Back Home - Myrtle used another 3 litres of oil.

Happywanderer · The Master

Back Home - Myrtle used another 3 litres of oil.

Delta18 · Guru

Is the car blowing blue smoke? This would indicate worn rings = engine overhaul.

Is there a puddle of oil under the car after sitting for awhile? This leakage may or may not be expensive, depends where the leak is.

The issue of excessive oil use usually comes down to one of the two.

Cheers Neil

Happywanderer · The Master

Thats the puzzling part Neil. Not blowing smoke and not leaking any oil. But she does tend to backfire a bit.
When I put new oil in it is very clear and new, obviously. When I check it the next morning after travelling the day before. its very black and heavy looking. Quite dense.

Delta18 · Guru

It is a bit hard to diagnose from here. A diesel engine oil looks black as soon as it is put in but a petrol engine not normally so.

Backfiring is more a sympton of incorrect ignition timing (assuming a petrol/gas engine) and wouldn't normally cause excessive oil usage.

Forgive me for asking this but I don't know your mechanical skills... confuse ...you are familiar with the markings on your (car's) dipstickaren't you? You wouldn't be the first person to overfill a sump and certainly not the last. biggrin

Oil usually burns or leaks, either of which are obvious to see.

If you could remove a couple spark plugs there would be signs of excessive burning there with heaps of gunk on the plugs....which MAY have something to do with the backfire.

Happywanderer · The Master

Oh, am I ever familiar with the dipstick.
Wasn't when I left home but boy did I learn fast. I know exactly where the correct level is.

A friendly caravanner when I was stopped in Kumbia suggested the timing might be out but no one has come up with an answer to the oil problem.

By the way it is straight petrol, unleaded with additive for the valve protection.

Happywanderer · The Master

Will have to check the spark plugs, and no this one is not obvious. (oil)

gubby · Guru

What type of oil are you using HW?

Happywanderer · The Master

20/50 Gubby

gubby · Guru

Is it a brand name or the cheaper stuff?

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Bet you are glad to be home Marj - quite an eventful trip in one way or another. As to y our oil problem - mystery if it is not dropping or burning - must be going somewhere - that is an awful lot to use - my vehicle (Nissan Terrano II Tdi) never uses oil between oil changes (5000k) - and it has over 230,000k on it, 1997 model -
Do you stil lhave your car at home, or is Myrtle your only vehicle? My husband used to say a trip always brought out the bugs in a vehicle, -
I might drive down to Vic later in year (maybe), and might come past Echuca, call in for a cuppa?
Anyway enjoy your "own bed" - keep us posted.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I agree with Delta19 (aka Neil).
It can only be getting burnt (blue smoke coming out of exhaust) or leaking out - and if leaking out at that rate then there would have to be 'puddles' or signs on the ground under the vehicle.
Something to try -
Get someone to assist, and:
a) start the vehicle and let it just idle for about 5 minutes, then, with the other person standing at the rear checking the exhaust pipe, give the motor a good rev up. If smoke comes out and then disappears, it could be that the valves are in need of attention.
b) let engine go back to idle for a while and then look under the car beneath where the motor is. See if there are any drops of oil appearing on the ground or dropping off the motor area anywhere.
c) with the assistant checking underneath the car beneath the motor area, give the motor a rev and hold the revs fairly steady - a very fast idle sort of thing. See if they can see any drops of oil off the motor or car anywhere. If none, then there probably is no bad leak.
d) with the motor still being held at a steady, fast idle, get the assistant to check the exhaust and see if there is any evidence, no matter how slight, of blue smoke coming out. If there is none, then give the accellerator a few longish 'blips' and see if smoke comes either as revs rise or fall. That would probably indicate oil (or compression) rings need replacing.
Any of the above will be expensive to fix quite probably.
When you have lifted the cover and checked the oil and then poured oil into the motor each morning, does the motor look like it is really dirty ... black, and dirty sort of? That could indicate a leak that is coming from maybe the rocker cover, soaking down being absorbed by the dirty motor. That could be a good thing in a way, because would be the cheapest fix.
Whichever way you go, it is going to need a mechanic to give the motor a going over. They will be able to check it out fully. But if you have already done some of the above and have some idea of what is happening, it will help to prepare youself for the 'repair bill'.
From what oil you have used on the trip home, it certainly does sound very bad. Sorry to not have good news.
Cheers
John

