Is it normal to burn about 3/4 quart around 3000 miles?

BlackFox5.0 · Feb 8, 2004

I checked my oil last night and it was down about 3/4 of a quart. I'm almost due for my oil change, ubt does this sound normal?

I just put in new valve seals not long ago, and the motor is still pretty new...

88GTStreetRod · Feb 8, 2004

Mine does, I just put on new heads and had compresion check done.

BlackFox5.0 said:
I checked my oil last night and it was down about 3/4 of a quart. I'm almost due for my oil change, ubt does this sound normal?

I just put in new valve seals not long ago, and the motor is still pretty new...

NKau · Feb 8, 2004

A quart per every 3,000 miles is pretty standard with these engines. If you're using quite a bit more, then you have consumption issues, or you are leaking somewhere.

CRASH7772 · Feb 8, 2004

It could depend on some things. If the oil your running isn't a good quality you could be burning it off. Not throught the rings but just from heat and foaming (high revs). Try running regular car oil in a motorcycle and ride it hard, you will see. Always break a motor in on regular oil then switch to synthetic (I like Redline myslef). The only other thing it could be is it's leaking somewhere. If the motor is new you shouldn't be losing that much that soon unless it's from one of the thing mentioned above.

Michael Yount · Feb 8, 2004

There's not really a 'normal' when it comes to oil consumption. As you see from other posters, some do. Mine has about 60,000 miles on the engine; 10,000 miles since modded from stock. Between 3000 miles on changes the level on my dipstick is unchanged - which tells me mine uses very little. I've seen racing engines (looser clearances for most) that at high rpm gave off a bit of blue smoke indicating they were burning a little. Just read an article about a Honda racer that competed in a 24-hr. race in Belgium at the 'Spa'. 2300 miles spent at between 7000 and 8700 rpm and the engine used one pint of oil - 1/2 a quart.

3/4 of a quart over 3000 miles isn't anything to worry about if it's running ok.

BlackFox5.0 · Feb 8, 2004

Michael Yount said:
3/4 of a quart over 3000 miles isn't anything to worry about if it's running ok.

I wasn't really worried, just wondering...and it's running just fine

88GThatchback · Feb 8, 2004

Mine burns 1 quart every 500 miles!! Its done it since it was new from the factory. Ive heard it was normal. I wouldn't worry about 3/4 quart in 3000 miles.

Glay G.

IndyBlk5.0 · Feb 8, 2004

i dont burn any oil, i just loose it when my pcv sucks oil into my runners. This will add up over time and is probably where your oil loss is coming from (well, most of it)

leakyfaucet · Feb 8, 2004

Well, I would think a v8 would consume about twice as much as an equally well running 4 cylinder.

LXMiker · Feb 8, 2004

well, my buddy just put a brand new gm crate engine in his truck, and it used about 3/4 of a quart of oil and he was pissed, so he contacted gm and found out that 1 quart of oil consumption is within "spec" for just about any v8 engine.

he also found out that this is what was stated in some warranty information.

so your 3/4 of a quart every 3000 is nothing to worry about. as long as it runs fine, no big deal, just keep an eye on it.............

Michael Yount · Feb 8, 2004

1 Qt. every 500 miles -- YIKES!! "Hey buddy, fill it with oil and check the gas!"

IndyBlk5.0 · Feb 8, 2004

Michael Yount said:
1 Qt. every 500 miles -- YIKES!! "Hey buddy, fill it with oil and check the gas!"

LOLOL

Mustang5L5 · Feb 8, 2004

Mustangs use low-friction piston rings. The downside of these is the engine will eat some oil.

Just get used to it and check your oil level frequently. 3000 miles is when i do my usual oil change anyway.

custom89stang · Feb 8, 2004

Mustang5L5 said:
Mustangs use low-friction piston rings. The downside of these is the engine will eat some oil.

Just get used to it and check your oil level frequently. 3000 miles is when i do my usual oil change anyway.

88gthatchback, mine burns 1 every 500 miles and i thought it was a piston ring problem? but maybe not. when i rev high it burns oil, blue smoke. and one of my cylnders spark plugs get fouled.

BlackFox5.0 · Feb 8, 2004

custom89stang said:
88gthatchback, mine burns 1 every 500 miles and i thought it was a piston ring problem? but maybe not. when i rev high it burns oil, blue smoke. and one of my cylnders spark plugs get fouled.

Which is a sign of bad rings..my car used to do that before the rebuild, but not anymore

Michael Yount · Feb 8, 2004

Custom89 - if you're showing blue smoke and fouling plugs then your rings aren't sealing like they should. Not to say it won't run on for quite some time, but if you were to run a leak down compression check on the cylinders, my guess is it would show that you're losing a pretty good amount of compression. Other culprits are valve seals/guides - although, that usually shows up with a big puff at start up, or when decelerating. If it truly was that way when new, someone missed a wonderful opportunity to have a warranty repair. A quart every 500 miles is excessive by just about any standard. You'd likely be amazed at how much better it ran with solid seal on the cylinder.

As for low-friction piston rings - cars manufactured today set standards for quality assembly, consistent tolerances and low friction design that's far ahead of anything 15 years ago. And the vast majority don't use any appreciable oil between changes. Low friction rings don't necessarily mean that an engine will use oil. I suspect the variable level of oil use has more to do with a relatively lax quality/assembly protocol by Ford originally. If you measure a bunch of engines out there, the dimensions are all over the board - quality wasn't really job 1. But, the quality's good enough and the engine/components are just plain simple and tough enough that they hold up real good over the long haul.

89MustangGX · Feb 8, 2004

Ford put a low-oil light in these cars for a reason! I've heard that 1 quart every 1500 miles is the acceptable limit, take it for what it's worth and add mileage, etc -- then decide.

mustangdaren · Feb 8, 2004

On my original motor and my new crate motor it is near 1 qt low every 3500 miles if I run the car hard.

revedup · Jun 3, 2007

88GThatchback said:
Mine burns 1 quart every 500 miles!! Its done it since it was new from the factory. Ive heard it was normal. I wouldn't worry about 3/4 quart in 3000 miles.

Glay G.

My 89 also

midlife89 · Jun 3, 2007

normal according to Ford

Back in 89 ,when I bought mine new,was concerned about oil consumtion,(quart every 1,000)they said it was normal

Is it normal to burn about 3/4 quart around 3000 miles?

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