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Oil consumption

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Old Jan 27, 2008 | 06:41 PM
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Default Oil consumption

I’ve noticed my car is using about 1qt. of oil every 1000 miles. I do drive it hard, but I don’t know when I really am having a problem with consumption. The motor is built 408 low comp with about 10k on it. Any advice here would be appreciated.
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Old Jan 27, 2008 | 07:13 PM
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Does it smoke briefly at start up? If so, that's a good indication that your valve guide seals are worn/damaged, which could account for the oil consumption.

How do the spark plugs look? Are any of them black and oily looking?
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Old Jan 27, 2008 | 09:45 PM
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Originally Posted by j curtiss
Does it smoke briefly at start up? If so, that's a good indication that your valve guide seals are worn/damaged, which could account for the oil consumption.

How do the spark plugs look? Are any of them black and oily looking?
Recently when it was cold outside and I hadn’t cranked it in about a week, it smoked horribly. Like someone lit newspaper on fire.

But now that you say that it does briefly smoke at start up.

I plan on pulling the plugs this week sometime to check them out also.
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Old Jan 31, 2008 | 05:09 PM
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Ok, I pulled the plugs and do not see any sign of oil or build up on them.

So now where do I go with this?
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Old Jan 31, 2008 | 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by SPD KILZ
Ok, I pulled the plugs and do not see any sign of oil or build up on them.

So now where do I go with this?
Hmmmm......smoke on startup. Could be stems seals or seats.
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Old Jan 31, 2008 | 06:37 PM
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If one of the spark plugs was noticeably sooty/oily looking and the rest were very light tan, then the oil consumption problem could probably be isolated to that one cylinder. However, it sounds as if when you pulled the plugs recently, they all had a uniform appearance with no signs of oil burning?

So, with smoke visible on start up, I'm inclined to believe that oil is leaking past the valve guides. And if the engine also smokes on trailing throttle, I would say that the chances are even greater that you have a valve guide seal problem.
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Old Feb 1, 2008 | 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by j curtiss
If one of the spark plugs was noticeably sooty/oily looking and the rest were very light tan, then the oil consumption problem could probably be isolated to that one cylinder. However, it sounds as if when you pulled the plugs recently, they all had a uniform appearance with no signs of oil burning?

So, with smoke visible on start up, I'm inclined to believe that oil is leaking past the valve guides. And if the engine also smokes on trailing throttle, I would say that the chances are even greater that you have a valve guide seal problem.

All the plugs I pulled were white on the tips. Almost like a white powder that would rub off.

Ill get a follow to check and see if I have any trailing smoke.
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