Burning Oil?

[Earlsfat]

I've noticed that every 100 - 200 miles my maro seems to be about a half quart of oil short! It smokes SLIGHTLY when starting it up, and only for a second or two. I haven't noticed smoke from the exhaust otherwise. There is no antifreeze in the oil, or vice versa.

I check the oil every time before I drive it, and it's dissappearing a little at a time because I haven't noticed it when I check it. It's not leaking from the oil pan, The bottom of the engine is grimy, but I don't think it's totally covered with oil. There is a tube with a metal thing in it that comes out of the passenger side valve cover and goes someplace by the back of the carb / distributor / air cleaner, that occaisonally comes loose and falls out, but it hasn't done it lately so I know that's not the cause either.

Engine is a 454, with god only knows what modifications.... Anyone know if they burn oil???? I remember hearing someplace that SOME oil consumption is normal, but a half quart every couple hundred miles? Seems a little much to me.

[testtube]

Sorry for being off topic, but is that 454 in that camaro in your sig? If it is, thats frickin bad ass!!!

[justinsz8]

sounds like you need new valve seals, if it smokes a little when you first start it then it's fine after that. they're pretty cheap to have done.

[Earlsfat]

Yep, 454 is in the sig pic. I knew it would be expensive to run, but christ man, Sunoco LOVES me.

[Genopsyde]

i had that problem on another car i had. The oil pan was a little wet with oil too, so i tightened all the oil pan bolts and the problem went away.

[Earlsfat]

Thanks Geno, I planned on going through the entire car tightening up every bolt & fastner I can reach when I get a chance. I didn't think about doing that on the engine stuff though. Only problem is... Do ALL engine bolts, etc need to be torqued or can I just go and crank 'em down? If they need to be torqued, I would have to find out the values for the specific motor I have right? Or are they all the same?

[Genopsyde]

i would say torque specs on a car that came stock with a 454 would be ok, might wanna PM rob about it tho. he'd know better than I would.