EXCESSIVE OIL USE
Discussion
There is no visible leaks,no patches of oil on the garage floor or driveway.
Got me looking the other day i had been driving for about 2 miles,pulled up at traffic lights when the low oil pressure light came on. The needle on the gauge dropped to bottom then lifted again to 25ish drove with caution back home on the way it did this a few times more. On returning home i checked oil level and nothing on dipstick. It was actually more like 4ltrs i put in to get it to the max line.
Took the wedge for a steady run yesterday after a warm up tick over on the driveway. Oil pressure remained around 25/30,oil warning light never came on i drove 21 miles along the coast then nipped up the A19 at speed and everything remained the same.
The wedge was serviced prior to my taking ownership so it would of recieved an oil change and at the correct levels. It is a hell of a lot of oil even to burn off.
Going to give it another little run today to see what happens.
Rob
Got me looking the other day i had been driving for about 2 miles,pulled up at traffic lights when the low oil pressure light came on. The needle on the gauge dropped to bottom then lifted again to 25ish drove with caution back home on the way it did this a few times more. On returning home i checked oil level and nothing on dipstick. It was actually more like 4ltrs i put in to get it to the max line.
Took the wedge for a steady run yesterday after a warm up tick over on the driveway. Oil pressure remained around 25/30,oil warning light never came on i drove 21 miles along the coast then nipped up the A19 at speed and everything remained the same.
The wedge was serviced prior to my taking ownership so it would of recieved an oil change and at the correct levels. It is a hell of a lot of oil even to burn off.
Going to give it another little run today to see what happens.
Rob
Hi Rob, broken/stuck rings, valve problem, wrong grade of oil being used or a bloody big leak!
You could pull the plugs to see if any of them are carboned up and that would give you an idea if it is a particular cylinder or a whole engine issue.
Have heard in the past that NCK engines are prone to heavier oil consumption but 3.5l in 1200 miles does sound a lot.
Chedder
You could pull the plugs to see if any of them are carboned up and that would give you an idea if it is a particular cylinder or a whole engine issue.
Have heard in the past that NCK engines are prone to heavier oil consumption but 3.5l in 1200 miles does sound a lot.
Chedder
chedder said:
What oil are you using Rob? I tried Mobil 1 fully synthetic for a very short period of time, rattled when hot and produced a noticeable haze from the exhaust when driving 'spiritedly'
Prefer to stick with Valvolene VR1 now, no haze and no oil consumption to speak of.
Chedder
This is a very good point! Also oils with lots of detergents in can burn faster and produce more smoke.Prefer to stick with Valvolene VR1 now, no haze and no oil consumption to speak of.
Chedder
As discussed elsewhere Mobil 1 is far to thin for the RV8. I used ot run mine on the VR1, no problems at all.
Good test to see if it's burning oil is to find a decent stretch of road. Warm up thoroughly, go along in 3rd gear at about 4.5-5k rpm for 30 secs, come off the throttle & let the car slow until it's at about 1500 - 2k rpm then floor it & accelerate. If it's burning oil you'll get a nice show of smoke. Get someone to drive the car & follow to see for yourself.
My daughters ex bought an old Clio once which had no symptoms whatsoever. It drank it's oil in a month flat. Did this test, sure enough a generous puff of blue out the back confirmed my fears.
My daughters ex bought an old Clio once which had no symptoms whatsoever. It drank it's oil in a month flat. Did this test, sure enough a generous puff of blue out the back confirmed my fears.
carob said:
Bit of a blow when i start up, but nothing that i can see on a run.
I was on a run a couple of weeks ago and Campbell was following me in his SEAC and he would of noticed any smoking i guess.
Rob
Rob,I was on a run a couple of weeks ago and Campbell was following me in his SEAC and he would of noticed any smoking i guess.
Rob
I was behind a few times on the BAR and no unsightly clouds, 3.5L is excessive many quote about 1/2L per 500/1,000 miles. From simple to drastic, check the breathing of the engine, leaks leads the engine running rich slight overfuelling and washes the bores of oil, Fuel Regulator, rare but ditto, valve guides and then rings. Pop the plugs out and see if any of the plug colours vary, best indication.
