Valve adjustment service = colossal oil consumption…
11-08-2017, 03:35 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Valve adjustment service = colossal oil consumption…
Deets >> 02 TL-P so 16 yrs with 132k km or 85k miles [ not winter driven ]
Did the valve adjustments service at local Acura dealer.. engine had a slight ping..
I decided to go for it. Car now purrs like a kitten… love to end result.. except for…..
Engine has now consumed, somehow…….. 1.5 lt of PP synth in 1000km…!!!
I just checked it again today and the level is dropping from top up on Saturday afternoon [ approx 100km]
What is frustrating.. I see no drips marks in the driveway. Could be burning off the exhaust..???
Where else can this oil be going..???
Exhaust gases seem normal..
Ideas????
PS it will be going back to the dealer for inspection
Did the valve adjustments service at local Acura dealer.. engine had a slight ping..
I decided to go for it. Car now purrs like a kitten… love to end result.. except for…..
Engine has now consumed, somehow…….. 1.5 lt of PP synth in 1000km…!!!
I just checked it again today and the level is dropping from top up on Saturday afternoon [ approx 100km]
What is frustrating.. I see no drips marks in the driveway. Could be burning off the exhaust..???
Where else can this oil be going..???
Exhaust gases seem normal..
Ideas????
PS it will be going back to the dealer for inspection
Last edited by jean; 11-08-2017 at 03:42 PM.
11-08-2017, 03:51 PM
#2
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Age: 43
Posts: 3,490
Received 853 Likes
on
606 Posts
Yeah, I'd send it back for inspection and tell them the symptoms. I don't see how a valve adjustment would cause oil consumption. Obviously worn valve seals or guides would, but those shouldn't have been affected by an adjustment.
11-08-2017, 04:12 PM
#4
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Age: 43
Posts: 3,490
Received 853 Likes
on
606 Posts
That's awfully high. I had a bad oil control ring on one of my pistons with my 4G and burned about 1 Qt. (about 1L) every 300-400 miles. It had very apparent symptoms however. It would smoke when I mashed on the accelerator. And the cylinder that was burning oil was all gummed up with carbon. The spark plug electrode even had wet oil on it. I ended up doing an entire engine swap.
With 1.5L per 600 miles I'd expect your exhaust tips to be fouled and one or several of the cylinders showing carbon buildup on the cylinder heads and valves. That oil has to be burning somewhere. Either that or leaking. I'm assuming you've checked for leaks?
With 1.5L per 600 miles I'd expect your exhaust tips to be fouled and one or several of the cylinders showing carbon buildup on the cylinder heads and valves. That oil has to be burning somewhere. Either that or leaking. I'm assuming you've checked for leaks?
11-08-2017, 04:15 PM
#5
Moderator
Yeah adjusting valves wont cause high oil consumption.. Something else is off.
If the oil isn´t leaking then its being burned. I will check each piston compression.
If the oil isn´t leaking then its being burned. I will check each piston compression.
11-08-2017, 04:18 PM
#6
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Age: 43
Posts: 3,490
Received 853 Likes
on
606 Posts
And inspection through the spark plug hole via a boroscope wouldn't hurt. That's how I eventually narrowed it down to just one cylinder. My compression check came back good because the compression ring was still working fine. It was inspection via a boroscope and a leakdown test that helped me identify it.
11-08-2017, 07:56 PM
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the input guys, but, all the above mentioned possible issues must/would have been pre-existing..
NEGLIGIBLE oil consumption before vale adjustments,
to..
oil evaporating at an alarming rate.. after valve adjustments...
doesn't make sense.. other than a major oil leak.. but i see no evidence of such ... all I have been able [have time] to do is simple poking my head under the hood and nothing is blatantly obvious.
I am puzzled to say the least....
NEGLIGIBLE oil consumption before vale adjustments,
to..
oil evaporating at an alarming rate.. after valve adjustments...
doesn't make sense.. other than a major oil leak.. but i see no evidence of such ... all I have been able [have time] to do is simple poking my head under the hood and nothing is blatantly obvious.
I am puzzled to say the least....
Trending Topics
11-09-2017, 09:33 AM
#8
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Age: 43
Posts: 3,490
Received 853 Likes
on
606 Posts
Well, there's no explanation then. The only way a valve adjustment would cause oil consumption is if the seals were damaged during the job or the valve cover gasket wasn't replaced or was somehow pinched when put back on (you'd notice oil down the side of the head and block somewhere). Oil consumption can also be caused when timing is advanced too far, but I don't know how a valve adjustment would cause that. That's usually due to a bad tune job where timing is advanced too far in an effort to increase power. That wouldn't have really been possible with a valve adjustment.
It's not impossible that the issue surfaced at about the same time as when the adjustment was done. I had severe oil consumption at about the same time that I installed my high-flow pre-cats. I thought it had to do with the pre-cats since it started at the same time. However, between a ton of research and my own mechanics opinion, there is no way that changing the catalytic converters would have caused the piston ring to go defective. It just happened to occur at the same time.
Check for excessive cylinder blow-by. Remove the oil dipstick while the engine is running and feel for air or steam coming from the tube.
Are you planning on taking it back to the dealer?
It's not impossible that the issue surfaced at about the same time as when the adjustment was done. I had severe oil consumption at about the same time that I installed my high-flow pre-cats. I thought it had to do with the pre-cats since it started at the same time. However, between a ton of research and my own mechanics opinion, there is no way that changing the catalytic converters would have caused the piston ring to go defective. It just happened to occur at the same time.
