Oil loss

[col_blu]

My 93 S13 is losing about 3.5 qts per 5k miles. It has 120k miles of easy driving on it. My mechanic can find no cylinder problems. evidence of burning, bad compression, etc and there's no oil on the garage floor. He changed the oil pan gasket, but no change.

It's gotten to the point that I'm adding as much oil between changes as I replace when I change the filter. Ideas?

Bruce

[teddy]

Is your car smoking at all out of the exhaust? Have you checked to see if you've got some nasty looking coolant?

[Florida240sx]

What's your compression #'s Try adding lucas motor oil. You said no leaks so it must be burning it. If it's a leak it is probably the front or rear seal.

[col_blu]

Coolant was changed about 10k miles ago and exhaust looks fine. Wonder if a leak could only lose oil when I'm driving and that's why I have no puddle under the car.

Bruce

[col_blu]

Don't remember the compression numbers. I was looking for continuity among all 4 cylinders and I got it. How high should it be? What's special about Lucas motor oil/

Bruce

[nightkid86]

why don't you run it in neutral in while it's parked some and get a friend to rock the car to simulate road bumps, and then look under it and look for a puddle.

[guyaverage]

Your valve oil seals are shot, pretty common for a higher mileage KA. They are cheap to replace yourself, I got mine off eBay for I think $16. If you have the proper valve spring tool, you can get the job done in about 2-4 hours. If you dont have the right tool, it will take MUCH longer. If you pay someone it probably wont be cheap. Its not a good job for a first-timer or if you havent worked on engines much.

I was burning about a quart of Mobil 1 every 700-1000 miles or so. I put my new seals on about 5000 miles ago, and it has not burned a single drop since, if I am to believe the dipstick.

[col_blu]

Thanks. That will be the way I'll go after I try nightkid's idea to eliminate any possibility of a simple leak.

[JesusLikesKFC]

u might want to try getting a blackligh and ink thats visable. just add a specified amount to the oil and run it. with the light any leaking areas will be luminated. srry i dont know the names for the product but i hope u get the idea. btw if your taking out the springs wear safty gogles and good luck.

[col_blu]

I may just give this a try. Has anyone seen a "how to" for doing this I could follow? Last car I removed the valve cover on was a 1960 TR3A (although I did it in 1986). Thanks.