Why is an Engine Consuming Too Much Engine Oil?

Published: 09/14/22 •  9 min read

The proper engine oil flow within your vehicle’s engine is vital to ensure efficient moving components. It ensures that they don’t get pre-maturely damaged or become worn out earlier than anticipated. However, there are instances when the oil used by the engine in your vehicle could be excessively drained, which can indicate that the engine parts aren’t working as they should. 

Increased or high consumption of oil within engines is a typical circumstance and is why we pay attention to it. Therefore, in this post, we have presented the top reasons for the high consumption of engine oil in your vehicle.

What is Excessive Consumption of Engine Oil?

Engine Consumption

For most engines, the average consumption of engine oil is when the oil level (during the entire life cycle of oil) is reduced from the upper to the lower end of the probe label.

In the case of highly accelerated engines designed for general usage (not sports engines) to ensure they are in good order, they are constructed to enhance lubrication efficiency and remove heat from the most critical areas of CPG. All of this is followed by an increase in oil consumption. For instance, for the majority of the V6 and V8 engines, the manufacturers permit oil consumption up to 1 liter for 1000 kilometers, i.e., 10 liters of oil per 10,000 km. This is 1.5 to 2 times more than the amount of oil inside the crankcase.

The amount of oil wasted is highly contingent on the operation mode. The engine runs at a rate near nominal and then a significant increase in oil consumption. A continuous urban run with frequent engine braking causes oil to suck up through guide valves. Thus, if we operate an engine using one of the modes (of mixed), then the consumption will be 1 liter per 1000 kilometers. If you are a fan of moderate suburban driving, the amount could vary from 0.1 liters per 1,000 kilometers.

Reasons for Excessive Engine Oil Consumption

We are all aware that the primary reason for oil is to lubricate parts of an engine to ensure that they run efficiently. There is a certain amount of oil consumption that an engine can handle in normal circumstances.

Modern engines need to use less than a quarter of a quart of oil per five miles. The majority of newer vehicles consume less. This isn’t a massive amount of oil, and the majority of engines can operate perfectly with this amount of oil.

However, some situations can alter your vehicle’s oil consumption by causing the engine to use more oil. If you do not supply your engine with enough fuel, or at the very least address the issue which is making it lose more oil, you could damage the engine. And that’s the last thing you will want to occur.

Reasons Your Engine is Using Too Much Oil

Here we have discussed some of the most frequently cited causes of excessive oil consumption in engines.

Bad Quality Oil

If you are using the wrong kind of oil in your engine or if your oil is old and has collected many pieces of dirt and debris, then it could start to ignite. Most importantly, this is because the oil will not be able to effectively lubricate the engine’s parts due to the condition of the oil. This can cause the engine to use more oil.

Tip – If the oil in your engine appears dark black or dark brown, get your engine oil changed immediately. It’s a DIY project that is easy to do. All you need is fresh oil, a filter for oil, oil drain pan car ramps as well as a wrench, and 20 minutes.

Old-Engine

The first five years of your car engine’s life are the most beneficial. These are when the engine requires the most oil since the components are fresh and sturdy. After putting a lot of miles in your vehicle, the different gaskets and seals begin to wear down and can cause tiny leaks.

This means that the car engine will use up more oil. Also, older cars have greater tolerances in the places between components, which could permit oil to pass through areas that wouldn’t be possible in the modern automobile.

Worn Seals or Gaskets

If your car has worn out or damaged the crankshaft seals or gaskets for valve covers and valve cover gasket, it will likely leak oil. If this occurs, your engine will lose oil every time you drive. This means that you will have to keep topping off your engine oil to prevent damage to your engine.

Tip – If you have gaskets or seals which leak oil, have them repaired promptly. Most of the time, it’s a cheap process that can help you save cas

h in the end.

Worn Piston Rings

If you have worn down or damaged piston rings and cylinders, oil can pass through them and eventually into the combustion chamber. The oil will begin to ignite while carbon deposits develop around the piston rings as well as the cylinders.

Tip – Most importantly, the oil level will likely decrease, and you will need to replenish the oil. Removing your piston rings is the only solution.

High Oil Pressure

If there is high pressure on the oil, the oil will flow through the engine in massive amounts. The oil is likely to get into the cylinders and then get burned. 

Tip – The high pressure in the oil could result from a wrong setting in the central computer. Similar to this is the issue of the over-use of oil in the course of an oil change.

Synthetic Oil

In the majority of instances, synthetic oils lubricate engines more effectively than conventional oil. However, since synthetic oils are made differently, they possess different properties for flow. This means that synthetic oils can occasionally penetrate more tightly-spaced openings than regular oils.

Tip – If you own an older engine or your gaskets and seals are beginning to fail, Synthetic oil could cause excessive oil consumption and leave you with a lower level of oil. Moving to conventional oil is often enough to prevent minor leaks.

Regular Oil Burning in One Vehicle May Be Excessive in Another

Although oil burning is a common issue, manufacturers don’t offer a uniform set of guidelines for this subject. What may be typical for one engine might be too much for another. For instance, BMW tells owners it’s normal for specific engines to use a quarter of oil in less than 1000 miles. The company claims average consumption “can be in the range of one quart within 2,000 miles on a properly driven and maintained vehicle.” Some manufacturers don’t provide any information in their owners’ manuals regarding oil consumption. And should you ask about “normal,” the answer you receive could depend on who you ask.

In general, engines less than 50,000 miles should not require more than a quart of oil per oil change (unless the manufacturer suggests otherwise). If an engine needs an oil quart every 3000 miles or less, it could indicate leaks (which might not be readily apparent) or internal engine problems like worn piston rings, valve guides, or seals of various types. When an engine is maybe 75,000 miles, and most likely, 100,000 miles, an increase in oil consumption is to be expected.

Additionally, many modern engines use thinner, less viscosity oil, like 5W20 or 0W20, instead of 10W30, for example. Because the oils are thinner, they can pass through gaskets, rings, and seals that have worn a little in time, which can lead to an increase in oil consumption.

What to Do When You Have a Car Burning Oil?

If the smoke coming out of your vehicle’s tailpipe has a blue hue, it is a sure sign that the vehicle is burning oil, not only gasoline. If your car is leaking oil into your combustion chamber, there is an issue that requires it to be dealt with as soon as you can. If you don’t see the smoke coming from your exhaust, it is clear that something is not quite right if you find that your vehicle is using excessive amounts of oil after oil replacement. Although a simple tune-up might suffice to fix the issue, more extensive repairs might also be needed.

Due to the lack of consistency regarding oil consumption, It is recommended to regularly check your oil level and seek out a mechanic for leaks if your engine is burning up oil. The average consumption of oil over a couple of years or even thousands of miles for one particular engine can be an excellent basis to determine when the consumption is excessive and may even signal that a leak or an internal issue is developing. Small oil leaks need to be identified and dealt with in the quickest time possible to prevent significant damage to your vehicle’s engine.

How to Fix Excessive Engine Oil Consumption?

The majority of the above-discussed issues are preventable and fixable when you pay attention to the oil you are using and the associated components.

If you own an old engine, you should think about selling your vehicle to buy an updated model with an entirely new engine. It is not a good idea to invest thousands of dollars in repairing the engine in an older vehicle, as many other parts could be in trouble too.

In the event of any of the causes, make sure you apply premium oil that your car’s manufacturer recommends. Repair any leaks in your oil when you notice them, and then replace the parts, including valve stem seals and piston rings, as required.

We are sure that if you adhere to this guideline, you will be in good condition regarding the oil consumption of your engine.