Check for excessive cylinder blow-by. Remove the oil dipstick while the engine is running and feel for air or steam coming from the tube.
Are you planning on taking it back to the dealer?
11-09-2017, 12:50 PM
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agreed that valve adjustments would not correlate to engine timing avancement..
yes seals is my first point of interest... i havent been able to look to closely though.. .
I will look for blow-by at the dip-stick as you suggested.
and yes its going back for inspection on the 15th
J.
yes seals is my first point of interest... i havent been able to look to closely though.. .
I will look for blow-by at the dip-stick as you suggested.
and yes its going back for inspection on the 15th
J.
11-12-2017, 05:36 PM
#12
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok small update..
So now im even more puzzled....
Wifey and my eldest son are gone to cottage for the week-end.. I send with them 4 lt of oil [ yes its overkill..] and drill them both on a level the car, and proper dip-stick standard operating procedures.
My son tells me the level is fine on arrival [ 200 km one way]... What the..????
I dont get it..... keep you posted on there return for additional observations..
J.
So now im even more puzzled....
Wifey and my eldest son are gone to cottage for the week-end.. I send with them 4 lt of oil [ yes its overkill..] and drill them both on a level the car, and proper dip-stick standard operating procedures.
My son tells me the level is fine on arrival [ 200 km one way]... What the..????
I dont get it..... keep you posted on there return for additional observations..
J.
11-13-2017, 06:56 PM
#13
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Right.. small update #2
Well,, wifey and son are home... son decides to top-up a little from the reading on the dip-stick he saw at that time and place.. prior to the trip home.
Upon arrival, i go and check ...its overfilled.. I mean, a little more than i keep it overfilled..
I take the car to the school yard parking lot, as i know that this spot on the driveway is not as level as I would like.
So the oil was circulated and checked again.. its still overfilled by not as bad.. no churning of oil is evident on the stick..
Therefore, based on this trip, oil consumption / evaporation was negligible on this trip, as where I was expecting to add another 750ml.....
Fiddle...!!! now what..??? Considering cancelling the service appointment as the car will be tucked in for the winter in about 2-3 weeks.
Wondering if the dealer will keep this "ticket" on record for reference in the spring, where this story will pick-up again..
Thoughts anyone.??
J.
Well,, wifey and son are home... son decides to top-up a little from the reading on the dip-stick he saw at that time and place.. prior to the trip home.
Upon arrival, i go and check ...its overfilled.. I mean, a little more than i keep it overfilled..
I take the car to the school yard parking lot, as i know that this spot on the driveway is not as level as I would like.
So the oil was circulated and checked again.. its still overfilled by not as bad.. no churning of oil is evident on the stick..
Therefore, based on this trip, oil consumption / evaporation was negligible on this trip, as where I was expecting to add another 750ml.....
Fiddle...!!! now what..??? Considering cancelling the service appointment as the car will be tucked in for the winter in about 2-3 weeks.
Wondering if the dealer will keep this "ticket" on record for reference in the spring, where this story will pick-up again..
Thoughts anyone.??
J.
11-15-2017, 07:14 PM
#14
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok.. last update for a while.. as I didn't want to leave anyone.. hanging in SUCH suspense... LOL
So I did cancel the appointment at the dealership as the car will turn into a hangar queen for the winter in 2 or 3 weeks or until old man winter dumps a blanket of snow..
Sorry I digress.....
Took the time explain to the service adviser of the observations of the last trip to the cottage.. and without hesitation...
he blamed bad gas.. no,,, not flatulent ability... but moisture infused gas and since the ignition retardation was working overtime.. this increased oil consumtion...
Ummmmmm YAH OK....!!??!
The service ticket will remain open until well into next year, or until the spring when oil consumption observation will resume.
Tata for now..
J.
So I did cancel the appointment at the dealership as the car will turn into a hangar queen for the winter in 2 or 3 weeks or until old man winter dumps a blanket of snow..
Sorry I digress.....
Took the time explain to the service adviser of the observations of the last trip to the cottage.. and without hesitation...
he blamed bad gas.. no,,, not flatulent ability... but moisture infused gas and since the ignition retardation was working overtime.. this increased oil consumtion...
Ummmmmm YAH OK....!!??!
The service ticket will remain open until well into next year, or until the spring when oil consumption observation will resume.
Tata for now..
J.
11-15-2017, 07:54 PM
#15
Team Owner
Saying the valve adjustment is causing oil consumption is akin to saying "my feet hurt because the fence is brown"
11-15-2017, 07:57 PM
#16
Team Owner
And no, bad gas did not cause oil consumption 
Look, you either have a leak somewhere, or you're burning it. There's no two ways about it. The fact it happened at the time of the valve adjustment may very well just be coincidental. Totally by chance.
Look, you either have a leak somewhere, or you're burning it. There's no two ways about it. The fact it happened at the time of the valve adjustment may very well just be coincidental. Totally by chance.
11-15-2017, 08:42 PM
#17
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ottawa, Ont
Age: 62
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes.. we are all agreed that the valve adjustment does not correlate to oil consumption...
it had to be a leak.. somewhere.. but it wasnt obvious..
and the story of bad gas... i didnt buy it ether.. I want to keep a good relationship with my dealer and didnt want to call B.S. on him... and left it at that...
this story will resume in late March..
J.
it had to be a leak.. somewhere.. but it wasnt obvious..
and the story of bad gas... i didnt buy it ether.. I want to keep a good relationship with my dealer and didnt want to call B.S. on him... and left it at that...
this story will resume in late March..
J.