My wife's Impreza goes through oil pretty rapidly. I usually add 3 to 4 quarts between changes (every 2500 miles). I drove it today for the first time starting the engine from cold and in the daytime. I noticed that the car blew lots of blue smoke out the back for the first five minutes until the engine was warm--especially when I accelerated smartly.

 

After warming up, no more blue smoke. This would explain a lot of things since my wife is the primary driver and home to work is about 5 minutes! I do a lot of my own work, but haven't a clue about what part of the engine this points to: rings (which?), valve guides, egr (none on this car), or some emissions related item that somehow sucks oil into the throttle body.

 

For the purists , this is an EJ22 with the two stud exhaust header (i.e. interference engine:mad: ) and the reason for no egr is that it has been blanked off since we got the car and I believe that is normal.

 

Also, first thing I did when I saw the excessive consumption was to replace the PCV with an original OEM unit. Car runs just fine; no strange noises and lots of pep. No check engine lights since we bought it.

 

Any ideas?

#1 reason, a clogged PCV valve. Replace with OE.

 

Anything else would need a compression test or a vacum gauge.

 

Its possible valve stem seals, but subarus dont seem to have that problem.

 

Also check for leaks. Subarus can leak oil and not drip any on the ground.

 

nipper

#1 reason, a clogged PCV valve. Replace with OE.

 

Anything else would need a compression test or a vacum gauge.

 

Its possible valve stem seals, but subarus dont seem to have that problem.

 

Also check for leaks. Subarus can leak oil and not drip any on the ground.

 

nipper

As I said, first thing I did was replace PCV with original. Doesn't seem to be leaking oil since there's none on the engine or in the driveway. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

As I said, first thing I did was replace PCV with original. Doesn't seem to be leaking oil since there's none on the engine or in the driveway. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

 

Was it a subaru valve? Some of the aftermarket ones arent weighted right.

 

 

But it sounds like its time for a compression test just to make sure the engine is ok. On upright engines the oil would leak down past the valve stems (when the seals are shot) and would burn on startup.

 

If a wet/dry compression test is good, its a simple problem with a complicated fix.

 

nipper

Was it a subaru valve? Some of the aftermarket ones arent weighted right.

 

 

nipper

I'm sorry, but how many times do I have to say it was an original, OEM Subaru PCV? I have to chuckle, I'm old, but not senile yet.

 

Don't take this personally, since I do appreciate the other advice. I hadn't thought about oil sitting in the bottem of the engine to blow out during initial running. Hopefully that's it since I don't want to have rings done this soon (less than 130K on the engine).

A leak-down test will provide more accurate information on worn rings than a compression test.

Worn valve stem seals could also be the culprit or both could be involved. What kind of mileage Ed?

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

I'm sorry, but how many times do I have to say it was an original, OEM Subaru PCV? I have to chuckle, I'm old, but not senile yet.

 

Don't take this personally, since I do appreciate the other advice. I hadn't thought about oil sitting in the bottem of the engine to blow out during initial running. Hopefully that's it since I don't want to have rings done this soon (less than 130K on the engine).

 

Third time is the charm.

 

Unless the car was beat upon, its prbbly just valve stem seals. Like Emily said, a leak down may be better, but not everyone has compressed air at their houses, and most people can do a wet/dry compression test. In actulaity a compression test should be done first.

 

 

nipper

Part of the problem may be the short drive. This contributes to acidic oil, and the engine never reaches operating temp. It's probably tearing up the valve stem seals. But a leakdown test should tell you for sure.

 

GD

2 stud exhaust header doesnt 100 percent mean interference but the 97 part does. The 96 Ej22 has that same header and isn't.

 

Try running Mobil1 in it. Synthetic is a lot harder to burn and it would help protect the engine a little more on those harsh short trips. If it continues to consume oil with that in it you need a rebuild.

A leak-down test will provide more accurate information on worn rings than a compression test.

Worn valve stem seals could also be the culprit or both could be involved. What kind of mileage Ed?

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

I can't believe I left out the mileage. Car just turned 130K.

2 stud exhaust header doesnt 100 percent mean interference but the 97 part does. The 96 Ej22 has that same header and isn't.

 

Interesting. Car was manufactured in 9/96 but title says 1997. I would prefer it to be non-interference, but that's another issue unimportant to this thread.

Unless the car was beat upon, its prbbly just valve stem seals.

nipper

My wife and I were talking about the oil comsumption this afternoon and she brought up a point I hadn't considered.

