oil consumption question

[ellesmereFNC]

Guys

Looking for some advice, I checked the oil yesterday on my 30k mile 450 after a good hard run and it was a little low in fact it took 1.5 litres to bring it up to the max mark, now I’ve only done 600 miles since having a 12k service carried out so was a little shocked as I’ve previously not used more than 2 litres in the past 4000miles.

During the service no major leaks were found and there isn’t any visible evidence of oil on the floor under the car.

I whipped out the plugs and found that one had a very slight oiling around the thread and very minor signs around the electrodes but certainly not wet and sticky. The other plugs were fine maybe a bit sooty due I think to it running a bit rich. I’ve also noticed quite a lot of water being ejected from the exhaust with what looks like sooty particles in it again this is something new since the service. Apart from that the engine pulls like a train with good pressure although it does like to run cool.

My question is should I be concerned at the oil consumption as the bible says anything from a couple of hundred miles per litre to a couple of thousand?

Cheers

James

[Ribol]

Did you check the dipstick yourself when you had it back from the service - it should have been "full" but I wouldn't assume it was if you didn't check it. Maybe the garage put in a different engine oil to last time and that is why it is using more?

I would not read too much into the oil on the plug threads, if anything that might suggest a small leak from above, somewhere like the rocker cover.

I have a 400 with more miles on the clock than your 450, I have never topped it up in between services. IMO the amount of oil you are using is excessive, 30k on one of these engines is nothing if it has been well maintained and not abused.

[Alexdaredevilz]

I agreed with above post

Unless you saw it full, doesn't mean it was, you got things like oil filter that take oil, and they might not of topped it up after

Mine uses about 1 litre to 1000 miles, but I got a few go faster bits and im quite hard on the engine

[dog man]

Do they use loose fit pistons at all on the 450?

See how you go for the next few hundred miles and keep an eye on the exhaust under hard acceleration and overrun. I'm sure you already know but, if the rings are worn you'll see it under load and smoke on overrun could be valve stem oil seals or valve guides. Catalytic converters can mask some smoking issues sometimes.

But anyway, enough doom! just check the oil level more regularly for now and see what it does.

[griffdude]

Which oil are you using? Mobile 1 tends not to last very long in these engines. A quality 15/50 or 20/50 should stay in a little better- Millers/Gulf/Fuchs(Silkolene).

[ellesmereFNC]

Thanks guys

I will keep an eye on it as it doesn't seem to be smoking at all, I'm using mobil motorsport 15/50 and thats what I had put in at service time, guess I'll just have to put some more miles under the wheels to see how it goes.

Cheers

J

[blackchim]

James,

I've had my 450 for 4 years now, every service since new etc etc. Started with 53K now at 66K. Replaced cam last year. Always used about 1 ltr per 500 miles on Mobile 1. Changed to VR1 20/50 and now get about 600/ltr. Big black sootty splats on garage wall from 4 years of start up. Engine doesn't leak, no blue smoke from exhaust etc, all very normal. Wouldn't worry mate!

Will.

Edited by blackchim on Monday 11th April 21:07

[markreilly]

Quinny said:

James, theres nowt wrong with your Chim that a damn good thrashing wouldn't sort out

To bring that old saying up to date,"A Women,A Dog,A Walnut Tree and A TVR,the more you thrash them the better they be.."

[dog man]

Quinny said:

Loose fit pistons

Sorry loose fit piston rings. Yeah, as fitted to some wedges