As a responsible car owner, you know how important it is to change the oil regularly. You read the owner’s manual carefully to find the perfect interval, and when the mileage counter reaches that threshold you make an appointment with the mechanic – or fix everything yourself. However, it is also important to know what causes your car to use more oil than it should.
Worn Valve Stems
The valve stems inside the engine are frequent causes of excessive oil use, and as they get older the wear and tear can cause them to leak even more.
If your vehicle is using more oil than it used to, ask your mechanic to check the condition of the valve stems. If addressed early enough, this relatively simple repair could head off a larger and more expensive engine problem.
Leaking Guides and Seals
When your engine was brand new, it was a fully closed system, and the oil simply circulated through, picking up impurities and debris as it moved through a series of guides and seals. Over time, however, those guides and seals may allow oil to leak out, resulting in higher and higher oil consumption.
Leaking guides and seals can be expensive to repair, but not nearly as expensive as the engine itself. If you have noticed a marked increase in the amount of oil your vehicle uses, ask your mechanic to check the guides and seals for damage.
Faulty Piston Rings
The pistons in your engine do a lot of work, moving up and down with every mile you drive. Even when your car is idling, those piston rings are still working, and wear and tear can take its toll over time.
If your engine is using more oil than it used to, there is a good chance faulty piston rings are to blame. And while replacing those worn piston rings is a major repair, it is still much cheaper than waiting for your engine to fail completely. When those pistons are starting to go, you may also notice unusual sounds like knocking and pinging, and those warning signals should never be ignored.
When your engine is brand new, it uses little to no oil, but as the systems inside age, you may notice a marked increase in oil consumption. If you want to keep your car for the long term, you should heed that increase in oil usage, as it could be an early warning of bigger problems to come.