[SHOtimes] oil usage and finding a leak
David Niemiec
chooey_chomp@hotmail.com
Mon, 05 Apr 2004 19:08:14 -0500
I topped it off for now. Seems it was about a quart low, maybe a little
less. Fresh oil seems to be much much harder to see on the dipstick than
used oil. I'll try the 3rd gear trick sometime, but probably not here in
South Dakota---wind is basically nonstop here!
Would you recommend switching to high mileage oil, or would that be a futile
attempt at reconditioning the seals? I'm also about due for the second 60k,
but not until the summer rolls around. The first 60k included a valve lash,
according to the records. Supposing I find a leak on the pan seal, I guess I
will be replacing rod bearings.
Dave
>From: Donald Mallinson <dmall@mwonline.net>
>To: David Niemiec <chooey_chomp@hotmail.com>
>CC: Shotimes@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: [SHOtimes] oil usage and finding a leak
>Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 18:32:24 -0500
>
>Any leak that would get rid of a quart in 1000 miles is going to be big
>enough that you won't have trouble finding it. Believe it or not, spots
>under a car are so slow a leak, that they usually won't effect oil level
>for WAY beyond the normal change interval.
>
>Take a quart of oil and just pour it on your garage floor some day (NOT!)
>and see just how much oil a quart is when spilled!
>
>Chances are it is going out through the combustion chamber through the
>valve seals. You won't notice this much because of the catalytic
>converters. Best way to tell is if there is a puff upon cold startup. Not
>a white puff, but a nice blue/black puff.
>
>Also, get the car in say, third gear at 50-60 mph. Accellerate for 2-3
>seconds at full throttle then back off and let the car slow down to maybe
>45 and then get back on full throttle. Do this on a day when then wind is
>calm. You probably will see a nice big puff from the exhaust. A small
>white or grey puff is normal, but darker bigger puff is usually valve seals
>or rings.
>
>Since the rings tend to last a long time, suspect the valve seals.
>
>Another truth, you can afford to buy oil a quart at a time for a LONG time
>before you will come close to spending a tiny percent of what it will take
>to fix the heads.
>
>New valve guides and seals aren't cheap and that is not counting the labor
>to get it apart and back together.
>
>Don Mallinson
>
>David Niemiec wrote:
>>Okay, here's a problem for a car I actually own.
>>
>>My 1991 is using oil, sometimes in excess of a quart within 1000 miles of
>>each oil change. I can only afford to fill the oil at that rate for a
>>short period of time. There is oil dripping slowly from underneath the
>>pan, but I can't seem to locate its source yet because the drips are
>>coming from scattered locations. There is no oil anywhere under the
>>chassis, and I don't smell anything burning. There does seem to be some
>>buildup where the hoses connect to the power steering reservoir, but not
>>where they connect to the pump.
>>
>>How should I go about finding the leak? Should I degrease the underside
>>and then run the car for a few minutes? Would the oil pan seal replacement
>>be a very hard job? Help.
>>
>>Dave
>>
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>
>
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