[Shotimes] Oil Usage

[Ron Porter]

If it suddenly started with heavy usage, I will say it's the oil pan
leaking. A first the small leaks will never hit the ground but it will when
it gets bad enough.

Had the exact same issue on my '89. Went 170K+ miles with never having to
add between 3K oil changes, then it very quickly went to a quart down every
2-2.5K miles. Never had a drip. Although, when I would stop in a test area
on the Interstate, I could smell oil but never saw any. After another 20K
miles, the drip started. After the next owner fixed the pan seal, the
consumption went back to normal.....less than a quart every 3K.

If it started over a period of miles it could be the valve seals.
But.....the High-Mileage oils will reduce that. When I bought my '94 with
168K miles, it ad been on Mobil 1 it's entire life, and burned a quart every
800-900 miles. After going to my favorite Castrol GTX high-mileage, it cut
consumption to a quart every 1,600 miles. After the long, hot drive to the
CA Convention, oil consumption was only a quart every 2K miles.

Ron Porter



-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Beisler Jonathon
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 9:08 AM
To: Shotimes
Subject: [Shotimes] Oil Usage

The past few months, my SHO has been burning oil excessively.  Since I have
owned the car, it has usually ended up a quart low after 3000 miles if I
didn't check it between oil changes.  A few months ago, I was going up a
steep
on ramp at fun speeds and the Check Oil light came on.  I freaked at first
because I was thinking of "that other oil light."  Anyway, I pulled off,
checked the oil and according to the dipstick was only about a quart low.
But
this was the first time the light came on.  Yesterday it came on and I was
almost two quarts low.  So my oil consumption has doubled.  I have tried all
the "old car" dino oils and none of them really slow the oil loss.  So, what
are my options?  It doesn't have any leaks, unless the oil is evaporating
and
it also doesn't blow any oil smoke.  Does anyone think that a synthetic
might
help?  My first car burned a quart a week, so I'm not too concerned, but
back
then that car was a beater, I'd like to keep this SHO on the road.
Thanks,
JB
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