The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

Oil consumption after sitting?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Some of you may be aware of my oil consumption issue, I used 5 or 6 quarts in the first 2,500 miles. I lost track. After my oil change it had not burned a noticeable amount, but it sat for a month then when I started it there was a burning smell under the hood. Not a really strong smell, but with the hood up it was pretty noticeable. I put 100 miles or so on it since that start up and it is now down a little over 1/2 quart. I had not been watching for this before, so did not take note of consumption vs how long it had sat, but I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it? Is there any reason it would burn oil after sitting? I know some motors (BMW bike boxers for example) do but that shouldn't happen with inclined cylinders.

Any ideas on where to poke around? There are no drips that I could find and the oil smells seems to be from the motor compartment not the exhaust, though maybe it is wafting under from the side pipes. It doesn't smell like exhaust oil burning though and there was no fancy colored smoke. My local dealers are worthless, so I am trying to get an idea on what it may be before trying to get it fixed. I've been told multiple times that my consumption is normal ::) I don't think it is the rings since the exhaust is always clear and with that much consumption it should show.
 

Sesshomurai

CaliMR said:
Some of you may be aware of my oil consumption issue, I used 5 or 6 quarts in the first 2,500 miles. I lost track. After my oil change it had not burned a noticeable amount, but it sat for a month then when I started it there was a burning smell under the hood. Not a really strong smell, but with the hood up it was pretty noticeable. I put 100 miles or so on it since that start up and it is now down a little over 1/2 quart. I had not been watching for this before, so did not take note of consumption vs how long it had sat, but I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it? Is there any reason it would burn oil after sitting? I know some motors (BMW bike boxers for example) do but that shouldn't happen with inclined cylinders.

Any ideas on where to poke around? There are no drips that I could find and the oil smells seems to be from the motor compartment not the exhaust, though maybe it is wafting under from the side pipes. It doesn't smell like exhaust oil burning though and there was no fancy colored smoke. My local dealers are worthless, so I am trying to get an idea on what it may be before trying to get it fixed. I've been told multiple times that my consumption is normal ::) I don't think it is the rings since the exhaust is always clear and with that much consumption it should show.

I had this same phenomena years ago with a brand new GTO. GM couldn't figure it out. I would find a friendly dealer asap who will warranty that condition. Not sure what causes it, but if you still got warranty, best not to poke around too much.
 
I don't have catch cans yet, nor a pressure gauge. The lack of smoke or even exhaust smelling like oil is why I don't think it is the rings. The smell I am pretty sure was from under the hood.

If I could find a friendly dealer, I would drop it off. It is a long story, but I have 0% confidence in any of the local dealers after many failed attempts to get things fixed. There is one that is supposed to be good about an hour away but I want to at least have some ideas on what the issue is before wasting another 1/2 day at work to drop it off and another to pick it up to have them tell me the oil consumption is normal again. I am doing a consumption test with one of the local dealers just to document the amount, but they claim even if it is consuming this much oil it is normal.
 

ace72ace

Zaino, I put that $hit on everything
1,242
71
That level of consumption can't be 'normal'. I just did my first change from the factory fill (6200 miles) and the oil level moved from midway between the 2 dots on the dipstick to getting close to the bottom dot. Basically hardly any loss. I haven't tracked my car and had sustained RPMs from 3500 and up, so that has to be considered a factor.

I hope you get a qualified mechanic to help you resolve this issue.
 

Boostd4

Relapsed Turbo Addict
161
0
Man, I hope you get this resolved. I was surprised by how much oil ends up in the catch cans, not enough to register on the dip stick...but still a lot.

You've been seeing oil consumption from day 1 right?
 
First time I checked oil was at 300 miles, and it was almost a quart low. It has burned about a quart per 500 miles through the 2800 oil change. Then it didn't burn any for 500 miles, then it burned a little over 1/2 quart in the next 100 miles.

FRPP has not given me a conclusion answer, basically they said the same thing I thought at first which is forged internal motors burn oil until broken in. But it should have enough miles now to calm down. Ford customer care says it is normal, as do the local dealers. I would be ok with a quart every couple thousand miles (my bro's V10 M5 burns that much) but this is more than I am comfortable with. I'm going to get them to confirm this on the oil test, if I can't get it fixed then at least if the motor pops down the road I have evidence of a preexisting condition that they did not fix.
 
