Oil problem...

Well... This has just been a fantastic morning so far... For I donno how long now, the Firebird has had this disappearing oil problem. I top it off and within a week its completely out of oil. Its not a leak for I would have a puddle in the driveway and at work. But it must be leaking only when going up a hill or at certain RPMs... I know it sounds wierd, but I cannot figure out what is causing it or where it is leaking from even... I can smell it burning from time to time when driving which makes me wonder if its burning off the manifolds or downpipe, but I can't seem to locate any marks where it would be doing this. There is a little bit of oil marks down the frontside behind the water pump and other pulleys, but no sign of where it would be coming from. So really I guess I'm wondering if there is an easy way to find an oil leak besides way of just sight... It's quite the pain in the ass when you get stranded somewhere cause your car ate all the oil you had. :( Any ideas or suggestions?

You can just start replacing all the gaskets that keep oil from leaking (oil pan, timing cover, valve covers, rear seal etc....) and see if that fixes it.

Or you valve seals took a dump and now it uses more oil then gas.

my 86 firebird did what yours is doing to, I had it on jackstands and at about 2000 RPM and saw it dripping from the oil pan gasket. dont know why but it never leaked at idle...

I wish I could take the time to just replace them, but I can't exactly afford guessing games at this point since its my daily driver and I work practcally everyday...

I wish I could take the time to just replace them, but I can't exactly afford guessing games at this point since its my daily driver and I work practcally everyday...

I hear you on that, luckily my bird isnt my DD yet...

you could try what I did, jack the front up, and set 2 jackstands on the subframe each side(we dont want you squished), and put a brick on the gas pedal or have a buddy in the car hold it steady and at a higher RPM then idleing and see if you spot were your oil is coming from. might get lucky like me.

Hope you find it!

Uhhh... I'm thinking a brick on the gas pedal is gonna help me find the rev limiter instead of the leak. lol

if u have access to all data it can really be a help in diagnosing problems. beside just replacing random seals; check your head gasket. You should have wet sleeves in your block which would leak oil into your combustion chamber and burn out through your tail pipe, which would concur with the fact that you see no oil leaks. otherwise see if u have a puddle collecting somwhere in the lower parts of your engine compartment. Oh, I almost forgot; it might be a leaking valve too.

if u have access to all data it can really be a help in diagnosing problems. beside just replacing random seals; check your head gasket. You should have wet sleeves in your block which would leak oil into your combustion chamber and burn out through your tail pipe, which would concur with the fact that you see no oil leaks. otherwise see if u have a puddle collecting somwhere in the lower parts of your engine compartment. Oh, I almost forgot; it might be a leaking valve too.
You raise some good points here... I never gave it any thought to be being a leaky valve... Hmmm... That could explain why certain RPMs it causes my smoke cloud behind me? lol I know its burning some oil as I have oil specs on my back bumber...