Where's the oil gone?

[95supreme]

I looked on the driveway and there's no oil leaking. I checked the oil and had to add a litre yesterday.

I have a 1995 Cutlass Supreme. I had the intake manifold gasket replaced last week (expensive!) and oil changed too. I had my valve covers and other gaskets replaced last December.

Prior to having the gasket replaced, some oil did go into my antifreeze, but they flushed the system.

It's summer and we have hot and humid weather. The engine also runs hotter. Around 100c. The fan does kick in around 110c, and brings it down to 100c then the fan kicks off. Driving in the city it rarely goes under 100c.

It doesn't seem to be the head gasket according to my mechanic. Car has alot of km, 313,000.

So, what could it be?

[GTP Dad]

How fast are you loosing the oil? This sounds like normal oil consumption for a vehicle with that many KM's on it. You may want to try a can of Restore, this is forumlated to help with oil consumption also a higher viscosity oil will improve the oil consumption as well.

[95supreme]

Hi GTP Dad,

Thanks for the tip! I've put so much work into that car ($8000.00 in the past year) that at this point I would never sell it, but keep it as a second car and maybe do some restore work on it.

I'll look into the can of restore, and use a higher viscosity oil. What do you think of DuraLube oil treatment? I heard it can turn your engine to glass?

[GTP Dad]

Not a good treatment and can damage the engine. I use restore in my high mileage car and don't use any oil between changes and it improves the performance by increasing compression. In high mileage engines oil consumption is inevitable it is just controlling how much it burns that is the key to keeping the engine in the vehicle.

[95supreme]

Thanks again GTP Dad. I got the slick 50 oil treatment especially for older engines, which is supposed to also help oil consumption. We'll see how it all goes!

[2much4ya]

I also own a 95 Cutlass Supreme and I have the same problem. I've tried just about everything. High mileage oil types, Restore, Lucus, stop leak products. Every tank it burns a quart of oil. I think the solution is have the rings replaced. Outside of the large consumption of oil , it's a great car. I still get about 25-30 mpg (when oil is in it).