Excessive oil consumption?

[Motorsport Micky]

When we bed in a race engine (TR) we often do it on a Rolling road when of course you can play with the rollers and load the engine without having to vary engine revs which beds the rings in fine.
When driving on the road it's the loading of the engine in the max torque area that needs a little discipline, if you have any longish gradients in the neighbourhood (motorway gradients are good for this) then full throttle application in top gear (3rd in the auto) as described in my last post should do the trick. Remember to do this for at least 20 mins, might need a journey up one side and down the other a few times (that what I do).

The reference to Italian tune ups are well meant but normally just give you more revs and don't necessarily load the engine enough, when bedded in you can give it plenty of those !

Micky

[DJT]

Currently £23.10 for 5 litres delivered using promo code HOT30.

Thanks for the reminder. That's the oil for the next service ordered......

[ocheye]

Can't get compression tests done until next week so I'm going to have a look at the plugs on the dodgy bank.
Various people have suggested that it may be worth trying one of the many additives available down the offending bore in case I've got a sticking piston ring. I've read so many reports on the various additives ranging from 'snake oil' to miracle juice.
I'd welcome suggestions and opinions from the Stag cognoscenti as to the relative merits or otherwise. My only worry is that it may dissolve carbon that could be providing any available compression.
Thoughts?

Andy

[GDPR]

A bit of redex squirted down the carb intakes with a handful of rpm going is as far as I would go - and make sure I was in the middle of nowhere when I did it because of the masses of white smoke that'll come out.

Working the engine hard will have the most effect, and be much more fun..

[ocheye]

A bit of redex squirted down the carb intakes with a handful of rpm going is as far as I would go - and make sure I was in the middle of nowhere when I did it because of the masses of white smoke that'll come out.

Working the engine hard will have the most effect, and be much more fun..

I'll definitely be trying the latter

[ocheye]

I finally had a compression test done today and I discovered that a couple of the cylinders in the n/s bank were down.

Having had an interesting conversation with a man from Wurth at Macintyres of Gosforth's excellent 'open day' yesterday I have decided to use 'Oil Leak Stop' which may free up the rings (if they're stuck).

In the meantime I'm enjoying the 'Italian tune-up" and will recheck the compressions in a couple of hundred miles.

I've also discovered an oil leak which is either the oil pressure switch or the oil transfer housing. I've ordered a new switch (as the light isn't coming on) and a pair of 'O' rings from LD Parts. I don't think this is the major contributor to my oil usage but it needs attending to. I believe that this can be a fun job on an auto!

[GDPR]

Be wise and do the oil pump o rings at the same time - they only last a couple of years before they leak so a good precaution.

Dont f*** about struggling, but order a new flange gasket and oil filter and remove the offside downpipe, then the job is VERY easy.... if you should take my advice and do the oil pump, have a pot of vaseline ready, and pack the oil pump rotors - this will allow the oil pump to prime very quickly. ..

Russ

[ocheye]

I've ordered the 'O' rings for the oil pump and did consider the recon kit for the pump but they're out of stock (I've no idea what state my pump is in!). I will order a flange gasket tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

[ocheye]

I have decided to use 'Oil Leak Stop' which may free up the rings (if they're stuck).

In the meantime I'm enjoying the 'Italian tune-up" and will recheck the compressions in a couple of hundred miles.

I've also discovered an oil leak which is either the oil pressure switch or the oil transfer housing. I've ordered a new switch (as the light isn't coming on) and a pair of 'O' rings from LD Parts. I don't think this is the major contributor to my oil usage but it needs attending to. I believe that this can be a fun job on an auto!

I also ordered the 'O' rings for the oil pump and a flange gasket.

I've been having great fun driving the Stag hard and today the 'o' rings and gaskets were all changed. There was evidence that it had been leaking quite a bit but it doesn't account for all oil usage. My daughter followed me the other day and she saw a puff of smoke when I put my foot down and could smell it!
The compressions seemed no better and were as follows:

1. 9
2. 10
3. 10
4. 10.9
5. 9.5
6. 9.1
7. 9.1
8. 10.5

The car seems to drive really well but the only other Stag I ever drove was pretty knackerd, so it's hard for me to judge.
I would welcome any advice/thoughts. It would seem daft to do a full strip down with all that expense when it runs so well at the moment. I'm also doing a precise oil usage check.

Andy

[Matt]

The good thing about the compression test is that they are all within about 10per cent of each other so no problems unless they are low - I usually assume anything over 110 psi is ok

[ocheye]

The good thing about the compression test is that they are all within about 10per cent of each other so no problems unless they are low - I usually assume anything over 110 psi is ok

Phew. If that's right my lowest is around 130 psi. If that is ok then I'm a happy bunny.

[Ian Durrant]

Phew. If that's right my lowest is around 130 psi. If that is ok then I'm a happy bunny.

Was your compression test carried out on a cold or hot engine?

[ocheye]

Was your compression test carried out on a cold or hot engine?

It certainly wasn't hot as we'd been changing all the o rings on the pump/ transfer housing etc. Not stone cold though
Andy

[Ian Durrant]

I get in the region of 135 on a stone cold engine, i would expect a luke warm one to be similar. Absolute values are really hard to equate which is why the mostly given advice is to look at the percentage difference as that is a fault indicator. Tough call on this one. My best guess is that your main loss is leakage (which you have hopefully now cured). The blue smoke might settle down with use if its ring seating and I think i'd be tempted to drive it more and see.

[ocheye]

Drove from Carlisle to Stoneleigh and back. There was some improvement on the return journey. Met up with Arthur Smith (Stag Tech) on the SOC stand and decided to let him have a look. Called in to see him in Darlington the following weekend.
There was evidence that No2 plug had been intermittent and was well gummed up. New plug and lead replaced. Compressions ranged as follows 5@150 2@155 and 1 @160. Arthur did the test on a hot engine and also did a test drive.
Whilst I was getting around 60 miles to 1 pint of oil that is now about 90. A long way off the 400 which is deemed acceptable but hopefully moving in the right direction.
Advice was to leave it for a while and hopefully the compressions will come back. I've added some Wynn's gunk to the oil to try and give it a bit more encouragement.
Managed to snap throttle cable today so Stag is laid up until new one arrives. So much for thrashing its backside to free up the rings!