When we notice that our engine is taking oil, we do not have to be immediately carried away by panic. Often, a slight intake of oil by the engine is natural, e.g. in the case of sports cars. As we all know, a well-functioning engine is a basic condition that we must meet if we want to feel comfortable while driving.
Reading the car’s manuals, in some cases it will turn out that even a large intake of oil by the engine – at the level of 1 liter per 1000 km is the norm. Unfortunately, this is only a clever procedure on the part of manufacturers who can write in the manual … everything. Such actions are usually aimed at avoiding complaints from customers, especially when the engines in question have a design defect, e.g. in the form of too loosely fitted piston rings or are made of too little wear-resistant materials. An example of such a design defect are VW 1.8 and 2.0 T(F)SI engines type EA888 from 2007-11 which, due to the defective design of piston rings, were able to take up to 1 liter of oil per 1000 km after leaving the showroom!
Why does the engine take oil?
When we talk about at least a few years old cars that do not have design defects, excessive oil consumption most often results from poor use of the vehicle and gradual wear of piston rings and cylindrical smoothness. The basic mistake that leads to this is excessive load on the unheated engine.
Another major sin is the extension of the mileage between oil changes to, for example, 30,000 km. Yes, we know that many manufacturers recommend it for new cars because it is convenient for the customer, but we also know that the oil after 10,000 km loses its full protective and lubricating properties. The car manufacturer will not care about what will happen to the engine after a few or a dozen or so years, and it happens that by following the principle of changing the oil every 30,000 km, after covering 100 – 150 thousand. km there is a taking of oil. In addition to changing the oil every 10,000 km, you should of course use the right oil for the engine. To the question of what oil for the engine to choose, what class, here we can agree – the one recommended by the manufacturer.
The engine takes the oil, what next?
Sometimes, when the engine takes oil, it does not have to be a harbinger of huge costs right away. The first thing to check is the level of oil intake per 1000 km – i.e. how much oil we have to add after this mileage so that the oil level on the bayonet is unchanged. Most car manufacturers assume a certain level of oil consumption, but to varying degrees. Oil intake may be acceptable in loose engines found in sports cars.
For the initial diagnosis (e.g. before buying a car), it is also worth using the visual assessment of exhaust gases from the exhaust pipe. A simple test in the form of raising the engine speed to a value close to the maximum engine speed (performing on a fully heated engine and idling) – allows you to generally assess whether the engine is taking oil. If we notice bluish-gray smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, this is a sign that the engine is probably taking oil.
Measuring the compression pressure with a pressure gauge screwed into the cylinder bore is another method to verify the condition of piston rings – the wear of which is most often responsible for taking oil. This measurement is particularly useful in assessing whether any of the piston rings have not been baked – in this case, the oil consumption can be very high and exceed 1 liter per 1000 km and the pressure on one of the cylinders will be significantly underestimated compared to the other cylinders.
It is also worth excluding oil leaks, which we notice in the form of stains under the car in the place where we stand in the car or on the lower engine cover.
How much oil should a healthy engine take?
Speaking of standard vehicles, when we have excluded oil leaks, it is safe to take oil in the range of 50 ml per 1,000 km, or 0.5 liters per 10,000 km. If after 1000 km you notice a drop in the level at the end of the oil bayonet, it means that the oil consumption is greater than indicated above and it is worth considering possible ways to solve the problem.
How to stop taking oil?
If the engine has no leaks, and takes oil, most often you have a choice of 2 ways or so-called. small overhaul of the engine , i.e. replacement of piston rings and grinding or replacement of cylinders (if required), or the use of an effective oil additive with regenerating properties.
The cost of engine overhaul is an expense of PLN 1500-5000 (more about this in the article how much does it cost to repair the engine), so it is worth considering the use of an oil additive with regenerating properties in the first place.
What additive to engine oil and is it worth using?
One of the most tested and proven solutions is
the Ceramizer engine oil additive
, which, after adding it to the oil, during driving (engine operation) begins the regeneration process creating a ceramic-metal layer on the friction surfaces. This layer rebuilds and fills the worn surfaces of piston rings, cylinders and shells.
This additive in many cases can reduce or stop oil intake and its effectiveness is evidenced by 242 pages of opinions and numerous tests, including several dozen compression pressure tests and extreme oil-free driving tests illustrating how the ceramic-metal layer not only rebuilds but also protects friction surfaces from wear.
The product has been available for sale for over 15 years, which proves that it is 100% safe for the engine. The additive produces a ceramic-metal layer that protects the mechanisms from excessive wear.
