Excessive oil consumption '00

[Dekeman]

I have a 2000 Windstar that I bought second-hand when our 03 was wrecked in the summertime. I only noticed yesterday that it has lost about 1.5-2 quarts of oil since I changed it in September. I also see that the coolant tank is stained brown, and that there's an oily sheen on the coolant in the tank. I don't think that the coolant is getting in the oil, though, based on the consistency and color of the oil on the dipstick. Could this be the intake manifold gasket leak that I've read about? I plan to do another change and send a sample to Blackstone to assess what's wrong before breaking out any wrenches (or outlaying any big bucks for stuff I can't handle).

[Dekeman]

Oh, and the driveway is dry. There was some oil blowback on the filter when I changed it, but there was no sheen of oil on the undercarriage. I tightened the filter to almost 3/4 turn to make sure it was sealed well.

[danielsatur]

Replaced PCV valve with a MotorCraft PCV.

[Dekeman]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

Replaced PCV valve with a MotorCraft PCV.

Would that account for almost 2 quarts of oil in 3 months?

[danielsatur]

It's a Start!

Is your MAF sensor, Air filter, and intake contaminated with oil from a bad PCV system?

[mark_gober]

Originally Posted by Dekeman

Would that account for almost 2 quarts of oil in 3 months?

Dekeman,

Interesting that you bring this up. I currently have the same problem (as does my brother on his 2003). I replied to a post within the last three days regarding this same problem. (see http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul....php?t=1058543 )

I have changed my PCV valve (as did my brother), and experienced no improvement. I do not believe that a PCV valve would cause this dramatic of an oil loss, OEM or not. I believe that the problem is bad valve stem seals. The seals are rubber and they are fit around the valve stems. They keep oil from leaking down your valve stems and into the engine. I removed my plugs and found very heavy deposits on the spark plugs. I suspect thats what you'll find too.

I am planning on replacing mine to see if that fixes the problem, but I haven't ordered them yet. The other poster is going to order the parts and replace the seals. Hopefully he gets some relief. My van has 160,000 miles on it and it just started consuming oil, fairly abruptly.

The task of replacing them is fairly straight forward. You'll need to either buy or borrow a valve spring compressor tool. You just have to ensure you don't drop any of the keepers or the valves themselves into the cylinder. I'm going to order my seals this week and hopefully have time to put them in before I go out of town in a few weeks.

Mark

[mark_gober]

One more thing, you might want to flush/refill your antifreeze with fresh green stuff to see if it gets tainted brown quickly again. That would certainly indicate a leak. My Windstar has similar brown expansion tank though (as does my brothers).

[serge_saati]

Yes, lower intake manifold gasket leak can cause the oil to go in the antifreeze. Sometime it's the opposite, depending which portion of the gasket is damaged. Sometime the oil also leak past the left or right lower intake manifold and drip on respectively left or right engine head. You can inspect the heads with a flash light. For the right side, it's better to go under the van. It's much easier to inspect the right side when it's lifted in a garage.
Inspect also front and rear side of the lower manifold, there's also small side gaskets there.

About a bad PCV valve, this one can cause the oil to be sucked at intake but cause also noticeable engine performance issues and oil deposit on the plugs.

Head gaskets can also cause that, but usually cause huge lack of power and unstable idle. And whistle sound also.

[northern piper]

send a sample of your oil to blackstone labs. That'll give you a good indication as to what' up.

[danielsatur]

Contaminated coolant in the coolant reservoir tank, will smell like fuel or oil.

[Dekeman]

Originally Posted by northern piper

Send a sample of your oil to blackstone labs. That'll give you a good indication as to what' up.

That was my plan, but I am having trouble getting the small tube down the dipstick. The tube is the smallest one that came with my fluid pump, and is designed to go down the oil dipstick, but it hits what appears to be bottom, then the pump only pumps air. I sized it to my dipstick, and it is not reaching where it needs to in the oil sump. Any suggestions? If I can't get it to work, I'll just have to go under the vehicle and do a complete oil change to get a sample. Was trying to avoid that for time's sake (as in I have no time).

[mark_gober]

Originally Posted by Dekeman

That was my plan, but I am having trouble getting the small tube down the dipstick. The tube is the smallest one that came with my fluid pump, and is designed to go down the oil dipstick, but it hits what appears to be bottom, then the pump only pumps air. I sized it to my dipstick, and it is not reaching where it needs to in the oil sump. Any suggestions? If I can't get it to work, I'll just have to go under the vehicle and do a complete oil change to get a sample. Was trying to avoid that for time's sake (as in I have no time).

I'm not sure what kind of fluid pump you are using, but you could open your oil fill cap on the valve cover and extract oil out of there while the engine is running. Just be careful because there are moving valves in there while you are doing it. You should be fine though. I'm not sure how much oil they need for a sample, but a syringe for medicine would probably be long enough to reach the bottom of the valve cover. Just a couple of ideas for you.

Mark

P.S. Did you ever purchase the valve stem seals?

[Dekeman]

I have the Harbor Freight hand-operated fluid pump that some forum members recommended. It works well down the transmission dipstick tube with the larger rubber tube, but the small oil tube is getting stopped somehow. I need to change the oil anyway, so I'll get the sample then.

I have not purchased the valve stem seals yet. I have, however, checked the filter, MAF and air snorkel for oil (clean and dry) and pulled a spark plug (normal wear, slightly powdery and a small burn mark on the insulator, so pretty normal). I have yet to suck out the coolant tank and check the fluid, but I suspect that that is where my oil is going, which likely means the intake manifold gasket (crap). Am I on the correct path here? The PCV still rattles, and the intake is clean, so I'm thinking it's OK. I'll still replace the PCV and install a catch can, though I don't see this as the problem.

[Dekeman]

I also have a code. P1409, which means:
EGR vacuum regulator circuit fault
ECM commands EGR vacuum regulator on-System
voltage too high or low
Probable cause:
1- Failed EGR vacuum regulator
2- Open or shorted circuit condition

I don't think the EGR could cause this. Could it?

[Dekeman]

Just remembered that I have the silver colored aluminum DPFE. I wonder if that's the issue or the actual EGR valve.