Increased oil consumption

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adamskibx
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Increased oil consumption

Post by adamskibx »

Hello. Was wondering if anyone can shed some light on this. My BX 19 TGD is starting to use a bit of oil but it doesnt smoke or leak, even on cold starts etc. On long motorway trips it will use crazy amounts of oil if I drive at 85+ or at 65/70, yet when I drive about 75 it doesnt seem to use any at all. Very confused. It still performas as it should and returns over 50 MPG, and sounds perfectly OK. The in car oil guage has to be checked every 400 miles to make sure its not near the red. Basically since changing the oil and filter about 2000 miles ago, using a 5 litre can of oil, its got through a second 5 litre can of oil in that time. The milage is 165000 miles which isnt a lot for one of these engines, and ive always used the right oil and changed it regularly. I know this is going to involve replacement or adjustment of something so rather than stabbing in the dark I thought id see if anyone has any idea what the most likely cause is. Adam
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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

Strange this - We've got a TD BX with 200,000 on it and a ZX 1.9D with 75,000 miles, neither of which use any significant amount of oil - yet I'm subjected to a conversation by one of my neighbours telling me that they are all oil burners! (That will teach me to polish the ZX!)

Its got to be going somewhere! 400 miles per litre is not good and it must be coming out somewhere. If you don't think its smoking try driving it after dark and look at the following car's headlights as you accelerate! - Don't confuse steam from condensation in the silencers but you may well see something then.

What oil are using?

jeremy
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

5 litres in 2000 miles absolutely has to be a leak. You can't burn that much oil without there being clouds and clouds of blue smoke in the exhaust.

Prime suspects for that much would be the the turbo feed/return, sump gasket, or possibly an oil seal somewhere.

I've had XUD engines that were completely (and I do mean completely) knackered. Venting like there's no tomorrow, leaking everywhere and blue haze in the exhaust all the time, and they still only use a couple of litres between 5000 mile changes.
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yangreen
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Post by yangreen »

When I had my 19TGD, I took it up to 100mph. That seemed to get rid of most of the oil so I didn't try it again! That was a Full Service History, 150,000 mile car. Was quite nice but I didn't appreciate it at the time. Too sensible for a 21 year old perhaps!

Ian
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

Sorry... just realised this is a non-turbo engine isnt it... hence unlikely to be the turbo feed or return!

does it leak much on the driveway? It may be that the leak only occurs at speed, so you won't see it.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

It's not that simple you're using the wrong grade of oil ?

BX engines are from the era where engineers designed tolerances and clearances for use with mineral oils. Citroen has specified the grade to a conservative figure of 10W-40 - or 15W-40 - to be used in BX engines.

This has nothing to do with the quality of the engine oil used - but purely the viscosity grade.

If using a later modern fully synthetic type engine oil - this will have a viscosity grade of either 5W-40 or 0W-30. This is not a "better" quality oil - but a different type of oil with other properties than the former mineral oil.

The risc is the oil disappears out the exhaust if not the correct grade as specified. Exactly as I experienced with a fully synthetic 0W-30 in my old BX16 engine.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

If its leaking at speed you'll probably find the back window and bumper with oil spots - i know its always been a give away for diesel and LHM leaks so sump oil will do the same!

I'd look at the breather pipes first - they decay with age and work loose and spill oil over the front of the engine which is carried round the sides by the airflow.

I had a rocker cover bolt work loose on the ZX but didn't loose much oil from that - just enough to soak the bottom engine mount!
jeremy
adamskibx
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Post by adamskibx »

Umm thanks for the replies- youve all given me some pointers. I have noticed smoke in the left mirror in car headlamps at night but only when really accelerating hard- All diesels seem to do this a bit. That is literally the only time it smokes (literally above 3500 RPM at full throttle which is to be expected) I rarely do this as its not a car I like to thrash. I have taken it to 100 before but found it was in the red so I dont do that either. I have noticed some sort of sticky sealing stuff on parts of the breather but I cant see it actually leaking. I never see drips on the ground after parking- The only place I sometimes see oil is on top of the gearbox to the left of the engine but have no idea how that gets there. Its interesting you mention the fact about oil spots. I dont see any on the back of the car apart from some paint contamination just below the rear screen that has been there since I got the car- It wont polish out. Interestingly the MOT people gave me an adviosory saying "underside of car damp" but they couldnt fail it as they couldnt see what it was or where it was coming from. I think im going to have to start dismantling things to get to the bottom of this.
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citronut
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Post by citronut »

you are ment to put the sump plug back in after an oil change,he he he he,most likly rings,going that fast you probably leave the smoke standing
regards malcolm
paulbx
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Check with white card

Post by paulbx »

Get an a ssistant to rev the engien hard whislty you examine the emssions from the exhaust - use a piece of white card so you can more easily see teh colur.

Check in the air filter box that it is not swimming in your missing oil.

PaulB
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