Oil Consumption?

I drive a '92 Ranger 5sp, 145,xxx miles. For about the past year, it's been consuming oil at about 1qt/ 500 miles. But in the past few weeks, it's gone to about 1qt/ 200 miles. Also, I've noticed that the oil pressure drops while driving, but comes back up while idling. It has never leaked a drop of oil. I seem to be burning a little bit (according to carbon at the tailpipe), but it doesn't seem to be as much as I'm replacing. Are there any ideas at all as to what could be the cause? I'm wondering if it couldn't possibly be the thrust bearing. I must admit, I don't know too much about the thrust bearing, but I understand that they tend to have more problems on vehicles with manual transmissions.

Also, I just had the valve cover gasket replaced, and was told that that would solve my oil consumption issue (though I'm not real sure how). Needless to say, it didn't solve my problem at all. But since that time, once the engine gets warmed up, the "Check Engine" light comes on, and does not go off. The EGR was checked and found to be fine, and the mechanic can't find anything else that would cause this. Any ideas on this issue?

Any help at all is greatly appreciated.

I had a 4 cylinder that sucked oil like you are talking about. My air cleaner was always drenched. The rings get so bad in those motors the compression of the cylinders blow by and force heated oil vapor into the air cleaner through the pcv system.

Andy

Have you checked your compression? That might give you an Idea of where some of the oil might be going. That seams like a lot of oil, and if the oil pressure is dropping when you are moving I'd guess your compression is low, when it's idling it can handle the pressure but when you are going it is letting the oil past the rings.

Of coarse this is all pretty much a guess since I really don't know what I'm talking about so good luck.

I dont own a Ford myself but a friend of mine does. It's a 98 Ranger...oil is leaking big time. She was told that it was a cap behind the crank shaft?? Could that be right??