Using Oil

[SuperRedMR2]

Hey all,

My new job requires me to travel at least 300 miles a week, as well as going to site to meet people.

My car has now covered 133k and I am using a reasonable amount of oil recently. I never see it blowing blue smoke. I've always had a leak on the distributor but this would not be chucking out loads. There is a lot around the sump area but I never see any drips anywhere whenever I've parked my car for days!

As my car is getting into that mileage range now where things are probably going to go wrong and worn out, would it be an idea, when the weather improves, to change the valve guides and seals? I don't really want to spend ages changing the piston rings as I haven't got a spare car to use for work.

What would people reccommened? I will be selling the car in September, but I cannot afford to have an oil related engine issue on my way to work.

Please advise

[cartledge_uk]

really clean and degrease the engine bay then you will be able to identify the area of the leak after a day

The dizzy can get it everywhere

It would be good if you can quantify it, 1L per 1k for example.

If there are no obvious drips anywhere then it will be internal, look for smoke puffs on gearchanges under load.

[aw11rally]

Just keep it topped up, it will be fine.

[Lauren]

I wouldn't worry too much about the valve guide oil seals as it's a head off job.

It is worth checking if you are getting smoke on the over run though. Check this by flooring it in second gear to the redline and then lift off and look in your mirror. If there is blue smoke then it could indicate that your piston rings are on the way out. This happened to me.

But otherwise just top up I think.

[MartG]

If you're losing a lot, there are a few places it can leak from without leaving much evidence on your driveway, as it may only leak when the engine is running and the oil is under pressure. These places can include camshaft oil seals and crankshaft oil seal.

[Jim-SR]

I wouldn't worry too much about the valve guide oil seals as it's a head off job.

it doesnt have to be, you can do it in situ. its a cambelt off job though, which makes it enough of a pain in the ar$e not to bother with unless its REALLY bad.

[Cattwooduk]

Thought I'd post in this as it's a similar issue by the sounds of it.
I've got a fair bit of oil around the bottom of the sump, and there has always been a bit coming from the bottom of the dizzy. I don't have any blue smoke under load but when I do accelerate hard up to high revs, there is a fairly strong smell of oil/burning oil. Then when opening up the bay to look at the engine, there is a bit of smoke coming from somewhere below the dizzy for a few seconds until it burns off. I've never noticed any oil under the car anywhere I've parked, and reguarly check the oil and it doesn't ever lose any.
just looking for clarification really, I'm assuming it is just coming from under the dizzy under load? Just a case of popping on a new dizzy o-ring seal?

[SuperRedMR2]

I've replaced my engine since the start of this thread and no longer suffer with oil around the sump issues, but now still have oil around the flywheel cover lol

[Jim-SR]

the oil cooler lines can leak as well. i did an oil change on mine this week and noticed that there is quite a bit of oil that has leaked from the dizzy and the oil cooler lines. i have to top mine up with about half a litre every 4000 miles or so at a guess.

[SuperRedMR2]

Yeah the oil cooler pipes seem to perish after a long time, still work, but flaky oil goes everywhere.