Why Is Your Car Burning Oil
If you have a new car and you need to change the oil every 1000 miles, then there is something wrong with your engine. There could be many reasons for your car burning oil. Most can be easily spotted, so if find out that your car is burning too much oil, get it fixed. Here are some of the top reasons why your car might be burning oil.
What Does Burning Oil Mean
normal oil consumption
first things first: just because your car is consuming oil, that doesnt mean its burning it in a harmful way. modern vehicles use thinner motor oils that reduce friction and produce better fuel economy and sneak through gaskets a little more easily. some manufacturers advise owners that normal operation will result in a significant amount of oil consumption. these carmakers state that you may need to add several quarts of oil in between scheduled oil changes. its important to check your engines dipstick to make sure youre not running low on oil.
oil that leaks externally and burns
this burning oil situation is more serious. it usually results from an oil leak somewhere on the exterior of your engine. this oil then finds its way to hot engine surfaces, like the exhaust system, where the intense heat can cause the oil to smoke and possibly ignite. you can usually observe this if you raise the hood when the engine is at full operating temperature. youll want to get any oil leak fixed to prevent bigger problems.
oil that leaks into your engines combustion chambers
this is the most serious type of burning oil problem. as engines age, they wear. their internal seals and gaskets can fail and cause an oil leak that can be hard to notice. this oil can travel to the combustion chamber, along with the air-fuel mixture, and be burned. if you see bluish smoke coming from your exhaust, this is a telltale sign that your engine is burning oil internally.
How Can You Fix A Car That Is Burning Oil
If you have an issue with a car burning oil, the most important thing is to check your oil often and carry extra oil. While its not a good idea to continue to operate your vehicle consuming oil, sometimes its also difficult to correctly diagnose where its coming from.
The first order of repair is diagnosing exactly the cause of the oil consumption. For this, if you need a mechanic to help, search through our Preferred Shops in your area to help you identify someone who can help diagnose whats going on.
The cost of repairs will depend on the cause of the leak. A clogged PCV system could be as simple as a $10.00 replacement PCV valve. Worn piston rings will involve an entire engine overhaul or replacement, which will be thousands of dollars.
The best method of stopping oil consumption is proper prevention. Change your oil at proper intervals and consider using synthetic oil. Understand the parts of your engines PCV system, so the valve can either be changed, or cleaned in some cases. For all of these parts, and great advice, come see your AutoZone store today!
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Club Car Is Smoking And Burning Oil
When your 1993 Club Car is burning excessive oil, you can try draining out all the oil, get the filter replaced and clean the carburetor thoroughly.
After completing this process, start the engine again and check if it is still burning oil.
If that is the case, there could be a possibility of the muffler or the exhaust containing a concoction of gas and oil. An effective way to fix this is to drive the vehicle for a while.
Oil Pan Plug Is Damaged Or Dislodged
In some cases an oil pan plug can become damaged or dislodged. You can fix this issue yourself for less than $5.
A similar is issue can be caused by an oil pan plug that happens to be dislodged or not put in properly. If not fully tightened, an oil plug will cause a leak. Fixing this issue is relatively simple, the oil pan plug just needs to be reinstalled.
If the oil pan plug is damaged this is a different story, you can remove the plug and replace it with a rubber plug temporarily, however the steel thread will need to be replaced with a plug that is standard for the make and model of your car. You can also put in a new drain pan. But it will cost you.
If you are curious about learning more about your oil drain plug, check out this 5 minute video from Cars That Last. Having a visual representation of what these parts look like and how they are repaired can be incredibly helpful when deciding how to repair your own vehicle. Check out the video below.
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There Are Bigger Problems Indicated By A Car Burning Oil Fast
When the car burns oil too fast, not all causes are small. There could be a major engine problem like a blown head gasket.
Some engine problems are serious and costly to repair. One common symptom of such issues is the fast burning of car oil.
Whether or not you think this is a serious problem, you should contact a mechanic right way. Be sure to keep an eye on the oil level in the meantime.
Some cars will flash the oil light or send an alarm that the oil is low. Be sure to take the appropriate action when you see these notifications.
It should also be noted that you cant rely on the oil system of the car on its own, especially on older vehicles.
To Find The Source Is To Know Why Your Car Is Burning Oil So Fast
When you want to answer the riddle of why your car is burning oil too fast, there has to be a moment taken to figure out the reason for the occurrence.
