High Oil Cunsumption

[VABchRick]

Have a 99 Prism with less than 50K miles. Goes through @ 1qt of oil per 500 miles (Highway). More if in the city.

No leaks in driveway, No blue smoke. Tailpipe area has a black coating.

Am I burning or blowing oil? Am I looking at a rebuild here?

Submitting for a co-worker.

Thanks.

[johnholl]

It's has to be going somewhere. Take the oil filler cap of the top of the engine. Is there excessive blow-by gasses [engine at idle]? Next, if you can, run a compression test. If one cylender is low, try adding a few drops of oil into the sparkplug hole. If the compression increases, you may have a sticking valve.

Check for leaks at the drainplug, and oil filter. It's hard to find oil leaks, especially if the oil is being burnned by hot engine surfaces

[cashmerethoughts]

Is there excessive blow-by gasses.... My prism has this, and the oil goes fast... what does that mean?

[johnholl]

Originally Posted by johnholl

It's has to be going somewhere. Take the oil filler cap of the top of the engine. Is there excessive blow-by gasses [engine at idle]? Next, if you can, run a compression test. If one cylender is low, try adding a few drops of oil into the sparkplug hole. If the compression increases, you may have a sticking valve.

Check for leaks at the drainplug, and oil filter. It's hard to find oil leaks, especially if the oil is being burnned by hot engine surfaces

This is not my post, and or reply

johnholl

[johnholl]

lay a white sheet or card board under the car for the night, or let the car idle over the card board for a while. Unless it's something relatively inexpensive like the valve cover gasket, i'd live with it. Many times you spend all that money to make it right, and it will start leaking again in another year. My wife's car leaks. I just keep a carefull eye on the level and add when low.

john holl

[n1ckml007]

My 1999 Prizm also does the disappearing oil trick.

[Too Many Old Cars]

My 1999 Prizm does the same thing. I purchased it used and have only had it for about a year. A quick search online suggests this is a common problem with the car. In fact, I'd be interested in knowing if anyone with 100,000+ miles on their vehicle doesn't have this problem and what they have done. One individual has begun putting a commercial oil renewal product in when he changes his oil and has found it helps. Is there anyone else that has found a good solution. Has changing valve rings helped with the problem?

[johnholl]

I've had prizms.with both the new and the old 1.6L engine. Never had a lick of oil consumption with the 1.6L It's to bad GM stopped their partnership with Toyota and stopped selling the Prizm. They sold a shitload of them. And maybe they wouldn't be in the financial straits they are today. The Cobalt was a poor substitute. They only thing you have to watch on the 99 is that the differential unit has fluid. Unlike most trans axles, is fluid is not supplied by the transmission. it has a check plug underneath. Mine went dry and fried it...

good luck ..........
john

[n1ckml007]

"differential unit has fluid" stupid question, is this true only for automatic transmissions ?

[johnholl]

all differential units have fluid, however most front wheel drive differential units have their fluid shared by the automatic transmissions.

john