Normal oil consumption varies by car manufacturer

As a rule of thumb, passenger cars consume between 0.05 and 3dl of engine oil per 1000 km. Compared to their older counterparts, modern vehicles have lower maximum permitted oil consumption. It usually ranges from 0.05 % and 1%. For utility vehicles, the maximum permitted oil consumption is 0.25% to 0.3%.

• Improper or poor quality oil

Each engine requires the use of specific lubricant blends. Not respecting these specifications can damage your engine and result in higher oil consumption. Even using  an oil with different viscosity will increase heat and friction causing engine damage.

• Irregular lubricant replacement.

You should always refer to the car owner’s manual for oil changing intervals. They are very essential for your engine’s health because over time, dirt and debris will accumulate and the motor oil starts to burn.

• Damaged Piston Rings.

Piston rings seal the gap between the piston and the cylinder wall. When they are damaged or worn out, they cause higher oil consumption.

The engine oil slowly passes through them and enters the internal combustion chamber. That causes te engine oil to burn while carbon deposits form on the piston rings

• Old engines

Over time, the engine components will start to deteriorate. That  causes small leaks, meaning the engine will consume oil faster.

• worn seals or gaskets

seals and gaskets operate in high temperatures and hot fluids. Unsurprisingly, they get damaged over time causing engine oil leakages

In this case your engine will keep losing oil while you are driving .To avoid severe engine damage, you need to top off engine frequently

THE SYMPTOMS OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION

Here below a few symptoms to consider:

Blue smoke

Blue or gray smoke means that the engine oil has entered the combustion chamber and is burning away. The causes of blue smoke are multiple, including leaking piston ring, damaged cylinder walls and worn piston rings.

Low compression

A compression test informs you about the condition of engine components. The process requires the insertion of the compression tester into the cylinder and the engine should be hot since piston rings do not seal properly in low temperatures.

The optimal compression is over 100 psi per cylinder.

The variation between the highest and lowest readings should not be higher than 10%.

High carbon formation in the engine

Oil deposits can accumulate on the engine spark plugs or the bottom of the valves. That means the oil is entering the combustion chamber and burning away.

This is caused by using of inadequate engine oil and damaged piston rings.

Coolant deterioration

When the engine oil gets in touch with the cooling system, it causes coolant deterioration. Apart from excessive oil consumption the mixture of oil and coolant impacts heat transfer. It affects the coolant properties such as its color or clarity.

• Change in color and consistency

As the oil does its job, it will start to pick up debris which will turn to oil black and gritty.

Check the color and consistency by removing the dipstick. If you can’t see the dipstick through the oil, then an oil change is needed.

• Burning oil smell

If you notice burning oil smell inside the cabin, then there’s most likely an oil leak

• Knocking noise from the engine

Oil is used to prevent the engine’s moving part from grinding against each other. When engine is not properly lubricated, it will start to make a loud knocking sound . An oil change is needed before the engine overheats and stops working altogether

• Dashboard warning light

The oil change light will come on when there is not enough oil in the car. If the check engine light comes on, then things may have gotten so bad that the engine is at risk of damage, either way, your vehicle will need to take looked at as soon as possible.

Routine oil and filter changes will increase the overall lifespan of your engine.

Typically, after 5000-6000 Km, it is recommended that you take your car into the shop for an oil change. However, these numbers can change depending on the make and model of your vehicle and type of oil used.  Knowing that engine technology has improved over the yeas therefore many oil manufactures have oil change intervals of 7500 or even 10.000 miles and six to 12 months for time

To note that if you are changing the oil more frequently it won’t help your engine, and it doesn’t harm it also but you are wasting money, time and resources.

• It will extend the life of your engine, providing your car a more value
• It shields your vehicle’s engine from excess wear and tear, friction and sludge build-up
• It preserves correct lubrication, so all moving components create minimal friction which subsequently prevents overheating the engine parts.
• It helps you in quickly passing the vehicle emission test with no issues.
• Better gas mileage and prevention of sludge and dirt particles.

Keep in mind that numbers are just general guidelines. You should rely on your owner’s manual since it has more detailed information about your car.