Is your car burning through oil like there’s no tomorrow? Even if it’s old, it is best to get it looked at as there could be a more serious underlying issue. This guide will help you understand why this happens and how to stop it.
Why is my car burning oil?
There are several reasons why your car could be consuming so much oil, and none of them should be ignored.
Common reasons why your car is using too much oil:
- Poor quality engine oil – if the formula doesn’t provide much protection or you use the wrong viscosity oil, it’ll probably run out quicker and could result in costly damages. Therefore it’s always important to buy and use correct and high-quality engine oil.
- Worn or damaged seals and gaskets – they can wear down over time or deform due to the high operating temperatures and conditions of the engine. This allows oil to escape.
- A loose or missing filler cap – this simple error can cause oil to be wasted or allow contaminants into the tank, affecting the oil and engine components. Keep it closed tightly to prevent corrosion and excessive wear.
- A worn fuel injection pump – in diesel engines, a worn in-line injection pump can draw in excess motor oil causing it to mix with the diesel, which can eventually damage the pistons and rings. To avoid this, buy a new fuel pump and install it in good time to save yourself a lot of hassle.
- Defective piston rings – the piston rings are designed to prevent gases from leaking out of the combustion cylinders as well as stop unwanted substances from getting in. If they’re broken or worn, engine oil may seep into the chambers.
- A damaged oil pan – the pan can get damaged by rocks and road impacts, such as potholes and bumps. This can cause a leak.
- An ageing motor – older cars are likely to have more wear and tear as they start to deteriorate. This may mean that the engine has to work harder and consumes more oil or that there are small leaks.
Car burning oil: symptoms
If you suspect that you are running low on engine oil, you should first check how much oil is left in the reservoir, as well as whether the filler cap is screwed on tightly. If your car doesn’t have an electric oil monitoring system that updates you, it should have a handy car oil dipstick that allows you to check this manually.
Apart from the obvious low oil level, there are other signs your car is using a lot of oil:
- A burning smell – this is a key indicator that there is too much friction and not enough lubrication, causing the moving engine parts to overheat and smell like burning oil.
- An overheating or steamy engine – when the motor reaches seriously high temperatures, you should receive a warning notification on the dashboard and you may be able to see steam or smoke coming from under the bonnet. If you do, stop driving and get the vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
- Blue/grey exhaust smoke – this is a sign that engine oil is leaking into the combustion chambers and is being burned with the fuel.
- Oily deposits around the engine components – if the oil is leaking into the chambers and other areas, you may notice a buildup of carbon deposits. For example, the spark plugs can become over contaminated and fail to effectively produce a spark.
- Low compression – if the compression is low in the cylinders, there’s a good chance there is an air leak somewhere, which means that the grease could be getting in.
How to stop the engine from burning oil
If you already have this issue, the first thing to do is to get to the bottom of it and get a thorough diagnosis. You can also use the list above as a guideline. However, if you want to stop it from happening in the first place, the best measure to take is to get the car serviced regularly and check the oil levels more often, including before long car trips.
You’ll find the recommended oil change interval for your specific vehicle model as well as the type of lubricant required in the car owner’s manual or repair manual. As a rule, most manufacturers recommend you buy an oil filter and replace it at the same time to ensure optimal performance.
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