So how much oil does your 3AC burn, or leak? I have high milage (300K) and I seem to put in about Quart in every 1,000 miles. I think most of it is leaking since I',m not getting any smoke. What is the most common areas to have leaks on these engines?
Also, what weight oil do you run? I'm using 10/30WT. What would be the best for a high milage engine?
3AC Burning/Leaking Oil ?
Throw some Bardahl in there. The smoke stopper. It will slow the leak.
I'm imagine that you have dead gaskets or seals. Where is the oil running down from? I have a 190k mile engine that chugs nothing.
I'm imagine that you have dead gaskets or seals. Where is the oil running down from? I have a 190k mile engine that chugs nothing.
RIP 10-07- 1984 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
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washfishman
- Newbie
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- Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 10:28 pm
It depends what kind of driving I'm doing. It's going through about a quart every 1000 miles on the interstate right now, quite a bit more around town. Before I replaced the front seals it was leaking about double that, and most of it was ending up on the back window. It's still leaking from the rear main and the head gasket, and it smokes if I let it idle too long. It'll smoke constantly if I don't crutch it enough with STP or similar.
Time for new rings bolt. And stem seals. That is a lot of oil.
Think of it this way, at least its not like our Powerstroke did for a while. 3 quarts A DAY!!!!! Didn't know what was up. Wondered why oil was EVERYWHERE. Turned out that 2 seals blew out. One in the high pressure injector line (where the oil is roughly 5000 PSI) and the other was the turbo return line. Very messy. Just 2 $1.50 parts and $250 labor. Lots of disassembly.
If lower rear, I have two guesses. One needs another question. How is your clutch performing? Possibly rear main? Possibly oil pan?
Scrub it with a good plastic scrubber thing, rinsing with VM&P Naptha (Be careful on both rubber AND YOUR LUNGS!) every now and then. Follow up with a gentle Dawn solution or a foaming engine cleaner. Just don't leave any Naptha on there. It will dissolve the gunk very quickly and effectively but will also go up in flames if in excess. Don't use steel wool. Too harsh. Bronze wool might be a good alternative to a plastic dish scrubber. Don't score the surface. Who knows, you may just find a missing gasket chunk!
If you want to quickly locate the leak, then run a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil for 20-50 miles of moderate driving. It will dissolve any residue or "gunk" deposits, opening up already existing gaps in gaskets or seals. Consequence of this is that it may spell a whole gasket redo for you. In most cases it will just open the existing hole more. Its just like a Synthetic oil. It doesn't create holes, merely dissolves away the deposits, opening up the existing holes.
A very light over-bore, upsized pistons, new bearings, and a new gasket/seal set will make your engine pur like a kitten. And will add some more "oomph".
Think of it this way, at least its not like our Powerstroke did for a while. 3 quarts A DAY!!!!! Didn't know what was up. Wondered why oil was EVERYWHERE. Turned out that 2 seals blew out. One in the high pressure injector line (where the oil is roughly 5000 PSI) and the other was the turbo return line. Very messy. Just 2 $1.50 parts and $250 labor. Lots of disassembly.
If lower rear, I have two guesses. One needs another question. How is your clutch performing? Possibly rear main? Possibly oil pan?
Scrub it with a good plastic scrubber thing, rinsing with VM&P Naptha (Be careful on both rubber AND YOUR LUNGS!) every now and then. Follow up with a gentle Dawn solution or a foaming engine cleaner. Just don't leave any Naptha on there. It will dissolve the gunk very quickly and effectively but will also go up in flames if in excess. Don't use steel wool. Too harsh. Bronze wool might be a good alternative to a plastic dish scrubber. Don't score the surface. Who knows, you may just find a missing gasket chunk!
If you want to quickly locate the leak, then run a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil for 20-50 miles of moderate driving. It will dissolve any residue or "gunk" deposits, opening up already existing gaps in gaskets or seals. Consequence of this is that it may spell a whole gasket redo for you. In most cases it will just open the existing hole more. Its just like a Synthetic oil. It doesn't create holes, merely dissolves away the deposits, opening up the existing holes.
A very light over-bore, upsized pistons, new bearings, and a new gasket/seal set will make your engine pur like a kitten. And will add some more "oomph".
RIP 10-07- 1984 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
RIP 04-05- 1986 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagen 6 speed
1st Terc- 1987 Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon 6-speed, Sadly cubed
1985 Tercel Standard 4wd Wagon w/ 3-speed auto, Living a happy life in Boulder last I knew
That's why I bought the new 4AC. I'm just waiting till I have time to install it. I figured by the time I bought rings, bearings, gaskets, and had the head redone, I'd spend more than the $315 I paid for the engine.
This amount of consumption doesn't bother me. When I bought my 1981 Mazda GLC Sport at the end of 1982 (it had 11k miles on it), the car used a quart of oil every 1000 miles. Since the car was so new, I complained when I took it to the dealership for service. It seems that amount was well within the factory spec, which allowed as much as a quart of consumption every 500 miles. My favorite parts guy at the dealership had almost the identical car, and his burned more oil than mine. Since the Tercel has 264k+ miles, I think it's earned the oil it's using.
