lost 3 qts in 1800 miles 91 EX

I get the dreaded 'oil' light yesterday and find I have to fill my 91
Accord EX with 3 qts of oil. There are no leaks apparent on this car
(at least standing still - there are no oil spots on my driveway).

What gives?

 

Well it is going somewhere. So if it isn't leaking it most likely is going
out the tailpipe. I would look under the car and see how much oil is all
over the bottom. Perhaps it only leaks while driving. For example an oil
pressure switch that has an external leak might only leak during operation.


CaptainKrunch

 

another symptom (that might be related): from time to time an awful
stench comes out of the exhaust pipe, and the oil is pretty dark after
2g miles...

 

If you are losing that oil through the exhaust then that should probably be
fixed soon. I don't imagine your O 2 sensors or cat convertor are willing
to work very long through the constant passage of oil.

I would get a cylinder leakdown and compression test at the dealership or a
good mechanic to determine if your rings are still good and to see if your
valves are seating etc.

What they do is bring each piston to top dead center and apply an amount of
pressurized air into the cylinder via the spark plug hole. Wherever you
hear the air coming from is where you may have a problem. If you hear air
from the exhaust then you know your exhaust valve has a problem or if it is
from the intake then intake valves or if there is an excessive amount of air
via the oil fill hole then you have lots of blowby due to worn out rings,
cylinders, etc.

The compression test will tell you if your engine is just worn out or if one
particular cylinder is having problem.

CaptainKrunch

 

Any blue/black smoke coming out of the tail pipe when you start the car or
nail the accelerator? Need new valve seals or head gasket perhaps?

-Dave

 

no, there isn't...

 

If you're losing 3 qrts of oil in 1800 miles and seeing no massive oil
leak,there is something going on internally. Hmmm, Worn valve guides,
seals, rings -- you'd probably see smoke. Its leaking from somewhere
though and it sounds like a severe one. Could it be a rear main seal?
Is your transmission fluid level high? Is it black, if its ATF, it
should be reddish.

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N38.6 W121.4

 

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I don't understand this post.

Why would you wait 1,800 miles (that's almost 3,000 km) before checking
the dipstick to see if there's any oil in the engine? :-(

I check the oil level almost every time I fill with gas, and hired help
at the oil change places are so flaky that I (re)check my oil level
before I even drive home. In the pst several years I've found the filter
leaking, the washer missing, and the bolt (barely) finger-tight.

'Curly'

 

yes, you have a good point. I am guilty. Next time...

 

That kills my guess. I'd just start poking around the engine a bit more and
use a flashlight if necessary to check for any possible leaks at all. This
is where a clean engine would be convenient to spot any leaks at all.
Remember my '88 VW Fox I bought used to get around in.... It was eating
about a quart of 20W/50 every fillup or 2. Was burning some serious oil,
heater fan didn't work, etc... GAVE that car away to a friend and warned
them to keep a supply of oil with them and keep the vent on outside air to
get some heat when the car was moving! lol

-Dave

 

I only check at 5k miles. Otherwise, I don't check unless the idiot light lit
during hard cornering.

Anyway, the first thing I would check and clean is the PCV system. When that
thing plug up, oil burning and seal popping start.