Be logical. The cause is NOT that you are bad luck, that you deserve to have a car that burns oil too fast, how the planets are aligned or anything like that.
Its related to the cars engine health and how well it has been maintained over the years.
Yes, there may be a degree of responsibility if you were lax with the oil change schedule. However, sometimes these repair needs are a fluke nobodys fault except those who built the car at the factory.
When you see the obvious signs of a car burning oil quickly , react quickly to the problem.
Check out the sources of the problem or call a mechanic.
Some problems are simpler to solve than others even when a car that is burning oil too fast. For example, maybe the oil pan is badly adjusted. Its got a little leak of its own. Once the pan is tightened, the overconsumption of oil comes to an end.
You can even spot some repair needs by where the leak is. For example, if youre catching the leak at the back of the motor engine, then it could be a bad seal causing the problem. Getting to that seal is a task in and of itself.
For this reason, non-professionals should call a mechanicor a tow truck!
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Stuck Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve
The positive crankcase ventilation valve, commonly referred to as the PCV, evacuates gases from the crankcase by releasing engine pressure into the intake manifold. If this valve becomes stuck, the pressure has to go somewhere, and the result is blown out seals or oil forced into the cylinders. If this is the issue, the valve will need to be replaced.
Reasons Why Your Car Is Burning Oil And What To Do About It
Posted on
Burning oil can quickly cause serious problems to your car, like engine fires. And you may not even know its happening.
So how can you detect burning oil and prevent these problems? Keep reading.
Here are the 5 common causes of burning oil, how to detect them, and what to do about them. Check it out!
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Worn Out Piston Rings Or Cylinder Walls
Heres where repairs can get pricey. Each set of piston rings forms a seal against the cylinder walls to maintain engine compression and prevent combustion gases from escaping. However, if your piston rings have worn out or the cylinder wall has begun to deteriorate, then the seal may no longer function properly. With a faulty seal, oil can enter the combustion chamber, burn, and leave you with less oil than you started with.
Fixing Oil Burning Inside The Engine
depending on the exact cause of your engines internal oil burning situation, the fix can range from fairly simple and inexpensive, to extremely complex and very expensive. lets start with simple and work our way up.
pcv system: if the pcv system is the source of your oil burning problem, the remedy is fairly straightforward, not too expensive, and with minimal downtime.
if the pcv systems hoses and mounting elements are at fault, they can be swapped out. be sure to use hoses made specifically for the pcv system they are designed to operate properly under vacuum, not under pressure like other types of automotive hoses.
the pcv valve can also be at issue. sludge can build up and make the valve stick in the open position. this can allow too much oil to pass through and enter the engine, where it is burned. its an inexpensive part, but the job should probably be left to your mechanic, as the pcv system is complex, with many pieces.
valve guides and seals: we have good news and bad news here. if the oil-burning problem in your valve system is limited to your valve seals, its not serious. there will be some labor involved, but the seals can be replaced without the need to tear down the motor.
piston rings: if worn-out piston rings are the source of your vehicles oil-burning issues, you have a serious problem. your engine has reached the end of its service life. the remedy is typically a complete engine rebuild. yes, its very expensive. it also takes a lot of time.
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The cost of repairs will depend on your vehicle, but it can cost you thousands of dollars to make repairs to components like the transmission and suspension, which is money most Americans dont have.
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What Are The Signs Of An Oil
The bluish smoke pouring out of the exhaust is a classic sign that your engine uses too much oil.
In some cars, especially those using synthetic engine oil, the exhaust smoke may be challenging to detect. Still, you can detect the noxious odour of burning oil.
Even if you dont smell burning oil or see blue smoke coming from your car, it could be burning oil. A typical feature of running engines is that a quart of engine oil is consumed every 2,000 miles.
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Is Your Car Burning Oil Heres Why Plus Ways To Fix It
when you hear about or experience a vehicle burning oil, it can mean a few different things. it might be pretty normal or you might be in urgent need of a certified mechanic. lets find out how to tell the difference.
your motor oil has several functions. it lubricates the moving parts inside the engine, preventing harmful metal-to-metal contact. it also removes dirt, metallic particles and other bad things from the inside of the engine as it travels through the oil filter. additives in the oil prevent corrosion and improve the oils performance.
the tight tolerances between metal parts inside your engine, as well as certain gaskets and seals, are designed to keep your oil where it belongs. but these elements can wear or fail, allowing oil to go where it shouldnt. this can progress to the point where where your vehicle is burning oil.