Generally speaking, you usually do not see much smoke from the tailpipes of a modern vehicle that burns oil. The oil vapors get burned up in the cats before making it to the exhaust outlets. If the oil vapor is real excessive, it will eventually destroy the cats, at which time you will then see the smoke from the exhaust.
 
713
69
The mechanic from my dealer said 1 qt every 3000 is ok. Any more than that and there is something wrong. They are monitoring mine for the problem. I haven't diven my car in about a month with all the storms and cold weather. It's going up to 69 this weekend in NY and I'll be taking her for one more drive before our long cold winter comes. I'll check the oil first and I'll look out for the burning oil smell when I start her Saturday.
 
its more than just a thought.
its needed.

start by pulling each plug. looking for the tell tale signs of which cyl is eating the oil.
could be multiple cyl obviously. you can pull a compression test also on each cyl and a leak down.

if it sits for a while and then once started blows "smoke" its a sign of worn or bad valve seals and or valve guides.
if it smokes and or uses more oil while running its a sign of bad ring packs. copuld be a combination of both.

arm yourself with knowledge. go into the dealer with your results of these tests and inspections and read up on the current laws regarding lemons. contact ford reps at the same time and advise them of what is happening.

i have built hundreds of engines. and that is way too much oil.



steve
 

ace72ace

Zaino, I put that $hit on everything
1,242
71
Early to bed, early to rise Steve? Reply #11 on: Today at 04:43:12 AM ???
 
I have two 2012 Bosses and have had absolutely no problem with oil consumption in either one. Something is wrong with your car. Deal with it immediately. Do you have the track key installed? If so does that make a difference in which key you are using.
 
Thanks for the advice. I didn't know after sitting means valves. Once I have it documented for the oil consumption I'll try to get that done.

It seems to not consume oil when run hard, but on long highway trips in OD it consumes oil, is that also an indication of valve issues?


Track key doesn't seem to make any difference. For the deal with it suggestion, it has been in the shop many times and they claim to inspect and test drive each time including a couple over nighters and refuse to do anything. I have talked to Ford multiple times and they keep telling me that they (Ford) will not force the dealer to do anything. This is multiple dealers. The oil consumption test they at first refused to do, even though it is at my cost, saying that it didn't mean anything burning oil the first few thousand miles anyways. So the next step, if I don't get action after the oil consumption test, is to take it to an independent shop and then throw a lawsuit at the dealers and Ford. Honestly, at that point, I would just trade the car in on something else and slip a copy of all my correspondence and photos of issues to the NTHSA and a few choice others like Jalopnik. What really pisses me off is that this is probably the 10th Ford I have bought recently (I buy trucks for work and as the car guy buy for my family too) and maybe 20th in total and the only one that had real issues Ford stood by 100 percent. It is such a great car, and I know my issues are not common, so they should just ****ing fix it like they are supposed to, so I can keep enjoying the car I paid good money for.
 
I know others have asked this

Have you installed a catch can?
I would put money that if you pulled the
Intake off the top of her
(a relatively simple thing to do) you
Will find your issue

Oil should be laying on the back of each intake
Valve. Meaning your pvc system is pulling
Oil into the intake like its legal

My opinion and another check i would
Do if i had my hands on it
 
But if the PVC is sucking oil, would it do this volume? I checked just now, and after another 100 miles or so it dropped from 1/2 down to 2/3 down.

Also the MC barfed all over under the hood again. I'm going to pick up a new cap hopefully that helps, but the trajectory doesn't seem possible from just the cap, as it shot sideways and hit the sound tube and the sheetmetal past it.
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
Moderator
2,848
14
Connecticut
Under normal track driving you only get tablespoons of oil through the passengers side hose and almost none on the drivers side.

I agree with the other post - pull and inspect your plugs. Should be a nice light cocoa brown. Also do a compression test. If you don't have one and don't want to buy one PM me, you can borrow mine. You should see about 160 lbs of pressure on all cyls and only a small deviation in pressure between cyls.
 
do not discount that pvs though.
i have seen it many many times. one engine will not consume anything through its pvc system, then the next one uses oil like a oil fired battleship.

it happens in the chevy and mopar world alot.

those checks are the ones i would do myslef and or have some one do for you. that way you can have a plan when you go back to ford...
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top