# losing engine oil



## focker (Dec 20, 2005)

I have a 90 stanza GXE. It seems that my stanza consumes/loses engine oil quite rapidly. I need to check every once or two weeks and when I do, it always goes down.

One time I didn't do it for a while, and my engine was gone. I replaced a new engine and it works fine.

Is losing engine oil normal for the Stanza?


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## jirvz (Dec 21, 2005)

I had the same problem too... except I lost oil in like 1 or 2 days...

changed the oil seal... did fine..

maybe you try the same solution?


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## izzen (Mar 30, 2005)

Do you notice any leaks anywhere? Any oil where you park your car? Im leaking oil as well and Im hoping its from the oil pan gasket.


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## focker (Dec 20, 2005)

I haven't noticed any oil dripping on the ground. That was my old engine. Hopefully this newer engine I got replaced will not have the same problem.

Jirvz,

I haven't changed the seal but I'll look into that.


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## izzen (Mar 30, 2005)

Well an oil pan gasket is an easy fix which is why I hope thats my problem


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## mcf1000x2003 (Dec 8, 2005)

try to do regular WOT's I had a caddy STS with the northstar and they are notorious for oil consumption do to carbon build up so to get the carbon out u have to punch it sometimes.


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## isb360 (Apr 6, 2005)

Excessive oil consumption in a modern gasoline engine is not to be expected by design, except possibly for Wankel motors...

If you are losing oil, you first need to figure out where it's going, i.e. out onto the ground, into the combustion chamber (and if so, from where), or into the coolant, etc. The car is 15yrs old and lots of things wear out, dry out, etc. 

When I was changing my timing chain, I changed the oil *pan* itself because my old one, upon cleaning and inspection, had practically rotted through from the outside in. The pan was wet on the outside with oil that had seeped through the pan itself and I was surmising it was only a matter of time until the leak got bad.

Oil pan gasket is not as easy to replace as you think because a few of the bolts are hidden up under crossmembers and are not easily accessible. I cannot recall exactly what would have to be moved/removed because I had the engine half disassembled to do timing chain anyhow and that allowed access to everything. Also, if you are using Chilton's repair manual for torque specs, note that the torque called out for oil pan bolts is WRONG. It should be in the order of 10-12 ftlbs, not what it actually calls for. I blindly started torquing the hell out of the bolts and it was when I saw the new gasket squishing out everywhere that I knew something was wrong. I evenly backed off on the bolt torque until it felt "right" and it's been good since then.

Check your coolant for oil. Does it smoke a lot on start up? (Valve guides..) does it smoke a lot on deceleration (piston rings), etc. See if you can carefully clean the engine externals so that you can easily monitor any fresh oil leaking. 

Hope this is a help.

Tim


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