excessive oil consumption

Post by **cadetchris** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:28 pm

since i changed the sump, oil filter, sump gaskets and the rocker cover gasket and the oil, the oil consumption has rocketed. since saturday the engine has used 90% of the oil in the sump.
their are no leaks, from any of the new gaskets, their is no huge cloud of white or black smoke from the exhust (just a slight puff when its revved) and their are no oily blobs in the exhust smoke. (tested with a white cloth)
SO, where has the engine oil gone to?

Post by **MarkyB** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:52 pm

Well Conservation of mass says it hasn't disappeared so it is going somewhere.
How many miles between Saturday and now?
If you are parking on grass you might not see where is is leaking out.
How did you treat the cork bits that go round the crankshaft?

Post by **cadetchris** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:07 pm

its done about 10 miles since saturday, and i park with a drip tray beneath it (just to keep tabs on leaks) but that has been noted for being very clean.
as for the cork bits, i didnt really treat them any different fom normal. i left them abit longer than needed, so they would compress nicely. i also stuck them in with gasket blue, just to make sure that they wont leak.
i had a good long look around the seals and there wasnt any drips or leaks.
so i am stumpted to say the least

Post by **aupickup** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:28 pm

i take it u filled the sunp to the correct level with oil

Post by **taupe** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:52 pm

Did you prime the oil filter?

probably a pint in there

Post by **ssnjimb** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:28 pm

a pint in the galleries and head/oil filter as au suggested.place a very old sheet or newspaper underneath the engine at or an old washing up bowl. Then note any oil you find.

Have you recently replaced the rocker cover cork gasket. The tappet chamber gaskets.

check the pipe that goes from the block to the filter head as that is where i lost oil from
Jamie

Post by **cadetchris** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:56 pm

i did replace the rocker cover gasket, with a nice shinny new one. did fill it with lots of nice oil, according to the book. i didnt prime the oil filter, so that would account for pint, and the galleries probably did empty, so that would also account for a few more pints.
i refilled the sump today, so i will give it a run tomorrow and see how it goes. i have it standing over my cream blanket, so it if leaks ill know.

Post by **ssnjimb** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:06 pm

Valve stem seals could be worn too. Does it puff blue on start up then clear really quick.

Jamie

Post by **ssnjimb** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:07 pm

just re read your posts

A puff when revved (Rings)
Does it smoke on overrun

Jamie

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:11 pm

It can't possibly have used 90% of the oil - or it would have seized by now ! Maybe you meant it had used up the oil between the Max and Min marks on the dip stick ? Let's see how it goes now it has been topped up.

Post by **cadetchris** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:19 pm

yep, it gives a slight ouff of smoke when newly started. but all my classic cars have done that.
anyway, i filled it to the max mark on the dip stick and when i checked it before i pput more oil in it, the dip stick was dry and the oil mark was noted for its absent.

ahh, the joys the classic motoring.

it probably was due to the filter and galleries being empty. but ill give it a run tomorrow and report back on the results. either its fixed or i need ti rebuilt the engine. hopefully its fixed

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:46 pm

It won't be 'the galleries' and the filter only takes a small amount. DO NOT allow it to run below the Min mark!

Post by **ssnjimb** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:51 am

one test you can do for us is a vital one.

Do you have the facility to do a compression test. is there any bearing rumble.

Jamie

Post by **mike.perry** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:04 am

To empty the sump in ten miles you would have laid a smoke screen or an oil slick down the road. Silly question but are you sure the dip stick was pushed fully down when you took the readings?

Post by **David53** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:21 am

I'm with Mike - if all that oil vanished it must have come out as either smoke or oil....I too am wondering if it was really full???

Post by **cadetchris** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:03 pm

yep it was actually full, i measured out the correct anount of oil and got most of it in the engine (though the manifild was liberally covered with a splosh) and yes i did push the dipstick down as far as it would go and took the reading several times, as i was shocked by the reading and wanted to be sure,
no their isnt a cloud of smoke, blue/black/white or grey colours where all absent from behing the car.
i did take it for a run into grantham this morning and gave it abit of a thrashing on the way back. got home and the oil level was exactly the same level as when i left.
so, ita abit of a mystery where it all went originally.

Post by **mike.perry** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 2:56 pm

Just keep a regular check and enjoy driving the car. And carry a spare can of oil just in case!

Post by **alzax3** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:49 pm

Sounds like the filter had been empty to me. The only time I've seen the oil level go from full to below the min-mark in a 10 mile trip was when there was a rust pinhole in the filter housing - no drips, no telltale marks on the drive, but topped up and started the engine - that 1 or 2 mm thick jet of pressurised oil showed really well!