Losing oil
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 808
Likes: 286
From: Johns Creek, Georgia
Losing oil
I have an "05, M6 with 62k on the clock. I bought the car a little over 2 years ago and I'm the third owner. I didn't get any service records when I bought the car but I am keeping
accurate records now. I am losing oil, no leaks detected, no oil stains on the garage floor, no smoke out of the exhaust. Car runs perfect and I don't drive it real hard, just some occasional
hard pulls. I think I saw someone say valve guides once but if that is the case where is the oil going? Maybe a quart in 2k miles. I change the oil at about 25% left on oil life. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
accurate records now. I am losing oil, no leaks detected, no oil stains on the garage floor, no smoke out of the exhaust. Car runs perfect and I don't drive it real hard, just some occasional
hard pulls. I think I saw someone say valve guides once but if that is the case where is the oil going? Maybe a quart in 2k miles. I change the oil at about 25% left on oil life. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 2,334
From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
IIRC you won't get the classic blue smoke out of the tailpipe if the exhaust valve guides are worn because the oil isn't entering the combustion chambers and isn't being burnt. On the other hand I don't know what oil usage is normal. My experience is that I can drive 5000 miles on my LS3 and the level on the dipstick hardly drops. The same could be said for 2 previous GM cars. A 2001 Aurora and a 2008 Caddy.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 808
Likes: 286
From: Johns Creek, Georgia
I did read that oil loss is normal but I never had a car lose oil that I didn't find an oil stain under the engine, If I am losing the oil from the valve guides where is it going? Will I find it in the exhaust manifolds or the exhaust pipes?
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 131
Likes: 54
From: Oregon WI
I agree with Spaceme. I had the same problem you have with my 05. Replacing my PCV system fixed the problem. You essentially have to replace the valley cover under your intake. The PCV system is mounted on the underside of the valley cover.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 4,448
Likes: 1,386
From: SC
Have someone follow you and look for puffs of smoke in different on/off throttle situations. It may not be enough smoke for you to see it at 2000 miles per quart. It has to be getting burned it it's not leaking out. Only other place it can go is into the coolant.
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