use almost no oil at all when it was younger.

Thanks All. Seems mine is burning / leaking oil when it should not then. I havent' seen any oil deposited under the car - so more likely to be burning - which sounds potentially expensive. Any ideas ?

Thanks,

WG

[Psychobert]

WG - could be the engine has just got to the slightly looser stageof its life, (they do wear a little after all). If you are not leaking, try a slightly thicker oil?

[WonkyGibbon]

Psychobert said:

WG - could be the engine has just got to the slightly looser stageof its life, (they do wear a little after all). If you are not leaking, try a slightly thicker oil?

Well - it's done 86,000 so it's no spring chicken - but should go for a good few yet. It just would be handy if it could pass the MOT emissions tests ! ... which are in ... oh - two weeks time !

[Psychobert]

WonkyGibbon said:

Well - it's done 86,000 so it's no spring chicken - but should go for a good few yet. It just would be handy if it could pass the MOT emissions tests ! ... which are in ... oh - two weeks time !

Ought to be ok at 86K..

Have you a high pressure leak? (i.e. it doesn't sit and dribble but squirts when the engine is under load).

Can't help with the emissions, but I find it handy to take mine to an MOT station thats run by a guy who is deaf.

[WonkyGibbon]

Psychobert said:

Ought to be ok at 86K.. Have you a high pressure leak? (i.e. it doesn't sit and dribble but squirts when the engine is under load).

Hmmm - don't know. It's gone thru about 2 litres in 2000 miles - so whatever it is, is pretty gradual.

Psychobert said:

Can't help with the emissions, but I find it handy to take mine to an MOT station thats run by a guy who is deaf.

Indeed !

[tvrmark]

PetrolTed said:

Can anything be done about it? (the breather)

I replaced it with a Ford vacuum hose, this was Ok for about 6 months, then it filled the air filter with oil on a trackday. I then replaced it with a solid copper tube which hs been fine ever since.

Mark