How Do I Know My Car Is Burning Oil
For newer cars, it might not be easy to figure that your vehicle is burning oil. This is because newer cars are built such that the catalytic converter covers up burning oil symptoms. So your vehicle might be burning oil, yet you dont know.
However, in older cars, burning oil symptoms are very noticeable and easy to know. They include
Engine oil light on: One of the most common telltale signs of oil burning in cars is the illumination of the oil check light. Please dont ignore it when you see this.
Low coolant level: Leaks are noticed with oil on the ground. But if you notice a steady decline in oil level without any trace of physical leakage, its a clear indication that the oil is burning internally. At this stage, oil consumption becomes significantly high because your engine uses more coolant than it should.
Engine misfiring:Engine misfiring is another noticeable symptom of a car that is burning oil. It often stems from a low coolant. When the coolant is low and cant keep the engine cool, it causes engine overheating causing the engine to misfire.
Oil in spark plug: When oil burns in the engine, it damages the spark plugs. Oil in spark plugs is a sign that you have bad spark plugs.
Smoke color:Blue smoke emitting from your exhaust pipe is a telltale sign that your car is burning oil. You would usually see this smoke when you start the vehicle.
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How Do I Fix My Car Burning Oil
If youve ever searched How to fix my car burning oil on the internet, youll know its not always a simple task. The only issue that you can resolve quickly is a replacement PCV valve.
We recommend the Dorman 47057 PCV Elbow. Otherwise, repairing an oil-burning engine can take weeks and eat away a significant portion of your cash.
Reasons For Engine Oil Consumption
Most stock automotive pistons contain three rings.
The top and second rings are responsible for pressing tightly against the cylinder wall and sealing the combustion chamber, keeping combustion gases in and oil out.
The oil ring scrapes oil off the cylinder wall on the way down the cylinder, depositing it back into the oil sump.
Because an extremely thin film of oil lubricates the ring/cylinder wall interface, it is normal for some oil to burn during combustion. What constitutes normal oil consumption, however, depends on the engine.
Check out this post to learn more about the role of automotive piston rings.
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Piston Rings That Have Been Worn Out
Of course, worn out piston rings are a common cause of oil burning. The piston rings are designed to keep combustion gases from exiting the combustion chamber.
They can, however, wear down with time, allowing combustion gases to escape and engine oil to enter the combustion chamber. The worn-out piston may burn the cars engine oil when this happens.
Oil Entering The Turbocharger
While this only applies to turbocharged vehicles, it is a frequent problem. Turbochargers use oil to lubricate the turbine bearings inside the unit. Seals are also in place to keep this oil from leaking past the bearings and either into the cold side of the turbo or the hot side . Either leak will result in burned oil. Usually once the oil seal goes, the bearing follows, resulting in complete turbo failure.
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Moisture On The Distributor Cap
Your cars distributor cap is an essential part of a cars ignition system. When moisture builds up, it stops the ignition coil from sending electricity and the car jerks. This often happens in Ottawas cold, snowy climate! Thankfully, this doesnt need replacing. The moisture just needs to evaporate. You can use a thermal cover to prevent this problem, or parking your car in an indoor garage would also help.
Keep in mind that most modern cars have a different system that doesnt have one. They have a system called the coil-on plug. If this is the case, then you can rule out this as the cause.
What Causes Oil To Burn
The reason oil burns is that it escapes from where it is supposed to be and is located on hot components like exhaust manifolds, valve covers or other engine systems. As a car ages, different parts can become worn and not provide a tight seal around the oil. The oil leaks out and touches the hot components on the engine.
As indicated above, burning oil smell can also come out of the exhaust. If the piston rings are damaged, the burning oil is caused by a lack of compression in the combustion chamber and excessive oil entering the combustion chamber. This is also what causes burning oil when cylinder head valve guides are damaged.
When a Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve is worn, it also allows oil to seep into the combustion chamber. A defective or worn out PCV valve allows pressure to build up, which pushes out gaskets that are designed to seal out oil. A correctly working valve removes gases from the crankcase to prevent the pressure buildup.
Burning oil can lead to serious issues, including engine failure. If you notice a problem with your vehicle, get it checked out right away before the problem gets worse.
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