High oil consumption in cars - causes and remedies

Internal combustion engines require reliable lubrication for their many moving parts. If shafts, bearings and levers rub against each other without lubrication, they will destroy each other in a very short time. That is why you should not joke with a lack of oil in a car. In this article, you will read how to act in the event of an imminent oil shortage.

Early detection of oil shortage

No engine design can completely prevent certain oil consumption. Lubricating oil for the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings slightly presses the piston rings even with a good engine. Once the oil has entered the combustion chamber, it burns out during the next work cycle. .

Therefore, you should ask your car dealer what oil consumption is acceptable for your car. The guide value is 50-250 ml per 1000 km . You can determine the oil consumption of your car, checking the oil level regularly .

For this purpose the car must be parked on a level surface and the engine must not be turned off less than five minutes . If the oil level is near or already below the MIN mark on a clean dipstick , you should add fresh oil and make a mark on the consumption.

Loss of oil or oil consumption?

If you notice a constant drop in the oil level in your vehicle, this may be two reasons :

1. Consumption 2. Loss of oil

They say about oil consumption when oil enters the combustion chamber and burns out there. . High oil consumption indicates engine damage that can be costly to repair.

In case of loss of oil, oil flows out of the lubrication system . The cause is a leaky tube, a damaged radial shaft seal, or a leaky flat seal.

To test this, just look at the bottom of your car: if the engine is lubricated with oil from below, the oil is leaking from somewhere . Damage of this kind is usually much cheaper to repair than high oil consumption. But don't delay: an oil leaking engine is a big environmental burden and can result in a significant fine if caught .

What can be done about oil consumption?

Oil consumption is determined by " dry » oil reduction, i.e. no engine leaks , and bluish exhaust smoke. Do not continue to use the car when you have to constantly add oil: burnt oil affects the emission control system and causes great damage to it .

Moreover , continuous engine damage continues until the car simply "dies" at some point, even with a full oil level. Depending on the complexity of the repair Typical causes of increased oil consumption are:

– incorrectly adjusted valves - poor crankcase ventilation - Worn oil seals - Defective cylinder head gasket – worn piston rings

• If the valves are not adjusted , the engine usually also does not work properly. In this case, you can hear bell". Here the workshop can repair the valves with a few simple steps .

• A rapidly rotating crankshaft creates high pressure in the crankcase . If this pressure is not dissipated, it forces the engine oil through the piston rings and into the combustion chamber. To do this, the engine has a ventilation system. This is a normal hose going from the crankcase to the valve cover. However, if this hose is blocked or kinked, excess pressure can build up in the crankcase. Usually the crankcase breather can be repaired quickly and cheaply.

• Valve stem seals are small radial shaft seals that fit around the valve stem. They seal the valve mechanism relative to the combustion chamber. Valve stem seals are wear parts. Their replacement is not easy and must be carried out in a specialized workshop. . However, with the right equipment, this repair can be done fairly quickly. Air pressure is supplied to the combustion chamber through a special valve converted into a spark plug. This pressure holds the valves in position. So, the valve stem seal can be replaced without removing the cylinder head.

• Cylinder head gasket seals the combustion chamber of the engine from the coolant circuit and the lubrication circuit. If the head gasket is damaged , a connection is created between these contours or outside. Therefore, an unmistakable sign of a damaged cylinder head gasket is white foam in the oil circuit or black oil in the coolant. In this case, only the removal of the cylinder head and the replacement of the gasket will help. This is a rather complex question, but still it is one of the types of repairs that can happen during the life of the car. .

• Worn piston rings - it's all - "worst case" with high oil consumption. With this type of damage, you should always expect the engine to fail in a short amount of time due to piston seizing. You can also replace piston rings. . However, repairs are usually not enough. The cylinder walls must also be reground and reground to restore full compression to the cylinders. Therefore, faulty piston rings are the reason for a complete engine overhaul. . After all, after that, the engine is practically new again.

How to prevent excessive oil consumption

Instead of acting only when it's too late, you can take simple steps to extend the life of your engine and prevent high oil consumption. .

1. Observe lubricating oil and filter change intervals and use only recommended brands.

2. Don't drive too fast or too slow . Carry out an oil analysis every 2 years after 100 km.

3. Professional engine flush every 2 years . Thus, you can easily reach the mark of 200 or even 000 km.