 

The car was stolen from our driveway early last year and recovered less than a week later when it was abandoned after the thief ran it into a curb and bent the right front wheel enough to make it undriveable. Car was repaired with insurance money at the time for the obvious damage.

 

There's a possibility that the oil consumption started then but I couldn't be sure. Car did not burn oil when we bought it with 121K on it; only 129K on it now. Hard to believe that someone could ruin the engine in less than a week but it's a thought.

I'm more convinced than ever that something is routing oil into the throttle body when cold. Anyone understand the air intake and PCV system well enough to point me in the right direction?

I am asking the question here because it comes up on oil consumption

issues for the 2.5, but does the 2.2 have a oil separator plate like the early 2.5s have?

 

Just wondering.

I'm more convinced than ever that something is routing oil into the throttle body when cold. Anyone understand the air intake and PCV system well enough to point me in the right direction?

 

Blow by when cold is possible, but we have gotten to the point where we need numbers. Start with a dry/wet compression test.

 

nipper

Blow by when cold is possible, but we have gotten to the point where we need numbers. Start with a dry/wet compression test.

 

nipper

Planning that in the next week. Thanks.

Also get yourself a cheap vacum gauge, between the two of them you can diagnose the internal health of an engine pretty well.

 

nipper

Planning that in the next week. Thanks.

Sorry, haven't sent the car out to have any real tests (compression, leakdown, etc) done on it. Been too busy to arrange this.

 

However, there is hope on the horizon. Last two oil changes I added about 5 ounces of seafoam to the engine oil. Since the last oil change I haven't had to add any oil in the last 1000 miles. The only other difference is I've taken the car on some longer trips (50 to 300 miles) to counter the short trip usage that my wife subjects it to.

 

Thanks to all for the useful advice and I will follow up on this when our family schedule settles down.

 

But for the time being, it's nice to see the consumption getting down to a more normal level. It still smokes for about a minute or so after a cold start, but that's also much less than it used to be.

Sorry, haven't sent the car out to have any real tests (compression, leakdown, etc) done on it. Been too busy to arrange this.

 

However, there is hope on the horizon. Last two oil changes I added about 5 ounces of seafoam to the engine oil. Since the last oil change I haven't had to add any oil in the last 1000 miles. The only other difference is I've taken the car on some longer trips (50 to 300 miles) to counter the short trip usage that my wife subjects it to.

 

Thanks to all for the useful advice and I will follow up on this when our family schedule settles down.

 

But for the time being, it's nice to see the consumption getting down to a more normal level. It still smokes for about a minute or so after a cold start, but that's also much less than it used to be.

 

Maybe the oil was overfilled at some point after the recovery. Reading the dipstick is a littel tricky. Level ground, engine cooled, all oil drianed back to pan.

cool.

 

Its sounding like the rings are stuck then.

 

nipper

Sorry, haven't sent the car out to have any real tests (compression, leakdown, etc) done on it. Been too busy to arrange this.

 

However, there is hope on the horizon. Last two oil changes I added about 5 ounces of seafoam to the engine oil. Since the last oil change I haven't had to add any oil in the last 1000 miles. The only other difference is I've taken the car on some longer trips (50 to 300 miles) to counter the short trip usage that my wife subjects it to.

 

Thanks to all for the useful advice and I will follow up on this when our family schedule settles down.

 

But for the time being, it's nice to see the consumption getting down to a more normal level. It still smokes for about a minute or so after a cold start, but that's also much less than it used to be.

 

It was shooting some blue smoke at the last rallyX

Maybe the oil was overfilled at some point after the recovery. Reading the dipstick is a littel tricky. Level ground, engine cooled, all oil drianed back to pan.

Definitely not over-filled. Takes 4-1/2 quarts for the change and I only use four quarts. I need to re-check it at work when the car is level since my driveway has a slight slant. I top the oil up at work and then observe it. So far it's been holding up okay.

It was shooting some blue smoke at the last rallyX

Yes, I know that's still going on, but it seems to be less than it used to since I'm not losing oil like I used to.

cool.

 

Its sounding like the rings are stuck then.

 

nipper

That's what I'm hoping. I still plan a leak down test when I can schedule it. I will continue the Seafoam additive since that seems to have helped somewhat.

My 90' legacy uses about the same quantity of oil as you described and I was wondering what exactly "seafoam" is??? Within the last 10,000 miles it has greatly increased its oil consumption and I thought I could give this seafoam a try.... maybe i'll get lucky or maybe not! What are you guy's thoughts on the oil additive "lucus"? Alot of people have told me to try it over the years but I have yet to do it!