how much oil use is OK?

[Bill K]

'93 SHO with 157K miles. Using 1 quart every 500 miles or so-- is this a problem? no leaks detected using cardboard etc. Thanks

 

[93redATX]

eek! That's quite a bit of oil...if it's not leaking oil when parked, it could be leaking only when the car is being driven. To check this, if it is possible, just let the car sit a week or two, checking the oil level when you park it. If it is the same when you check it again, it must only leak while being driven, or it is burning the oil. Do you have the telltale blueish exhaust smoke? Another thing you could try doing is clean the engine bay the best you can (NOT with a hose or powerwasher, though) and then drive the car for awhile, and see if there is any new oil anywhere under the hood. If you do clean it up, remember to jack up the front and clean off the subframe and the entire underside of the engine as well, since that is where you'd probably find the leak.

 

[BeatDaSHO]

a quart every 1,000 miles is OK but not a quart every 1,000 miles. Just like 93redatx said, clean off the bottom of your car and find out exactly where your leaks are coming from or maybe you are just blowing it out the exhaust but i doubt that.

Greg

 

[BeatDaSHO]

wait. i see you had no leaks. hmmm. you might have a leaking crankshaft seal which will leak onto your cats and burn off therefore no oil will be seen. that might be part of it. by the way.....i see you live in Philly. I live about 30 mins away from you. sweet.

Greg