I did all the upgrades noted in my sig.a few weeks ago and now I am using oil.I lost a Quart after about 125 miles. Before all the engine upgrades ,at most,I had to add half a quart between oil changes.Today,I had the mechanic do both a leak down test (all 10-12%) and compression test (all between150 and 155 lbs.).So it shouldn't be blow by should it?Me and my mechanic are stumped.Any ideas?
Losing Oil ??
- Thread starter Topdowncruise
- Start date
DMAN302
My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
Aftermarket intakes seem to draw more oil through the PCV system then stock intakes...though your usage seems a touch high. You may need to check for leaks down the back of the intake or valve covers for some..you also may want to consider running a catchcan style filter in the PCV line. The filter is an air/oil filter put in place for between the PCV and the intake to knock oil out of the line before it gets into the intake. The filters can be had at most parts stores..they are very commonly used on compressor lines. As a last note did you forget to put the oil baffel on the lower intake..it not being in place can allow the PCV to draw far mor oil than normal.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Is the car smoking blue? If so, on deceleration or acceleration? Have someone one follow you - you can't tell enough trying to look in the mirror. How many miles on it? Is it leaking oil?
Were the heads new or used? If used, did you have a machine shop check out the seals and guides before install?
Were the heads new or used? If used, did you have a machine shop check out the seals and guides before install?
My mechanic watched me drive away yesterday to detect any unusual exhaust - nothing unusual he says.The car has 97,000 miles and i put cardboard under it last week - no leaks. I bought the Takeoff heads and sent them back to Ford Racing to have them check the guides etc. and reassemble at their expense after I complained about their warning label.While they were dissembled I had Total Performance (Ford Racing) /Modern Cylinder Head port them. So the heads were checked and reassembled.I didn't take any short cuts on gaskets,head bolts etc. The car 's performance is great after all that but the oil usage is an obvious concern.Michael Yount said:
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
You need to have someone follow you around for a while. Watching you drive off isn't enough of a test. Get the car good and warm (up to operating temp) - get a good 15-20 minute drive in. Then with someone behind you, take it hard up to about 5500 rpm in second gear and then back off with it in gear. See what the smoke situation is under those circumstances.
Also, you said you just got it back together. Drive it for a while before you concern yourself with oil usage. Perhaps you didn't get the crankcase quite as full as before when you changed the oil.
If it's not smoking and it's not leaking and it's running good, I wouldn't worry about it. Add oil when you need to. If you're still concerned then have your mechanic perform cranking compression and leak down tests and see if you've got cylinder seal issues -- although, ideally, that should've been done BEFORE the performance changes were made.
Also, you said you just got it back together. Drive it for a while before you concern yourself with oil usage. Perhaps you didn't get the crankcase quite as full as before when you changed the oil.
If it's not smoking and it's not leaking and it's running good, I wouldn't worry about it. Add oil when you need to. If you're still concerned then have your mechanic perform cranking compression and leak down tests and see if you've got cylinder seal issues -- although, ideally, that should've been done BEFORE the performance changes were made.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
By the way - I have a catch can set up on mine with the Explorer intake (just like Cobra) and Y heads. I can send you pictures. My oil usage before and after the swap was exactly the same -- absolutely none.
As i mentioned in my original post I have already had the leak down and compression tests done and the outcomes were pretty reasonable.I probably should have had it done before as well but the after results don't seem to point to a 'weak" engine that needs rebuilding etc.If I wasn't using oil before to any significant degree(max.half a quart every 3000 miles) I don't know why it would now. I would appreciate pictures of your catch can as I recall my pcv valve was full of oil when we disconnected it a couple of days after the install.So I think I may be "using' oil the way your's does -through the intake.Where did you buy your catch can and who makes it? Thanks.Michael Yount said:
DMAN302
My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
without the baffle in place quite a bit of oil can be drawn up past the screen through the PCV and into the intake..even with the baffle the oil still makes it past fairly easily but not with the same volume. The oil separator can be found on this website...look around under fuel/intake listings.
http://www.steeda.com/
http://www.steeda.com/
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Sorry I missed the leak down/compression tests in the original post.
Let's see -- 1) good leak down/compression tests, 2) no leaks, 3) no smoke (we think) --- the conclusion I reach is that it's not using like you think it is. I'd still drive it for longer -- go through a couple of change cycles and see what it's doing.
"So I think I may be "using' oil the way your's does".....mine uses absolutely no oil. On a 3000 mile change interval the dipstick is at exactly the same level it was right after the new oil was added.
Actually - in a way you may be right -- I'll bet you'll end up concluding yours isn't using oil either. Just my guess.
If you're gonna look at the pcv system -- I'd get parts from the dealer only (they tend to seal much more snugly than aftermarket) and I'd replace the valve, the screen and the grommet.
Good luck with it.
Let's see -- 1) good leak down/compression tests, 2) no leaks, 3) no smoke (we think) --- the conclusion I reach is that it's not using like you think it is. I'd still drive it for longer -- go through a couple of change cycles and see what it's doing.
"So I think I may be "using' oil the way your's does".....mine uses absolutely no oil. On a 3000 mile change interval the dipstick is at exactly the same level it was right after the new oil was added.
Actually - in a way you may be right -- I'll bet you'll end up concluding yours isn't using oil either. Just my guess. If you're gonna look at the pcv system -- I'd get parts from the dealer only (they tend to seal much more snugly than aftermarket) and I'd replace the valve, the screen and the grommet.
Good luck with it.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
I built my catch can (for what little it 'catches') for a total of less than $30 from parts you can buy at your local parts/speed shop. Email me at [email protected] if you'd like to see pics. Note that it won't eliminate an oil consumption problem -- you'll just catch it in the can rather than burning it out the tail pipe and accumulating it in the intake.
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