oil consumption

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Huddy84

Well-Known Member
Posts
746
Location
East Anglia
With no real leaks (odd drip from timing case) and no bad smoking how much oil do you guys get thru? I've used 9l now in 6 months with not alot of mileage but handful of sessions off roading. Performance seems fine.

Thanks
 
Seems a bit high compared to mine - but consumption will obviously vary depending on how hard you're running off road, and how many miles the engine has already done. Does it appear to be burning oil?
I reckon on a litre every few hundred miles - that seems to be all from my drip, which is a small weep from two points on the sump, and the usual rear crank seal. BTW, my drip has reduced considerably since I changed to mineral 20/50 oil.
 
I had a Ford escort that did the same. No leaks whatsoever, wasn't driven hard at all and absolutely no indication of burning oil. I had no idea where it was going and the engine eventually died, remained a mystery to me
 
Back to basics,
1. does it run ok
2. Any excess smoke especially when cold or under load?
3. Temp running at normal?
4. Do the leaks increase when engine / hot / cold / revving, as what looks like a small leak while stationary may increase massively with 60 PSI of oil pressure when running.
 
Mine gets through about 1 litre in that time including the oil drip and fairly heavy breathing. It's got just over 91k on the clock. What does it look like when your engine is running and the oil filler is removed?
 
Thanks for all the replies. Its only a tiny bit smokey on start up but nothing serious. Seems to run fine and won't hesitate to get up to 70-75. Temp been no problem. No major leaks, I've eve run it with the wading plugs in and not much oil collects.

I have taken the oil filler off when running and a little exhaust comes out but not alot.

I'm hoping a new timing belt and tappets adjusted will help when I get round to it.
 
Sounds like it's running well - especially if it's happy to go to 70!
Logically, if it's not dripping out. it must be consuming (burning) it. How many miles on the engine?
 
Not too sure, Its an ex-mil refurbished engine so not sure of its mileage. The rest of the landrover has done just over 100,000km so not too far. I'm really hoping tappet adjustment and timing belt will sort it. Was also thinking of getting a compression test done just in case.
 
To be honest, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

It's an old sloppy engine and it can be expected to burn a bit of oil.

If it becomes excessive and you start getting loads of black smoke, then consider re-ringing it.
 
Cheers. I can't find anything at fault and I suppose if it passes an mot emissions that it can't be that bad. I presume it'll burn some oil whilst at a pay and play site due to the loads on the engine. Almost ready for my first attempt at a timing belt change.
 
There have been a few threads on here regarding changing timing belts.

Just take it slowly and carefully and you won't go far wrong :)
 
I have to admit that the reputation of the crank bolt tightness put me off doing the timing belt change. But if you have a decent set of tools and the required tools, it seems straight forward.
 
Just done the tappets which 6 of them needed tweaking, not had chance to see if its made much difference yet but i'm sure it started a tad easier. One of the nuts was a standard full depth nut so at some point the military have lost one of the original ones.

Another month and i should find some time to check and change the timing belt. If that doesn't cure it i thought a compression test to see if I'm loosing oil down the sides of the pistons? Definitely no engine oil leaks underneath.
 
when you adjust tappets chek all adjusters are about equal ie similar number of threads above nut much difference indicates an issue
 
Cheers, that sounds a good tip, I don't remember any massive differences but i'll have another look when i finish my run of shifts at work. I did have a look for any signs of heat or carbon and to my in-experienced eyes the only dodgey thing i could see was the one lock nut on No3 tappet was a standard full nut.

As i was turning the crank I used a standard 1/2" rachet (~200mm long) and as the compression built up i could hear it quietly hissing and the resistance reducing until it passed the top of its stroke. I was expecting to need the breaker bar to turn it, or removal of glow plugs.
 
What i found was if i held it at the compression let it hiss for say 10secs and the resistance lowers enough for me to carry on.

I'm starting to wonder if the engine is just a bit worn out and not far off a refurb. Its duck-egg blue so been done once by the military but definetly not recently. The landy's done about 110,000kms.
 
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