True oil usage check
 

I wanted to get a really good check on my 85 3.2 oil usage so I read that the difference between the high and low marks is 1.85 quarts . So I filled to the mid point of the marks with motor hot and running. Then set my odometer to 0. Well I have gone about 820 miles since I started but I notice that my level is low but still about 1/4 inch above the low mark. It just seems to stay there after every ride. Anyone else notice this on their cars? I'm pretty happy with my old car with my reading. I'm thinking I should get about 1000 miles before I need to add for my test. My car has 143,000 miles, never been apart and has passed its last 7 Cal smogs. Thanks, Nick

Per the owners manual you should burn 1 quart every 1k miles;)



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1989 Porsche 911 convertible 67k
2009 BMW 328i Coupe
1971 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Just sold it)
1991 Toyota 4x4 pickup (that I've owned for 22 years) 150k miles

Actually my owners manual says 1 liter per 600 miles may be 'normal' depending upon driving habits.
Lots of folks consider 600 mpq to be on the threshold but I know some mechanics that say go down to 3/400 mpq as the limit.
You seem to be doing fine.

My 88 needs a quart every 600 miles or so. It has almost 85k, and the original valve guides (no rebuild).

It probably burns most of that, and leaks some of it: the motor seeps oil in a few spots, and drips a little from the "trinity". It smokes very little, and barely marks the garage floor -- but I expect some of the drops are burning off on the heat exchangers, etc.

I will drop the motor at the end of the summer and address the leaks, change the oil, adjust valves, and see what effect that has on consumption.

I've noticed the same thing with my 86. If I add a quart to bring the level up to about the mid-point my car will burn down to some point just above the lower mark and hang there for a good while before dropping low enough to warrant adding a quart. As long as I'm not rawhiding the car too much I'm over 1k miles to burn a quart. -J

Ye[, same here. When I tried to keep it at the upper line, it went down to the half way mark and just stayed there. I usually add a quart once between oil changes.