Oil Usage

[Guest Debee]

I have recently bought a 2004 C3 1.4 HDi and only had it 2 months, it was serviced by dealer when purchases and has used 2 .5 litres of oil in 1500 miles. Has any one else had a similar problem and what could the reasons be.

[paul.h]

If you do not have an obvious leak then it could be being burned due to engine wear (piston rings/valve guides seals), a failed cylinder head gasket putting it into the coolant (but would be seen there) or being lost at the turbo due to wear or possibly a blocked oil return pipe. You should be seeing other symptoms such as a smokey exhaust and possibly the engine not stopping running. How many miles has the car done ?

[Guest Debee]

If you do not have an obvious leak then it could be being burned due to engine wear (piston rings/valve guides seals), a failed cylinder head gasket putting it into the coolant (but would be seen there) or being lost at the turbo due to wear or possibly a blocked oil return pipe. You should be seeing other symptoms such as a smokey exhaust and possibly the engine not stopping running. How many miles has the car done ?

[Guest Debee]

Paul thank you for your respnose, the car has done 65,000 miles. How would you check for the three things you have suggested.

[paul.h]

If you have a leak of this size, you will see large drips of oil from under the car on your drive.

 

The mileage is probably too low for bad engine wear on a diesel so probably not this. Symptoms would be a smokey engine (from exhaust seen in rear view mirror) when accelerating (piston/cylinder wear), smokey engine when slowing down from high speed (worn valve guide seals).

 

Symptoms of a turbo problem are a lot of smoke on start up, possibly a smokey exhaust when you accelerate, a lot of oil collecting in the piping between the turbo and engine, although I think it is normal for some oil to be there. I did have one fail on a petrol Saab and that smoked on starting for about 6 months before it failed leaving a motorway and surrounded the car in a cloud of smoke, but luckily did not break up and put metal in to the engine.

 

If oil is getting in to the coolant you will see it collecting in the coolant expansion tank and the level will have gone up. A compression test would show if the cylinder head gasket had failed but you would probably have poor performance - but if it was like this when you got the car you may not notice it.

 

Has the oil level gone down gradually whilst you have had the car or was the level low when you got it ?

[Guest Debee]

If you have a leak of this size, you will see large drips of oil from under the car on your drive.

 

The mileage is probably too low for bad engine wear on a diesel so probably not this. Symptoms would be a smokey engine (from exhaust seen in rear view mirror) when accelerating (piston/cylinder wear), smokey engine when slowing down from high speed (worn valve guide seals).

 

Symptoms of a turbo problem are a lot of smoke on start up, possibly a smokey exhaust when you accelerate, a lot of oil collecting in the piping between the turbo and engine, although I think it is normal for some oil to be there. I did have one fail on a petrol Saab and that smoked on starting for about 6 months before it failed leaving a motorway and surrounded the car in a cloud of smoke, but luckily did not break up and put metal in to the engine.

 

If oil is getting in to the coolant you will see it collecting in the coolant expansion tank and the level will have gone up. A compression test would show if the cylinder head gasket had failed but you would probably have poor performance - but if it was like this when you got the car you may not notice it.

 

Has the oil level gone down gradually whilst you have had the car or was the level low when you got it ?

[Guest Debee]

Paul thank you again for responding in answer to your question the car was serviced before I bought it and oil level was ok the level has gradually dropped in the 2 months I have had it.