excessive oil consumption
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Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Would a leaky PCV cause the above problem?

I've taken the PCV off and it allows air to pass the wrong way continuously, occasionally blocking off, but can then be made too leak again with a slight tap (on an running engine I'd imagine it was always open).

Car is a 2000 1.8 with 59k on the clock. Oil consumption is around 1000 per 500 miles. No obvious smoke, apart from when at high revs (I'm hoping its not valve rings etc).

So would/could a leaky PCV cause this?

snotrag

15,504 posts

234 months

Friday 31st December 2010
quotequote all
Yes thays probably it. Mines burning a bit too and I found it was the PVC by borrowing one. It puffed a bit of smoke out at high rpm gearshifts.

Still not got round to changing it though, should do really as I think they are only £12.

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
quotequote all
Sounds about right, I have been told it puffs a little when changing gear at high revs.

I've ordered one, so hopefully it will be that rather than something else.

Mazdamender

173 posts

186 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
quotequote all
The 1.8 Mk 2's are known for eating oil,and the false gauge dose not help,the 2.5 VVT engine dose not suffer from it,thats why they changed the engine so soon into production on the 2,most of the work was done on the head for the new model,the 1.6 is safe also.
The s/hand market for the Mk 2 1.8cc engine is big because of this problem when owners are trusting the false gauge and the engine has no oil left and pop goes the engine.
Speak to my other half Andrew at Autolink for confirmation on the above.
But yours does seem like a lot to be losing??

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
quotequote all
It does seem alot.

If I drive it normally it uses minimal oil, maybe 100mls over 500miles, however I was called into work twice over Christmas and drove it a lot harder than usual (I usually cruise at 60 on the motorway)... Checked yesterday and was very low on oil.

Surely stem valves etc wouldnt be damaged in such a low mileage car (as it smokes at high revs and on start up till warm (White/grey smoke, doesn't look blue).).

I'll swap the pcv over when the new one arrives, and observe it for a little bit.

I think I'll postpone trackdays till it's sorted, it drank a phenomenal amount at cadwell before Christmas.

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
quotequote all
I've took out the spark plugs (not 3 as i believe the hulk has put that one in), to find number 4 swimming in oil.



It seems as though the actual sparky bit is dry, just everything else is dripping with oil.

skinny

5,269 posts

258 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
quotequote all
it's all oily above the threads which means it's coming from the top - i'd replace the cam cover gasket.

Edited by skinny on Sunday 2nd January 18:24

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
quotequote all
It had the cambelt replaced just before I bought it, and I'm wondering if they either reused the seal or put a new one on incorrectly. The bolts on the cam cover are very tight, so I may get some new bolts too.

Hopefully these two little things will account for the oil consumption.

It did puff a little blue smoke on start up, but this was after I cleaned out number 4 spark plug hole, so a little may have dropped in to the chamber (that's what I'm hopeing).

Then I can set about enjoying it smile

MX-5 Lazza

7,954 posts

242 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
quotequote all
If the cam cover bolts are very tight then that might well cause the leak. They should be fitted with a very low torque as they are going into aluminium threads. Also, for that reason I doubt you need to replace them. When you refit them just put a dab of copper grease on the threads.

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Sunday 2nd January 2011
quotequote all
Ahhh I understand now, I assumed the bolts could stretch.

I need to get a proper small torque wrench to check, but I couldn't budge them tonight.

The cam gasket has silicone all round it and not just in the corners, so who knows.


Cheers for the help, hopefully the cam gasket and pcv will account for oil loss, and I can use the car properly.

NeoVR

437 posts

194 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Ive found that replacing the PCV and using decent semi-synth oil pretty much cured the oil-drinking habit my car had.

its not used a drop in several thousand hard-driven miles.

94 1.8

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
I've bit the bullett and booked it in at a garage. If nothing else they can have a shufty at it and check it out.
I won't miss some trackdays now.

I'll keep this thread updated, and fingers crossed it'll be given a clean bill of health.

When the PCV turns up I'll drop it round to them smile

Dift

Original Poster:

1,660 posts

250 months

Wednesday 12th January 2011
quotequote all
In the end I took it to FreeLance Mazda down in Chatham.

100% oil rings. Service history looks a bit iffy too.

Very annoying, but it's getting a new engine put in, as it is just as cheap to do this than change the rings and rebore.

Bit annoyed as it must have been like this when I bought it, and the service history is questionable.

However the car is solid, and once the new engine goes in, the car should need minimal tlc for a good few years.

I've chalked it up to experience... If it looks too cheap... There is usually a reason.