2001 Sl2 1.9 DOHC Burning Oil

[daslieben]

I understand that these engines are notorious for burning a lot of oil does anyone know the common cause? I have no leaks, the plugs look fine, runs fine, and its been burning oil for a few years. Maybe a couple of quarts between changes. Has anyone had any success with lucas/stp treatments etc...or are they a waste of time??

[Ruley73]

Originally Posted by daslieben

I understand that these engines are notorious for burning a lot of oil does anyone know the common cause? I have no leaks, the plugs look fine, runs fine, and its been burning oil for a few years. Maybe a couple of quarts between changes. Has anyone had any success with lucas/stp treatments etc...or are they a waste of time??

The additives are a waste of time. A very short simple description of the problem is that oil accumulates in the combustion chamber because of the bad piston/ring design and gets burned. Rebuilding the engine with revised pistions/rings is the only solution to the problem.

[daslieben]

thanks for the response, other than ring replacement I guess the only option is to keep a six pack of oil in the trunk. I was pretty sceptical of that magic oil fixes anyway. What's the life span on this engine having the ring issue assuming I keep the oil topped off etc...Currently I have a 150k on the car?? Could I get another 75 to 100k off the car without a rebuild?? Honestly if it doesnt I'd be happy with the service the car has given me anyway.

[Ruley73]

Originally Posted by daslieben

thanks for the response, other than ring replacement I guess the only option is to keep a six pack of oil in the trunk. I was pretty sceptical of that magic oil fixes anyway. What's the life span on this engine having the ring issue assuming I keep the oil topped off etc...Currently I have a 150k on the car?? Could I get another 75 to 100k off the car without a rebuild?? Honestly if it doesnt I'd be happy with the service the car has given me anyway.

As long you maintain it well and keep the oil level up, you should easily get another 75K or 100K out of it. Many people do just that and easily exceed 300K miles.

[RC1488]

Originally Posted by daslieben

I understand that these engines are notorious for burning a lot of oil does anyone know the common cause? I have no leaks, the plugs look fine, runs fine, and its been burning oil for a few years. Maybe a couple of quarts between changes. Has anyone had any success with lucas/stp treatments etc...or are they a waste of time??

A couple of quarts? Thats pretty bad.

Try a Marvel Mystery Oil soak. I have posted a how to for this as a thread. Its not a total fix, but it does sometimes loosen up the oil control rings.

[daslieben]

Thanks for the response, 2 quarts may be a little bit of an overstatement, I don't have the best history of changing the oil every 3k, so it's a guesstimate. I found the how to for the Mystery Oil soak, I'll give it a try. I broke down and bought some lucas treatment, it was on sale so what the heck. It seems to help, but it's a result of the viscosity. It's like adding vaseline to the oil mixture or putting gum to cover a hole in a dam. How difficult is the ring replacement in this car? I'm going to try and stay away from it, every time I do something like that to a car I tend to create another issue, I'm not the most precise do it yourself-er.

[RC1488]

A ring replacement = Engine rebuild. Its easier and cheaper to get another junkyard engine and drop it in.

[plymouthsrock]

Of course, it's a crapshoot whether the junkyard engine burns any less oil. Mine goes through a quart every 500 miles, and will end up in a yard soon, no doubt.

[adb140275]

yeah ive heard of seafoam and marvel piston soaks, and ive also heard that the valve seals are to blame.

[pencilneck0]

those so called oil treatments are a bunch of nonesense! lets face it the rings are stuck and full of carbon and cannot do there job.(poor design) I own a 1999 sw2 that has this problom I have 60000 miles on it and it will burn a quart every 500 miles what a piece of junk it is!

[Cat Fuzz]

Originally Posted by pencilneck0

those so called oil treatments are a bunch of nonesense! lets face it the rings are stuck and full of carbon and cannot do there job.(poor design) I own a 1999 sw2 that has this problom I have 60000 miles on it and it will burn a quart every 500 miles what a piece of junk it is!

You don't comprehend much when you read, do you? What we are talking about is using Marvel Mystery Oil and soaking the rings with it to loosen the gunk that inevitably builds up around them. Usually the gunk can be avoided by using quality motor oil and keeping up on oil changes. Something most people do not do. Yes, drilling drain-back holes in the pistons is something Saturn failed to do but, again, the problems can be avoided with proper maintenance.

I'd be happy to buy a vehicle just like yours for $500. The MMO soak usually works the first time but could take multiple treatments.

[pencilneck0]

Originally Posted by Cat Fuzz

You don't comprehend much when you read, do you? What we are talking about is using Marvel Mystery Oil and soaking the rings with it to loosen the gunk that inevitably builds up around them. Usually the gunk can be avoided by using quality motor oil and keeping up on oil changes. Something most people do not do. Yes, drilling drain-back holes in the pistons is something Saturn failed to do but, again, the problems can be avoided with proper maintenance.

I'd be happy to buy a vehicle just like yours for $500. The MMO soak usually works the first time but could take multiple treatments.

Hey dummy , I have already tried multiple "MMO Soaks " the oil cunsumption increased after the soaks. Do you Comprehend?