How does 200k mile motor burn oil?

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Everyone says about old engines, that it's ok to burn 1Q every 1000 miles. What has changed about the engine since new that now makes it burn oil? Piston rings not sealing? Do they stretch or something? At what point is burning oil an issue that needs to be addressed?
 
New piston rings are springy. Old ones not so springy. Gunk helps hold them from springing. Piston rings designed for fuel economy aren't too springy to begin with, and only get worse.

Plus you have leaks from every seal, valve seal consumpton, and out-of-round bores and pistons.
 
Rings not sealing, cylinder walls worn into an oval shape, valve guide seals no longer sealing. Those will all allow more oil into the cylinder and thus be burned off. Rings can lose tension too but I'm not sure to what extent that has on the issue.
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
With everything having less tension/friction does gas mileage go up?

No, the blowby robs power meant for the drive wheels.
 
My car high mileage car burns oil because it has bad valve guide seals. Blows out blue smoke on startup in the morning and after it's been sitting for a few hours. No smoke while driving though. Doesn't hurt a thing either
 
I have a 2007 Ford F-150 with 193,000 miles and doesn't use a drop between changes. The only cars I ever owned that used oil were a 2000 Olds Intrigue (Since New) and a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado that I am pretty sure was neglected terribly. Which almost stopped with 15w40 in the Caddy. I am actually shocked how many people on here have oil burners. I would increase the oil weight till it stopped. I wouldn't care if I was running 20W50. Oil burning drives me crazy.
 
Who is everyone? 1qt per 5000 miles seem ok to me. 1qt per 1000 miles is excessive and no ok. The engine is damaged. Back when I was poor, I'd be forced to keep a car like that and not buy something better.
 
1 qt every 5000 miles doesn't seem excessive but 1 qt every 3000 does to me. I am surprised how many cars on here use oil, newer cars too. It doesn't surprise me when beaters do. I paid $400 for the 1977 Cadillac Eldorado with a 425 in it. It had 128,000 miles on it. It was a work car. It was abused and I could see the sludge in it. But $400 bucks worked for me. I had plenty of beaters, just no oil users. I kept my Dodge Ram for 13 years and it had 150,000 miles and still used no oil between changes. That's back in the day before 300,000 mile cars too.
 
IF the car never smokes, can it be driven indefinitely if the owner keeps a close eye on the oil level ?
 
Can you explain a valve guide leak?
Where does the oil from from and where does it go?
Does it come from the heads, where oil then leaks past the valves and into the combustion chamber?
 
Valve guide wear allows oil to be sucked down (from vacuum on intake side) valve stems after enough guide wear overcomes valve stem sealing. also on high mileage engines crankpin and bearing wear allows excessive oil to be thrown out on cly. walls that the worn rings can not no longer control. hence oil burning goes up.
 
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I have a 2007 Ford F-150 with 193,000 miles and doesn't use a drop between changes. The only cars I ever owned that used oil were a 2000 Olds Intrigue (Since New) and a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado that I am pretty sure was neglected terribly. Which almost stopped with 15w40 in the Caddy. I am actually shocked how many people on here have oil burners. I would increase the oil weight till it stopped. I wouldn't care if I was running 20W50. Oil burning drives me crazy.


You're spoiled because Fords don't burn oil
happy2.gif


The only Ford I've ever had that burned oil was the Taurus that I bought at 16 years old and 35k miles that had been sitting for a long time
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I have a 2007 Ford F-150 with 193,000 miles and doesn't use a drop between changes. The only cars I ever owned that used oil were a 2000 Olds Intrigue (Since New) and a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado that I am pretty sure was neglected terribly. Which almost stopped with 15w40 in the Caddy. I am actually shocked how many people on here have oil burners. I would increase the oil weight till it stopped. I wouldn't care if I was running 20W50. Oil burning drives me crazy.


You're spoiled because Fords don't burn oil
happy2.gif


The only Ford I've ever had that burned oil was the Taurus that I bought at 16 years old and 35k miles that had been sitting for a long time


I had a '76 Ford F-250 with the 300 cu in I6 that consumed 1 qt per 1200 miles. The dealer said that was normal. It burned more pulling a boat. It would go just about anywhere with mud chains on it. Yes, that drove me crazy too.😜
 
Originally Posted By: wowthisexists
IF the car never smokes, can it be driven indefinitely if the owner keeps a close eye on the oil level ?


Generally speaking, yes. Boatloads of Saturns and certain years of Corollas seem to. One runs the risk of premature catalytic convertor death; but even that doesn't seem to always happen--Toyota's can and do eat cats but I don't recall Saturns being known for that issue. Spark plugs can foul out, so they may need replacement sooner than normal.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Who is everyone? 1qt per 5000 miles seem ok to me. 1qt per 1000 miles is excessive and no ok. The engine is damaged. Back when I was poor, I'd be forced to keep a car like that and not buy something better.


Who care if a car burns 1 qt/1000 miles when older. It costs $0.02/100 miles traveled.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: wowthisexists
IF the car never smokes, can it be driven indefinitely if the owner keeps a close eye on the oil level ?


Generally speaking, yes. Boatloads of Saturns and certain years of Corollas seem to. One runs the risk of premature catalytic convertor death; but even that doesn't seem to always happen--Toyota's can and do eat cats but I don't recall Saturns being known for that issue. Spark plugs can foul out, so they may need replacement sooner than normal.

I've had 3 Corollas since 1991, brought each one to over 200,000 Km's and not one ate a cat. The 2001 did have the sticking oil ring problem and had begun to consume oil, given enough time it probably would have ruined the cat.
 
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