Happywanderer · The Master

Brand name from the actual garage. Think it was castrol, not sure without going out to the van in the dark and a long walk from here.
It was a black 4 litre container.

Happywanderer · The Master

Hi Jules, no Myrtle is my only vehicle now. A bugger but couldn't afford both on a pension.
Would love to see you if you came down.

I can guarantee there is no leak and no smoke. She sat in my sons carport on clean concrete for 3 weeks and not a mark. I've had caravanners slide underneath to check it out. No leaks. I have checked the ground myself, under her and in the area after she has been moved. No leaks.
I've had people stand behind her, no smoke. I've had people watch me drive past, no smoke. I've stood out the back while some one else sat in and revved the sh..t lout of her, well not quite that hard. No smoke.
She actually runs very smoothly when out on the road. Other than the backfiring which seems to happen when going up a steep slope, even still at 80 ks so not because going to slow or similiar.
Then about once a day, she will let out a big backfire just to let me know I better be awake. Reminds me of that train thing in back to the future when it goes off. Boom whoosh!! As she gets a burst of energy.

I will get this sorted by next winter and have a list of things to do once the motor is sorted. Not doing the other bits till the motor is sorted.
By next winter I hopefully will be able to do all the things I had intended this year.

gubby · Guru

That's ok, the only reason I asked is because some of the cheaper oils are very thin.

Years ago a friend of mine was complaining about how much oil his car was using, he was using the cheapest he could get. I talked him into using a better quality and it hardly used any after that.

Ma · Guru

Glad you aren't giving up Marj. Once you get everything sorted the journey begins. Good luck.

Happywanderer · The Master

I parked next to a couple in Moonie who happened to be from Echuca also. Didn't know them before. The hubby suggested I take it to Repco and get it checked. He thought for about 100.00 they can do some simple checks that could tell me what is happening.

I know it shouldn't use that much oil. Was talking to a friend last night. His is an 84 model, he said he rarely has to put extra oil in.
I've only had newer cars before this and did nothing between services other than put petrol in.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...
Given all the info above ..... I cannot understand (from my limited mechanical knowledge) how a vehicle could 'use' that much oil over that short distance.
I would very much doubt that the backfiring (timing out) would cause that much oil 'loss' ...... so ya got me tossed.
When it is found out ... let's know - would love to know.
Cheers
John

Happywanderer · The Master

When I ran out of oil on the way up, I rang my mechanic and he said to get 20/50 as a thicker oil and better for a vehicle that age..

Happywanderer · The Master

I will eventually get to the bottom of it.

Firstly I am going down to Geelong on the train for two weeks to house/dog/office sit for my sister while they are over in Singapore for a wedding. So nothing will be done till I get back. Need to get some money together also

Delta18 · Guru

Crikey, we have to wait weeks for this mystery to be solved???

I am at a loss now.

What type car are we dealing with?

Stoopid question I know but the oil IS going into the engine isn't it? Not into a auto trans dipstick hole?

I know the questions are dumb but we have looked at the obvious answers so the answer is NOT obvious.

Some front wheel drive cars use engine oil to serve the g/box and diff as well. Could it be leaking at a wheel?

Maybe a lephrecorn i stealing it???? biggrin

Cruising Granny · Guru

Wow HW! You would be wise to take out shares in an oil company at that rate.
Are there any signs of oil on the outside of the engine anywhere?

gubby · Guru

Delta18 wrote:
Maybe a lephrecorn i stealing it????

