2002 Accord Oil consumption

My 2002 Accord SE 4cyl is using up 1L oil every 3000Km. The Honda dealer
says that is normal. My previous cars never uses that much oil, and I never
had to top up oil between changes of 8000Km. Any input.

 

Are you sure that's your actual consumption? That's terribly low for your
year, unless you've been neglecting your oil changes.

Measure it this way:
1) With car COLD, having sat overnight, without starting it, pull dipstick
and make note of the reading.
2) Drive car 1,000 miles (or 2,000km, or some other set distance).
3) Repeat from #1.

Distance between the marks is 1L, or 1 US qt plus one ounce.

Car must be in exactly the same position AND on the same slope for both
measurements.

Do NOT check your oil at the gas station. Do NOT check it warm one time
then cold the other. Consistency is important.

I'll bet you're using quite a lot less than you think you are. If you are
in fact using oil that quickly, inspect the PCV system, especially the
breather pipe and the throttle body.

It goes without saying, of course, that you'd also inspect for external
leaks...

 

oil quality is important too.

 

Well sure. You buy Goat Brand from China and all bets are off.

 

I have been following this very closely. There were no smoke, fumes, or
leaks. I use 5W20 and change oil at the dealer as scheduled. The car runs
well otherwise. Where is the PCV and what should I check?

 

-----------------------------------

The PCV can be quickly found at google.com. If you stick PDF in the
search, you might get a nice picture.
It's a valve that regulates how much air is drawn out of the crankcase,
to be burned in the engine. If it sticks open, is sucks your oil vapor
out (invisibly) and burns it wholesale. It can wreck your catalytic
converter, mess up your fuel consumption, and your idle. Use Honda
parts. Cheap investment for something so important.

'Curly'

 

Thanks, found the testing method from the Helm manual. Will check it next.
BTW, what is an acceptable oil consumption rate.

 

What's your odometer reading? Assuming average driving of 15K per year,
you're up to about 60K. Oil consumption at that point ought to be approx 8K
miles per quart.

 

can have a compression test done too

 

I have brought this to the attention of the Honda dealer several times, but
they just shrugged it off as normal. What should one do? The car is still
under warranty. I certainly don't want to pay the dealer to test
compression just for them to say "it is within normal limits and thank you".
Perhaps move to thicker oil like 10W30? The car only has 76k Km only.

 

What is all this about normal oil consumption on an 02? come on. If its
gonna be low on oil before a change is due, I think there is something
severely wrong, especially with a car that has less than 100k on the odo.

I have a 98 civic with 242000kms, no noticeable oil consumption. And I drive
the piss out of it. The only time it ever pushed any oil was a run between
OK city and Albequerque. Avg speed was 185 kph. Lost a liter.

My fiance has an 87 Prelude with 215000kms on it, she doesn't lose a drop
between changes either.

If I had an 02 with less than 100k on the clock and it used over a liter
between changes, I would be pissed.

My uncle had the engine in his 99 CRV replaced due to porosity of the block...
..

t

 

Compression is a function of the compression rings. Oil control is a
function of the oil control rings. You can't use a compression test to
check for oil control.

10W-30 is not "thicker" except when stone cold. At operating temperature it
is the same as 5W-30. Do not use "thicker" oil to cover up an engine
problem.

Four questions:
1) Do you know the car's history without any doubt?
2) Has the oil been changed according to the severe schedule in the owner's
manual?
3) Have you checked the throttle body and intake tube to see if there's oil
in them? (That's the PCV test)
4) Have you checked your oil consumption the way I outlined in my first
message?

If you have actually addressed all four issues and have definitely found a
problem, then you have a bit of an issue here. Automakers will not consider
anything better than 1,000 miles per quart to be worth dealing with.

If, and ONLY if, you have actualy uncovered an actual oil consumption
problem, and ONLY if it's NOT due to neglect, you may try CAMVAP.
www.camvap.ca

 

kinda, but the two go hand in hand so often, you won't ever win a dime
betting on it.

 

i generally agree. the good condition honda motor's i've had don't burn
a drop, but unfortunately, manufacturer spec is that it's ok up to 1
liter per 1,000 miles, so making a warranty issue out of this is real
hard. your only chance is if you have a /real/ good relationship with
the dealer.

 

take it to a differetn dealer and have them check it ..

then go back with the results and slap em in da face with it ..


if its under warranty you better get off your ass and do something
about it before its not anymore..

your call...

 

up to a quart/1000 miles is considered normal, by VW

i forget how much youre burning.

if you arent trying synthetic, try that first, but a 10w30 shouldnt harm
anything. seems a bit too early for that though.

 

i wouldnt say "severely". id say most of us are just spoiled by our hondas.

 

OP hasn't even checked his throttle body for oil yet, by the looks of this
thread.

It's not even certain he's even checking his oil properly.

 

I owned this car brand new. The oil consumption came quite early say within
1-2 years after the purchase. Oil changes as I mentioned, always according
to schedule at the dealer. The car has been driven very responsibly by
myself and my wife. The throttle body has not been checked, but the PCV
checked according to Helm to be functioning. The oil consumption is quite
obvious, so no need to calibrate to the exact miles per drop of oil.

 

Checking oil is no rocket science. You either have noticeable oil loss or
not.