Heavy Oil consumption

[JamesV6CDX]

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   

[Del Boy]

Your not having the best of luck with that car are you mate?

[webby23]

Do they have valve stem oil seals........??

[KillerWatt]

Oil consumption on these is 0.8l per 1000 miles, so mild consumption is expected and common.

0.8l per 1000 miles?

Jesus, that's not mild James....that's almost a 2 stroke total loss system.

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 say so long as it was being driven "normally" (ie, not by a spotty 17 year old who has just passed his test and thinks he's Schumucker), then it's more than likely just fine.

As to your description about the smoke, I'd be thinking valve stem oil seals as well (if it were the rings, it's wouldn't clear).

[TheBoy]

Oil consumption on these is 0.8l per 1000 miles, so mild consumption is expected and common.

0.8l per 1000 miles?

Jesus, that's not mild James....that's almost a 2 stroke total loss system.

That is the manufacturer stated oil consumption, and is similar to most engines.  Once run in, reality is there is virtually zero consumption.


James - my brother has had a load of 1.6 Astras, and none of them used any oil between changes...

[Martin_1962]

Is it 2001?

If so - I wonder if it has the bad batch of valve seals

[JamesV6CDX]

Is it 2001?

If so - I wonder if it has the bad batch of valve seals

I thought it was 2002 - but actually, it's September 2001

TB - I had a look on the Astra owners network - there are shedloads of people with oil consumption probs on there - all ages of Astra.

Google "Astra Oil Consumption" - it's quite worrying!

My Veccy B With the same engine (albeit 200cc bigger) used oil like it was going out of fashion - but, I expected it with 230000 on the clock!

[JamesV6CDX]

Taxi Driver - if you see this, maybe you can recall how much oil our trusty Veccy B went through?

I recall getting through about 3 litres on a trip to scotland and back, it drank oil like it was going outta fashion - however, never any smoke, or leaks... and it went like the clappers!

[feeutfo]

an old work colleague had a year old astra that used similar levels of oil about a litre every k. After a long haggle with vx they fitted a new lump. I realise your car is older but should give confirmation its not right, as if that where needed.

Would guess stem seals, and would think, if rings or bore related, it would give a constant and steady loss . But this theory, not experienced based. :-)

[JamesV6CDX]

Just a thought.

I currently have halfrauds 10/40 semi oil in there. (It was all I could get on a sunday).

Anyone see any advantage in changing it for GM oil?

I also wonder if it's worth using some VX 15/40 mineral oil if it is using some, might slow down the consumption a bit....

[TheBoy]

Is it 2001?

If so - I wonder if it has the bad batch of valve seals

I thought it was 2002 - but actually, it's September 2001

TB - I had a look on the Astra owners network - there are shedloads of people with oil consumption probs on there - all ages of Astra.

Google "Astra Oil Consumption" - it's quite worrying!

My Veccy B With the same engine (albeit 200cc bigger) used oil like it was going out of fashion - but, I expected it with 230000 on the clock!

I guess if its been ragged to buggery, and I guess a fair few are, there may be an issue.  None of the Astras I know have ever been oil drinkers....

[JamesV6CDX]

Is there a test to determine if it's rings or stem seals?

I still think it's stem seals, because there's no smoke at all when, er, driving enthusiastically - the smoke comes either whtn you start up - or, after it's idled for a couple of mins, and then revved...

If it's seals, I'll just bite the bullet and do it, seeing as it's summer....

[Lizzie_Zoom]

My first car used to drink oil, 1 gallon to 10 of petrol, until I was brave enough to replace the piston rings after doing first the valve seals.

What I learnt then was that when it is piston rings blow through, you notice that when de-accelerating down say a hill the blue smoke would disappear as the cylinder pressure decreased, but as soon as I accelerated again and full chamber pressure was applied thick blue smoke would obliterate anyone behind (once a police car!! ).

Now James I am not suggesting you have got my old extreme piston ring problem, but have you noticed such an effect when easing off the throttle and then accelerating?

Just a thought from someone experienced with very old, near wreck cars, when piston ring problems were far more common than now!

[JamesV6CDX]

My first car used to drink oil, 1 gallon to 10 of petrol, until I was brave enough to replace the piston rings after doing first the valve seals.

What I learnt then was that when it is piston rings blow through, you notice that when de-accelerating down say a hill the blue smoke would disappear as the cylinder pressure decreased, but as soon as I accelerated again and full chamber pressure was applied thick blue smoke would obliterate anyone behind (once a police car!! ).

Now James I am not suggesting you have got my old extreme piston ring problem, but have you noticed such an effect when easing off the throttle and then accelerating?

Just a thought from someone experienced with very old, near wreck cars, when piston ring problems were far more common than now!

Hiya Lizzie

Nope - no smoke on the over-run... it's only when left to idle for a few mins, and revved, that it smokes.

Don't notice any when driving....

[Lizzie_Zoom]

My first car used to drink oil, 1 gallon to 10 of petrol, until I was brave enough to replace the piston rings after doing first the valve seals.

What I learnt then was that when it is piston rings blow through, you notice that when de-accelerating down say a hill the blue smoke would disappear as the cylinder pressure decreased, but as soon as I accelerated again and full chamber pressure was applied thick blue smoke would obliterate anyone behind (once a police car!! ).

Now James I am not suggesting you have got my old extreme piston ring problem, but have you noticed such an effect when easing off the throttle and then accelerating?

Just a thought from someone experienced with very old, near wreck cars, when piston ring problems were far more common than now!

Hiya Lizzie

Nope - no smoke on the over-run... it's only when left to idle for a few mins, and revved, that it smokes.

Don't notice any when driving....

Ok James, so that seems to rule that one out then

But as you describe it is a lot of oil to burn, and although you may have valve stem trouble, you haven't got a leak somewhere elsewhere in / outside the engine?  Hole in the sump, that only leaks when engine pressure increases?  HG leaking, once again when pressure is raised when revved? Have you had someone look round the engine when it is revved hard to watch for any obvious leaks that do not show when just ideling?

Going back to my old problem, when you are burning the amount of oil you seem to be then you will see a lot of blue smoke if it is entering the cumbustion chambers.  But you say it is not noticable when driving.  It should be if oil is going out through the exhaust, like when I obscured that police car in 1971!!