97 T-Bird Going Through Oil Like It's Going Out Of Style

[ac75001]

I have a 1997 Thunderbird LX w/V-8 engine, a tad over 108,000 miles and it runs really well. It always starts with just a bump of the starter, purrs like kitten, etc.

For the last several months I've started to notice that it's going through oil at a pretty good clip. It's not leaking anywhere, so I assume that its burning it. It's going through about a quart every two-and-a-half weeks or so epending upon how I'm driving it. My driving changes around, but generally consists of about 80% city, 20% highway.

My question is, what is best guess as to what it would need to correct this? I'm guessing new piston rings but I don't really know. Does anyone have any advice for me? It's getting tedious finding the right spec oil at stores around town (sometimes I can't) and then carrying it around and constantly checking and refilling it. Does anyone have any advice for me?

I want to keep this car it runs so well and it's been so reliable for me. I'd hope not to spend like two thousand dollars on it or whatever, but I've been without a car payment for 6 years now and I'm not too eager to aquire another one. I'd like to see if I can make this car go 200K miles.

Any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks to all.

[Headnsouth]

I've read a bunch about oil use from over at BITOG. Many members have used auto-rx to improve the oil burning issue. I myself am using ARX but have not gotten far enough into the clean/rinse phase to see any oil burning improvement yet in my 97 Saturn with 172K miles. But I have experineced better compression, increased mpg and a smoother running engine in all three vehicles I've used it in.
www.auto-rx.com
www.bobistheoilguy.com

[rhandwor]

Try cleaning out the pcv system and see if this helps. Does the engine smoke with the amount you are using it should be. Watch close for wet spots where you park.