We'll keep our eyes open for some slippery wee folk.... biggrin biggrin biggrin

Happywanderer · The Master

Delta. It is a 1981 Toyota Hiace Poptop with the motor under the seat. To put the oil in I kneel on my bed behind the front seats. Lift up middle seat and push it towards the front window. Then I reach down in the motor and bring out the dipstick, I wipe it and put it back in to check it again correctly.
When it is lower than the little cross marked bit that takes up about an inch at the bottom, it needs oil. This morning the oil only came halfway up that little cross marked bit.
Then I take the big black cap off, I unscrew it, put a funnel in the whole so I don't get oil on anything else it shouldn't be. Then pour in the oil. Although I have a 4 litre bottle I pour a litre into a one litre bottle. I do that while standing outside so I don't get any drips in the van.
Then I pour half of the litre in, screw black top back on and wait awhile. Then I do all the check again, twice, so I am not overfilling it or making any mistakes. If its still too low I put the rest of the one litre in. If it is up to the mark I don't put anymore in.
If its about a 1/4 down I usually need half a litre. If like this morning its only half way up to that mark I need to put in a whole one litre but I still do it in two lots so I don't over fill.

Someone asked before if the motor looked dirty. No it doesn't really. its quite a clean silver, what I can see. You will know the whole motor spreads out under the other seats so I can't see it all. I can only see that bit under the middle seat.

Happywanderer · The Master

I know CG. She's costing me a fortune. The oil, the valve protectant, and coolant, all packed in the underseat just in case.
If I catch the b....y little leprachaun, I will ring his neck.

ken thomas · Guru

Hello Marj
good to see you are back safely,strange about the oil
Let me know about coffee
Ken

Delta18 · Guru

That sounds good HW, I can't fault your checking & top-up procedure. evileye biggrin

When it is light perhaps you could have a look at the exhaust pipe outlet (the place where the smelly stuff comes out confuse ) and check the colour inside the last bit of pipe. If it is a nice biscuit grey colour then all is most likely good IN the motor. If it is sooty, wet black then not so good.

If it is grey then we are back to finding a leak, only eyes under the car can see that. If a rear main bearing seal is leaking then it could appear to be coming from the front of the gearbox, from the clutch housing.

Travel Bug · Guru

Glad to see that you made it back home ok Marj...but sorry about your oil dramas. It really is a mystery isn't it.
Hope it turns out to be something not too expensive and that it will soon be sorted.
Cheers. smile

Cruising Granny · Guru

Just find a TRUSTED mechanic who will do the right thing by you.
Who did the initial mechanical check? You may have to take them out to the flat and give them what for!
If not, you may have an issue with the initial appraisal of your Myrtle in the beginning.......

landy · Guru

Hi Marj

When you are geting Myrtle checked out ask them to make sure she has the correct dip stick. Some times people lose them and put the wrong dipstick in. If it is not the correct one and you are over filling her you will cause greater oil consumption.

Landy

Vic · Guru

HW

Are you a member of the RACV and like the RACWA do the allow a free one item check if you take your vehicle in? If so, might be worth doing that and see what they find.

Once I had a Cortina that was backfiring and cutting out, took it to a garage and they claimed I needed a new motor and the rings were gone.
I took the vehicle into the RAC and had them give it my free check instead. The RAC mechanic went straight to an engine breather pipe that was feeding back into the carby, he pulled the pipe out (it was a bit like a piece of metal conduit) of the engine block, showed me the oil build up inside, gave it a quick clean out with a screwdriver and wiped it with a bit of rag and told me to clean it in petrol properly when I got home.
He replace it back in the engine and the engine ran like a clock. Must have taken him all of 5 minutes.

I am not saying your engine is the same set up or would have the same problem, but if you are entitled to a free RACV check (one item only) then it could save you a bit of money taking it in. Give them a ring and see what they say. Does your vehicle have a 3 month warranty? If so take it back to the dealer if the RAC says it is anything serious.