What are the causes of excessive engine oil consumption?
2 Answers
Engine oil consumption is excessive due to the following reasons: 1. Damage to the oil pan, leading to oil leakage. 2. Oil enters the cylinder and participates in combustion. The main faults that cause excessive engine oil consumption are: 1. Poor sealing at the engine body joints, resulting in oil leakage from the lubrication system. Solution: Replace various sealing gaskets or oil seals based on the leakage location to ensure proper sealing. 2. The oil level in the oil pan is too high. Excess oil will be drawn into the combustion chamber and burned, causing excessive oil consumption. Solution: Drain the excess oil to maintain the oil level within the standard range. 3. Excessive oil in the air filter. In a wet-type air filter, too much oil can be diluted under hot conditions and easily carried into the cylinder by high-speed airflow, leading to excessive oil consumption. Solution: Pour out the excess oil. 4. Damage, sticking, or breakage of piston rings, preventing proper oil scraping. When piston rings are worn, stuck, or broken, their oil-scraping performance declines or fails, allowing oil to enter the combustion chamber and burn, increasing oil consumption. Solution: Replace with new piston rings.
I've been driving for decades and seen too many cases of excessive oil consumption. The main causes include worn piston rings, which allow oil to seep into the combustion chamber and burn; aging or leaking valve stem seals, especially common in vehicles with over 100,000 kilometers; clogged or faulty PCV valves preventing proper oil vapor recovery; engine overheating leading to rapid oil evaporation; oil leaks such as loose oil pan gaskets; and using oil that's too thin during changes can accelerate consumption. I remember my old pickup truck in my younger days—due to piston ring issues, the oil level would drop noticeably after just one tank of fuel, requiring frequent dipstick checks. A reminder to all car owners: check your oil level monthly and address any issues promptly to avoid costly engine repairs.
