98legacywv Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 I started a thread about this before but I thought I had fixed the problem.. About 3 weeks ago i checked my oil only 4-5 days after changing it. The oil wasnt on the disptick. I had only put 4 quarts in and let it sit for two hours before checking it and the level was perfectly in the middle of the hash marks. Then 4-5 days later it off the dipstick.. I added the 5th quart of oil since the book says it needs 4.8. Still nothing.. I drained the oil and got about 4 1/3 quarts out.. I thought well i just didnt get it all out.. i put new oil back in and have watched the oil slowly drop. over a span of two weeks of about 60 miles a day and two trips of 150 miles the oil dropped down half of the hash marks from the full level to midway. Then i didnt check the oil for three days and its off the dipstick again.. I added almost a quart and checked it later on.. its barely on the dipstick.. I have cleaned this car completely on the undercarriage and it doesnt look like any oil is leaking... Once in a while i get a wiff of burning oil but not very often and not very bad. so it seams the car isnt leaking the oil and its not burning it.???? my question is where the world does over a quart of oil go in less than 1200 miles with no trace???????? If it was buring that much oil I would think I would notice white clouds behind me.... nothing.. No drips of oil on the garage floor.. doesnt appear that there is oil under the car... nothing.. i need some ideas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jclay Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 I hate to have to bring it up, but how does your coolant look? oilly coolant = HG issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 I have heard of a section between the engine and the transmission that the oil can "disappear into" if the section leaks. I would call it a transfer section but I may be wrong. I think that section uses either a gear oil or transmission fluid for lubrication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 my question is where the world does over a quart of oil go in less than 1200 miles with no trace???????? Out the tailpipe. If it was buring that much oil I would think I would notice white clouds behind me Not true, I have had cars that burned oil at about that rate and they only smoked on startup. Oil doesn't typically get into the coolant in the Phase I when the gaskets fail. The coolant looks dirty because of combustion byproducts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legacywv Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 I guess this information may have been helpful... I just went through the whole process with the head gaskets... i had it replaced with the 3rd revisions gasket.. coolant and oil looks fine.. oil looks a little dark for having only been in there 1200 miles but there is not antifreeze in it. this car doesnt smoke on startup either as far as i can tell.. What was said about a place between the engine and the tranny sounds more correct.. the only place that looks like it may even have oil on it sits right below the trans casing.. but nothing drops on the floor of my garage... When i got this car back from the shop that did the work on it there were several small oil leaks that they had to fix.. both valve covers had to be replaced. and some seals.. the last time i got it back oil was buring off the Y in the exhaust pipe.. they said it was probably spilled oil... took several day sto burn off completly then went away.. every now and then.. I think "thats oil burning is that me?"" but never find anything.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commuter Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 I'm with 99obw here. If you think about how many quarts of gas you burn in 1200 miles (~160ish), then think of 1 quart of oil burning, it really is next to nothing going out the tailpipe. Worn valve guides can do this. Cause a sudden, significant increase in oil consumption with virtually no other symptoms. ---------- Ok, you posted at the same time as I. Were the valves worked on during the head gasket work? Commuter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legacywv Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 I don't believe they did anything to the valves.. but would they have to to get to the heads.. I would like to think they atleast checked them.... I just went out and crawled under my car in my dress clothes and looked there is some oil residue at the T section of the frame there.. I can't tell where it coming from.. but it looks like its right under the tranny at the back of the engine.. Im going to get my chiltons out and see what is in that area.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 I've heard that oil can get "caught" in the engine and wont drain down into the oil pan.. up to a quart.. I don't know if this is just a rumor.. but I get various readings from my dipstick without doing anything to the oil.. from just over full to right inbetween the hash marks... One thing that seems to get more oil down into the pan is getting right above one of the front shocks and rocking the car side to side for a minute or two... Good luck getting this oil mystery figured out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spazz698 Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 have you checked your pcv valve lately? Mine was shot, I was burning oil to the point where I should have been checking it every 2-3 days (I think theres about 1k mi put on my car a week) but only very recently did I notice a serious drop in my mileage. Fixed that, my mpg went back up to 26 (instead of 19) and I havent lost oil yet- apparently I was supposed to check that out when I replaced the valve cover gaskets, but I wasnt informed of that til a good 2 mo later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98legacywv Posted May 3, 2005 Author Share Posted May 3, 2005 yeah i got a brand new pcv valve in the car. im still getting 24-26 mpg.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KStretch55 Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 1 qt. in 1200 miles doesn't seem to bad, but the 3-4 days 1/2 qt. does seem excessive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forester_Ranger Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 I have had the mystery of oil raising and lowering on my 98 Forester a few times. There has been times I checked my oil and it was down below the low mark. I add a quart of oil and it brings it back up between the marks. then the next time I check my oil it will be way above the hi mark. So I think sometimes the oil just sits in the engine no draining back into the oil pan. Maybe it has to do with flat engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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