The Astra G
I changed the oil at 113,806 miles. Checked again at about 114,000 miles - all good.
Drove to Kevin's today - nearly there - stopped at a garage. Noticed lifter tapping from engine bay. Mileage now at 114,500.
Checked level - Agrrhhh - dipstick dry. Put half a litre in - took it to the bottom of the stick.
Another litre - level now at top of stick.
Started her up again - lifter noise remained for a bit, and then settled. Sounded sweet again, afterwards.
No oil light came on at all.
There are NO leaks - engine totally clean, nothing on drive.
So it's going out the exhaust.
Oil consumption on these is 0.8l per 1000 miles, so mild consumption is expected and common.
We have noted that
* When started from cold, you get a puff of blue smoke, which clears quickly with normal driving.
* When left to idle for a couple of mins (hot or cold) and then given a hard rev - a puff of smoke - but you don't get another puff, unless you allow it to idle for a bit again.
When given some beans and driven hard - no oily smoke noticable in rear view mirror.
I'm going to check the breathers tomorrow, just in case it's being forced past the rings under pressure or something nasty - but otherwise - would you agree it sounds like valve stem seals?
Also, by the engine running 1.5 litres short, and tapping a couple of lifters, have I risked damage? It shut up as soon as new oil went in, no oil light came on, and it's done 150 miles fine since.
I'd welcome opinions, I just really don't want it to be the rings - because everything else is now sorted