What is the normal oil consumption?

Experts answer why a new engine spends more and how to avoid losses

It comes as no surprise that modern engines use more oil. In recent years, the load on engine parts has increased significantly and this inevitably affects its endurance. Increased compression and increased pressure in the cylinders promote the penetration of gases through the piston rings into the crankcase ventilation system and, therefore, into the combustion chamber.

In addition, more and more engines are turbocharged, the seals of which are not tight, and a small amount of oil inevitably enters the compressor, and therefore into the cylinders. Accordingly, turbocharged engines also use more oil, so the manufacturer's quoted 1000km cost shouldn't surprise anyone.

5 reasons why oil disappears

COMBUSTION. Piston rings need constant lubrication. The first of them periodically leaves an "oil film" on the surface of the cylinder, and at high temperatures part of it disappears. There is a total of 80 oil losses associated with combustion. As with newer bikes, this portion could be larger.

Another problem in this case is the use of low-quality oil, the characteristics of which do not correspond to those declared by the engine manufacturer. A regular low viscosity grease (type 0W-16) also burns faster than a better performing grease.

EVAPORATION. The oil is constantly evaporating. The higher its temperature, the more intense this process is in the crankcase. However, small particles and steam enter the combustion chamber through the ventilation system. Part of the oil burns out, and the other goes through the muffler to the street, damaging the catalyst along the way.

A LEAK. One of the most common causes of oil loss is through the crankshaft seals, through the cylinder head seals, through the valve cover, oil filter seals, etc.

PENETRATION INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. In this case, the reason is only mechanical - damage to the cylinder head seal, a defect in the head itself or even the cylinder block itself. With a technically sound engine, this cannot be.

POLLUTION. When exposed to high temperatures, even regular oil (not to mention the fact that it has been used for a long time) can become contaminated. This is often due to the penetration of dust particles through the seals of the suction system, which are not tight, or through the air filter.

How to reduce oil consumption?

The more aggressively the car moves, the more pressure in the engine cylinders. Exhaust emissions increase through the rings of the crankcase ventilation system, from where the oil eventually enters the combustion chamber. This also happens when driving at high speed. Accordingly, the "racers" have a higher oil consumption than calm drivers.

There is another problem with turbocharged cars. When the driver decides to rest after driving at high speed and turns off the engine immediately after stopping, the turbocharger does not cool down. Accordingly, the temperature rises and some of the exhaust gases turn into coke, which contaminates the engine and leads to increased oil consumption.

If the oil temperature rises, the losses also increase, as the molecules in the surface layer begin to move faster and go into the crankcase ventilation system. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the engine radiator, the serviceability of the thermostat and the amount of antifreeze in the cooling system.

In addition, all seals must be checked and, if necessary, replaced immediately. If oil enters the cooling system, an immediate visit to the service center is required, otherwise the engine may fail and repairs can be costly.

In most vehicles, the difference between the lowest and highest mark on the dipstick is one liter. So it is possible to determine with great accuracy how much oil is missing.

Increased or normal cost?

The ideal situation is when the owner does not think about oil at all during the period between two maintenance of the car. This means that with a run of 10 - 000 km, the engine consumed no more than a liter.

In practice, oil consumption of 0,5% of gasoline is considered normal. For example, if your car swallowed 15 liters of gasoline in 000 kilometers, then the maximum allowable oil consumption is 6 liters. This is 0,4 liters per 100 kilometers.

What to do at the increased price?

When the mileage of the car is small - for example, about 5000 kilometers per year, there is nothing to worry about. In this case, you can add as much oil as needed. However, if the car drives several tens of thousands of kilometers a year, it makes sense to fill in oil with a higher viscosity in warm weather, as it will burn and evaporate less intensively.

Beware of blue smoke

When buying a car, keep in mind that a naturally aspirated engine uses less oil than a turbocharged engine. It is impossible to determine with the naked eye that the car consumes more lubricant, so it is good that a specialist sees it. However, if smoke comes out of the muffler, this indicates an increased "oil" appetite, which cannot be hidden.