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Re: Where is my oil going? Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:28:39
In Reply to: Where is my oil going?, GPost, Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:08:08 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
500 miles to the quart isn't great, but it's not awful. I don't think that is enough to harm the catalytic converter. And you won't get a lot of smoke at that rate.
It would be worthwhile to do a compression test, both wet and dry. That will tell you about the rings. To check the valve seals, find yourself a nice long highway downhill. While moving at typical highway speed, when going downhill, come off the gas pedal entirely and look behind you. If you see smoke then, it is the valve seals. You get some pretty good engine vacuum with the throttle closed but the engine at full revs, and that can suck oil through bad seals.
The turbo may have been rebuilt, but it could be leaking some. If the rings aren't great, it could be pressurizing the sump, pushing more oil vapor into the intake where it is burned.
Lastly, take some paper towels and wipe down the area above the exhaust manifold and below the valve cover. Clean it down to bare metal. Then after a few days of driving, wipe it again with a clean paper towel. If it comes away oily, you could have a valve cover gasket leak. It weeps oil onto the head and exhaust manifold, where it burns. Not a lot, but over time, it adds up.
And it could be a combination - a little from the seals, a little from the rings, a little from the turbo. The cylinders and rings are pretty good on Saabs - I've seen engines with 100K miles where the cylinder walls show the factory honing.
Lastly, don't rule out leaks. Yes, there are no drips on the ground. But you might be leaking only with the engine at high RPM, where the oil pressure is high. Wipe down the bottom of the engine (yes, not pleasant), and check again for signs of oil after going for a drive.
If the oil consumption is stable at a quart every 500 miles, I'd live with it. A rebuild is a lot of money, and I don't think the cat is in any danger yet.
posted by 76.221.218...
, Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:17:23, Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:16:59, Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:28:39 <-- Viewing This Message
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