Cheers
I agree on the the too thin oil idea another possibility is worn piston rings.
Another way of checking if there's excessive oil being burnt and getting in the exhaust is to warm the car up and then hold a piece of white paper in front of the exhaust(s) and see if it's covered in black spots.
Another way of checking if there's excessive oil being burnt and getting in the exhaust is to warm the car up and then hold a piece of white paper in front of the exhaust(s) and see if it's covered in black spots.
I normally use Silkolene Pro S,but on checking with the service provider i find it has been Castrol GTX used. Now i usually use GTX as a flushing oil. On a oil change i mormally lower oil level refill with GTX do my 21 mile coastal run drain system completely. Refill the system with Silkolene Pro S and new filter.
I had some GTX in the garage so i have topped up with that, going to drop it and stick Pro S in.
Rob
I had some GTX in the garage so i have topped up with that, going to drop it and stick Pro S in.
Rob
jeff m said:
Prior to getting a compression test which could result in rings or valve seals, I would check the the crankcase pressure hoses and clean anything involved in that department.
Note. I do not have a V8 wedge so this is general advice.
Agreed .. check the crank verts are ok then do a compression test .. will only take 30 mins..Note. I do not have a V8 wedge so this is general advice.
Hi Rob
When i was following you there wasnt the normal signs of oil been burnt from your exhaust when you were booting it a little.
As its already been mentioned I would start with the case breather pipes to see if there is oil in them, remove the breather filter on the right had rocker and clean with petrol, check the filter on the rear of the left rocker, it should pop open and show a foam filter and use a stick to check the pipe is clear, remover the throtal boady feed pipe to see if the butter fly is oiled up also the plugs are good to look at too.
Doing a compression test will give some ideas of whats going on, i tend to take all plugs out to help enging speed and disconnect the flapper to stop fuel pump coming on with the air feed pipe off and the throtal full open, if you do the test do all cylinders dry then with a few quirts of oil in each boar, this may lift the compression if so it could be rings or valve seats.
Another test would be a pressure test, run each cylinder up to the top of the compression point and them run a compressed air like to the cylinder and lisen for air loss out of the rocker cover, dip stick and water header tank as this will test the head gasket for air bubles.
Before i rebuilt the SEAC engine i was using over 1l of oil in say too 200-300 miles and that was the head gasket blowing to the valley pushing oil into the crack case breather.
They say that upto 1l per 1000miles is ok on an older engine starting to get lose.
If you need help with testing im sure i can help Rob.
P.S. did you get my mail about the trimmer...
Cambelt
When i was following you there wasnt the normal signs of oil been burnt from your exhaust when you were booting it a little.
As its already been mentioned I would start with the case breather pipes to see if there is oil in them, remove the breather filter on the right had rocker and clean with petrol, check the filter on the rear of the left rocker, it should pop open and show a foam filter and use a stick to check the pipe is clear, remover the throtal boady feed pipe to see if the butter fly is oiled up also the plugs are good to look at too.
Doing a compression test will give some ideas of whats going on, i tend to take all plugs out to help enging speed and disconnect the flapper to stop fuel pump coming on with the air feed pipe off and the throtal full open, if you do the test do all cylinders dry then with a few quirts of oil in each boar, this may lift the compression if so it could be rings or valve seats.
Another test would be a pressure test, run each cylinder up to the top of the compression point and them run a compressed air like to the cylinder and lisen for air loss out of the rocker cover, dip stick and water header tank as this will test the head gasket for air bubles.
Before i rebuilt the SEAC engine i was using over 1l of oil in say too 200-300 miles and that was the head gasket blowing to the valley pushing oil into the crack case breather.
They say that upto 1l per 1000miles is ok on an older engine starting to get lose.
If you need help with testing im sure i can help Rob.
P.S. did you get my mail about the trimmer...
Cambelt
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