This varies depending on the type of engine. let's take a look at modern gasoline engines. prior to 1995, most cars had “splash oiling.” a low-pressure pump moved engine oil from the main crankcase into the valve train and then to other areas that need lubrication. if an owner goes too long without changing their oil, dirt can find its way past checking valves in the system and subdue …
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is it bad to drive a car that burns oil?
there are three major oil-consuming areas in an automobile engine. all three of these require oil to be replaced on occasion, but none of them should need replacement more than every 3,000 miles (4913km) or so…
the oil dipstick is both hard to access and hard to read. if you maintain the car well it will never need changing. similarly, if your car burns oil, its probably because it's worn out – not bad design by any stretch. even with this type of abuse the most important thing you can do is change your engine lubricant when it needs changing rather than waiting until there is nothing left in the crankcase for it to “lubricate” against.
how do you fix a car that burns oil?
one way to fix a car that burns oil is to get the air filter cleaned, get new spark plugs, and get the motor tuned up. sadly, these measures may have limited effect on mileage or fuel consumption because of how lousy today's gas is. a more permanent solution might involve installing a lpg conversion kit for your car – but this could be quite costly.
remember that if your engine burns oil beyond what is required for proper lubrication, it's going to do damage to some parts inside the engine while shortening its life span. there are a few things you can do before giving up on your favorite vehicle: clean the air filter regularly and replace any worn out items such as spark plugs or belts at each service interval
why is my car burning up oil?
this is likely due to the viscosity of the oil not being specified for use in your engine's operating temperature range. viscosity, or “thickness,” is controlled with added additives like tbn (total base number), that serve as both stabilizers and anti-wear agents. additives in the right concentrations in an oil reduce its viscosity by making it thicker. as temperature increases in an engine, mechanical forces increase dramatically on metal surfaces and lubricating film thicknesses are quickly reached or exceed. when these critical film thicknesses are surpassed, metallic contact occurs – resulting in faster wear rates than expected with decreased viscosity oils (< 6 cst). for this reason, it's important to use lower spec
why is my car losing oil but no leak or smoke?
there are many maintenance issues that may contribute to why your car is losing oil without a visible leak or smoke. possible causes include fuel injection timing, improper air filter installation, poor vacuum hoses that may have disconnected, leaking valve cover gaskets which can cause leaks onto the motor sealing surface, head gasket/radiator seal leaks naturally seeping through the engine's exterior metal surfaces or knuckle joint let-down shaft seals.
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what could be the issue with my truck? my truck is losing oil but not under anything and no smoke coming from tailpipes
it sounds like you are doing what most people do when faced with an unknown issue – sending out one question at a time hoping
