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Loosing oil rapidly.

3K views 28 replies 6 participants last post by  M00n3at3r 
#1 ·
So I checked the oil level on my pony tonight just out of curiosity and it was way down. Thinking it was just because it was still hot and everything hadn't drained down, I pored in two quarts and that got it to half way on the dip stick. Later I check when it had fully cooled and the level had remained the same. So, before tearing everything up, I'm consulting the experts.

To get you up to speed I just did an oil change maybe 1k miles ago. The engine has 105k on it and I recently replaced the head with one pulled from the junk yard. Before you ask, no, I didn't have it milled. It was a low priority project so I was going for bare minimum spent.

With that said it's recently come up on the priority list so now it's back to work. I don't think I'm burning oil, I don't get any blue smoke at all and I would think I would be putting out some heavy smoke running through 3 quarts in 1k miles. So my thought is perhaps it's leaking into the coolant? The level in the reservoir hasn't changed though, which I would think it would with the addition of 3 quarts. Also not leaking out somewhere externally. There's never any spotting. Even on a piece of card board.

So if anyone has anything, I'm all ears.
 
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#3 ·
Did it myself. I never take my cars to any quick lube or the likes.
 
#5 ·
Did you use synthetic oil? I ask because you can burn a lot more synthetic and not notice any smoke in comparison to standard Dino juice.
 
#6 ·
5w-30 Mobil one synthetic. To correct my previous statement, the tail pipe is pitch black. Also has a very strong smell of gas. Also have developed a rough idle. I haven't touched anything vacuum related. Last time I had the rough idle problem it was an 02 sensor.
 
#7 ·
Also, checked the passenger side plugs. The look ashy but not black. It did look like in the threads on cylinder two the was some liquid of unknown origin. The top of the pistons looked damp, somewhat black and somewhat clean.
 
#8 ·
If it's not leaking it's burning. Synthetic will make the same color,type and amount of smoke as regular oil as well, not sure where you heard that one. It's likely burning at a rate that is not visible. It's very possible to burn 3 quarts in that timeframe without seeing much. Head job will likely not have caused the burning oil issue although the blown headgasket could have damaged the cylinder walls.

Time for a compression test, easiest way to see what's going on.
 
#9 ·
Compression test read 120 or right above with all 4 cylinders.
 
#10 ·
Also, seems to be oil or something on the exhaust inlet portion of the air filter.
 
#12 ·
I would say drain the oil and out some new stuff in but I don't think you want to do that... Check for leaks everywhere see if you find anything, I really don't know what could be making you burn oil :/ I looked around online it said check around the valve cover and the head gasket, then change the oil to a thicker one and install a new filter but that's after you check the valve cover, it's gasket and make sure it's tightened to right amount since that can make it burn oil...
 
#13 ·
Should I add some silicone and see if maybe it's just not sealing correctly/adequately? There is what looks like oil around the filler neck for the radiator. Perhaps a couple cans of engine degreaser and then some spirited driving to see if there's fresh stuff or if it's old.

I was entertaining the idea of maybe a crack in an exhaust port? Could be a reason there's oil on the filter...maybe?
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
I did recently replace it so I'm good on location. There is a Ford dealer right near me so I will see about picking one up. Should I like seafoam the vacuum lines to clear out any possible crap?

Also, was under the engine last night and might have found a couple of possible leaks. In the next couple days if possible I will degrease everything and see what happens. I will also run thicker oil and see where that gets me. Maybe a 10w-30?
 
#16 ·
Only other advice i can give is i run highmileage type oil 10w40. Also the valve cover gaskets leak on the 2.3. The one from auto parts leak i tried one.
Ford makes ametal core one that does not. Expensive clost to 40 dollars but works Maurice
 
#17 ·
Will look into that. A while ago one guy recommended rtv or black silicone. I hate the idea because it makes it look messy, but if it solve the issue, so be it. With the pcv, by "ford pcv" do you mean ford itself, or motorcraft/autolite?
 
#19 ·
Motorcraft ought autolite or the other way around I thought? I will track down a new one. I'll see about some seafoam to clear out the vacuum lines in case there is any oil in them.
 
#21 ·
Oh, alright. Well I'm running autolite plugs and wires. Don't seem to be any issues...yet...could you possibly direct me to a engine rebuild thread for our 2.3s? If I want this car to last I think ones in order. I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of my oil consumption/loss. The car sat for like 9 years before I got it working again so I have a feeling most of the gaskets, with the exception of a new head gasket, are shot.
 
#23 ·
#25 ·
I found that too. I don't think they have the correct pcv though...
 
#26 ·
How viable do you think this is. Thought one, an oil passage in the head is clogged and the oil is evaporating off and the fumes being sucked in through the throttle and then out the exhaust. Thought two, valve seals are bad and oil is shaping down the valves and being burned/blown out the engine.
 
#27 ·
Bumping real quick! Checked my pcv, and when shaken occasionally it would get stuck. There was a glisten to it so I'm going with it was sucking up oil. Will replace with a Motorcraft and hope that fixes it.
 
#28 ·
I had an 88 ranger with the 2.3 last year. God knows how many miles that motor had but it must have been ALOT. It didn't leak a noticeable amount of oil, and it would "sometimes" make a little blue smoke on start up and taking off from a light....but it wasn't a lot of smoke, you could pick it out form the air if you were trying hard to look for it.

Anyways, I never truly figured out way but that thing would lose an entire quart of oil per gas fill up. Did some research on it, and other people have had this problem with the old 2.3 rangers and most conclude it likely blow by causing oil vapor to be pushed out of the PCV and the crankcase breather. I cant argue with them, because to be straight up burning a quart of oil every 250 miles, less if your doing 70 on the highway, the damn truck would have been making a smoke screen. And it wasn't, so that seemed like the only thing that made sense. I never fixed it, just carried cheap Wal-Mart oil behind the seat and every time I gassed up I topped up the oil. So glad I got rid of the junk heap.

Hope your situation isn't as serious as mine seemed to be....fixing blow-by is fixed by doing a rebuild, or swapping in a V8
 
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