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Question:
2004 Saturn SL1 mileage: 73,000. Car smokes and uses
oil. Blow-by on upper portion, no pressure on lower
portion through dip stick. #1 and #3 cyl have 80 lbs, #2
and #4 have 150 lbs. Added oil to #1 and # 3 cyl and
pressure on both went to 118 lbs, spark plugs are in
very good condition with no trace of oil, 20,000 miles
since plugs were changed, no oil comes out of exhaust
pipe.
Answer: With a compression of 80
pounds in cylinders 1 and 3 and 123,000, it appears you
have a tired engine that probably needs to be rebuilt.
Question: 1999 Chevy Astro Van
mileage: 90,000. My van is equipped with a trailer
towing package, 410 rear end etc. When towing I burn a
quart of oil every 100 miles or so. It was much worse,
but I switched to a synthetic 20-50 wt oil for the
summer. When not towing it does not use any oil? It is
not leaking and there is no sign that it is burning the
oil. (The trailer does not get a coat of oily film like
a previous vehicle). I do not do a lot of traveling,
maybe 600 miles per year towing. Any suggestions?
Answer: What may be occurring
is that in normal driving, without a trailer; the engine
breather system can handle the "blow by" that is
generated by the piston rings (90,000 miles on them).
When you tow a trailer, you are working the engine
harder, which causes more blow by. This may be
overpowering the engine breathers forcing oil into the
engine intake system. This is what burns the oil. Check
your breathers and the PCV valve to make they are
functioning properly.
Question:
1999 Dodge Neon mileage: 187,000. I bought a used
from a car lot - a year ago. The car was running fine
but when I took a look at the radiator about 2 weeks
later, I found oil in the coolant. I took it
back and they said someone put quarts of oil in the
radiator and drained it and cleaned it out. It
seemed to run fine, but after a few days, it started
dying out on me. I took it back in and they
said it was an o2 sensor, they said they replaced it.
Then I drove the car for a while and within a few weeks
(after the warranty expired) it started surging/holding
back when I accelerated and burning a good amount of oil
along with lots of gas. I changed the fuel filter,
and PVC valve, and spark plugs. My only other
thought was there is something wrong with fuel injector
(S). What is your thought? Yes, the check
engine light is on. It will cost me more to see
what is wrong than it will to fix it! Help
Answer:
You have the head gasket leaking. Neon's had
problems with head gaskets.
Question:
1999 Subaru Outback mileage: 96,000. Should a car
"consume" oil? Where does it go? I have
checked my oil level 3,500 miles after my last oil
change and found the dipstick reading dry or just a bit
of oil on the tip. The dealer says my oil
consumption is normal (~1 qt per 1500 miles). I
asked if the oil burns off, and got the answer that it
consumes oil. Does this sound accurate?
Is it related to the type of engine?
Answer:
A slight amount of oil is used to lubricate the
piston rings and is then burned in the combustion
chamber. This is normal.
Question:
2003 Mazda B3000 mileage: 82,000. I recently
bought this truck and the guy said it smokes in the
morning when you first fire it up and then it goes away.
I bought it for $9500. He was not kidding the next
morning you would not believe how bad it smokes when
cold. There is no oil in the coolant and no
coolant in the oil. I put new valve oil seals in
it and it made no difference whatsoever. The
engine is clean on the inside so it looks to me to be
original miles. The front main seal was also
leaking badly. Could the head gasket be blown in
an oil galley between the block and head seeping into a
cylinder? Please help.
Answer:
From what you describe, you may have a broken piston
and or broken rings. And possibly a head gasket problem.
Question:
1999 Honda Accord mileage: 150,000. I just
replaced the cam, because the gear that drives the oil
pump was worn out. It ran fine started well but I
noticed every once in a while it would idle bad, and
misfire especially at high speed. One day just as
I pull into the driveway I noticed, smoke like oil
burning from under the hood. At first, it
looked like an oil leak but I remembered it ran very
rough just before I pulled into the driveway. Now
it starts very hard and when it does it smokes like
burning oil from somewhere underneath the intake, almost
as the emission system was plugged up and the fumes are
not being cycled in the right direction. Is it the
e.g.r. valve? Or some other emission
component
Answer:
Check for oil leaks. The valve cover casket may have
failed allowing oil to get on the plug wires.
Question:
2004 Mercedes Benz C230 mileage: 30,000. This car
started smoking and using LOTS of oil within a short
time--still runs good, no knocks, etc., but will burn
almost 4 quarts of oil in 4500 miles. Is a
different/new engine the only option; could it be the
super charger and replacing that would solve the
problem? Local mechanic says, "find it a new
home".
Answer:
From what you describe, the seal in the turbo has
failed or the oil return line is plugged. Check
the return line first.
Question:
2001 Honda Civic mileage: 49,000. The car is
burning oil. Visual inspection of the valve seals
showed no damage (they looked new). I get good
vacuum readings. I am confused with the results of my
compression test. Seven cylinders were 135-140
lbs, while #2 cylinder was 180. What else besides
carbon deposits could give such a high reading? Or
is 180 a normal reading, telling me the other seven
pistons need rings. Please help.
Answer:
It sounds like you may have a broken piston ring.
Disassemble to inspect, replace as needed. |