Mystery oil loss problem

[SadbutTrue]

My car seems to be disposing of oil a little too quickly... over the last 2 weeks we've added 4 quarts and the lifter noise just started up again today. I'm going to do a full change and change the filter out, but my car is not smoking, nor is it leaking (more than it ever did anyway... its not bad at all). Any clues as to where its going, and how to stop it short of rebuilding the engine?

Also, I doubt it is, but is there any possible connection to the engine pinging problems I mentioned in my other thread?

 

[D.Hearne]

If your valve covers lack baffles, the PCV could be sucking it up.

 

[SadbutTrue]

well, looks like it might be burning the oil. I took out the spark plugs to regap them (and get rid of a ping), and there was oil on 5 of the plugs (all on the #1-4 cylinder bank, and on the #8). So... what do you think the cause could be? We're doing a compression test in a minute, my dad thinks it might be valve stem seals. And could this have anything to do with the ping? I imagine a lot of oil in the cylinders certainly couldn't help with a ping...

 

[D.Hearne]

The oil would have the opposite effect. It would raise the octane not lower it. If you've got pinging, then you need to back off on the timing or run a better grade of gas.

 

[TT670]

Well if its not leaking its got to be burning. Oil does not raise octane it lowers it, octane is raised with xylene, toulene etc.. petroleum dilutes octane. I suppose if you were burning alot of oil it could cause a ping, I suspect however that the burning oil has carboned up either your piston crown or combustion chamber creating a hotspot and causing preignition. What did the plugs look like, did they have carbon build up, or just an oily film? If so go to you local GM dealers parts counter and get a can of top engine cleaner and follow the instructions, the stuff works good. As for the cause sure it could be guides and seals, does it smoke on start up after its been sitting for a while? How many miles are on it?

 

[D.Hearne]

If you mix oil with gasoline, it reduces the volitility, thus the octane rating would be a little higher. I used to do just that to satify my 427's thirst for high octane gas, amiong other things ( diesel fuel, octane booster,etc)

 

[D.Hearne]

I do agree though that the oil would leave deposits causing hot spots and thus preignition in the chambers.

 

[SadbutTrue]

the only time it visibly smokes is at startup, and yes that smoke is a bit blue.

 

[TT670]

smoke on startup is a classic sign of valve seals and guides being the problem.