My very first car, a 1974 Ford Pinto that I bought at a yard sale for $100, burned a quart every 75 miles. I worked doing maintenance on golf carts at a country club, and used to fill antifreeze containers with oil from the bulk tanks at work. I always said without the free oil, I wouldn't have been able to afford to drive the car.
BTW, I did manage to turn a profit on the Pinto. I sold it for $450.
This amount of consumption doesn't bother me. When I bought my 1981 Mazda GLC Sport at the end of 1982 (it had 11k miles on it), the car used a quart of oil every 1000 miles. Since the car was so new, I complained when I took it to the dealership for service. It seems that amount was well within the factory spec, which allowed as much as a quart of consumption every 500 miles. My favorite parts guy at the dealership had almost the identical car, and his burned more oil than mine. Since the Tercel has 264k+ miles, I think it's earned the oil it's using.
My very first car, a 1974 Ford Pinto that I bought at a yard sale for $100, burned a quart every 75 miles. I worked doing maintenance on golf carts at a country club, and used to fill antifreeze containers with oil from the bulk tanks at work. I always said without the free oil, I wouldn't have been able to afford to drive the car.
BTW, I did manage to turn a profit on the Pinto. I sold it for $450.
Most likely place is the valve cover gasket (rubber)? I might have reduced my oil use by 1/2 by redoing it. Then that pesky head gasket leak or whatever it is. Oil pan?
I had the starter out the other day and noticed a lot of oil gunk on the inside of the bell housing...engine or trans? Clutch is OK except for some sticky in humid weather.
I'd try using 20W50 diesel oil in it...year round if not too cool. I used 20W50 over winter in an area that can get to -20F. You can get a good price at Walmart.
I had the starter out the other day and noticed a lot of oil gunk on the inside of the bell housing...engine or trans? Clutch is OK except for some sticky in humid weather.
I'd try using 20W50 diesel oil in it...year round if not too cool. I used 20W50 over winter in an area that can get to -20F. You can get a good price at Walmart.
Give a boy a gun-give a biatch a cell phone-and pretty soon you almost got yourself a police state.
Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...
Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...
Hello there,
Thought I would comment on oil consumption. The car I have also burns some oil. It seems to vary though. But I seem burn about a quarter every 800-1000 miles which of course is a little much. I do check the oil very frequently, sometimes everyday just to make sure it is full. Anyway, in my case I know it burns a little and I also believe it has a slow leak probably somewhere near the front of the engine. I have looked under the car when there was a tiny drop on the ground and noted that it was definitely not at the rear of the engine. Seems to be bottom of the engine toward the front. The engine has a new valve cover gasket and head gasket and those are not leaking oil now so I know thats fine.
Anyway, its a car with 197,000 miles so even with some of the work that has been done to the engine it is not surprising that it uses a little oil and maybe leaks a little as well sometimes. The leak doesnt' seem to happen all the time though, sometimes I can check it after it has sat over night and not a single drop on the ground. And it may stay that fway for for a day or two and then another time come out and notice just a very small dime size puddle under the car. I checked it so I know its motor oil for sure aside from the fact that I have to add some oil every couple of days. I drive about 25 miles round trip from home to work and back each day plus a little around town driving.
Hmmm, anyway seems a lot of pepole have oil leaks/usage on the 3A though many high mileage engines can do this it seems.
Thought I would comment on oil consumption. The car I have also burns some oil. It seems to vary though. But I seem burn about a quarter every 800-1000 miles which of course is a little much. I do check the oil very frequently, sometimes everyday just to make sure it is full. Anyway, in my case I know it burns a little and I also believe it has a slow leak probably somewhere near the front of the engine. I have looked under the car when there was a tiny drop on the ground and noted that it was definitely not at the rear of the engine. Seems to be bottom of the engine toward the front. The engine has a new valve cover gasket and head gasket and those are not leaking oil now so I know thats fine.
Anyway, its a car with 197,000 miles so even with some of the work that has been done to the engine it is not surprising that it uses a little oil and maybe leaks a little as well sometimes. The leak doesnt' seem to happen all the time though, sometimes I can check it after it has sat over night and not a single drop on the ground. And it may stay that fway for for a day or two and then another time come out and notice just a very small dime size puddle under the car. I checked it so I know its motor oil for sure aside from the fact that I have to add some oil every couple of days. I drive about 25 miles round trip from home to work and back each day plus a little around town driving.
Hmmm, anyway seems a lot of pepole have oil leaks/usage on the 3A though many high mileage engines can do this it seems.
Mine was leaving a pretty impressive stain wherever I'd park it before I replaced the front seals. Tightening the valve cover eliminated the leaking valve cover gasket. Unfortunately, it's leaking quite a bit out of the front of the head gasket, in addition to the bad valve guides. I know I could improve that situation with new valve seals, but experience has taught me that the guides have to be at least a little sloppy after 264k miles.
I'm not particularly worried about it at this point. The engine still runs well, and could probably last another 50-100k miles with care. I'm going to install the 4AC, fog the cylinders on the 3AC, then store it in the shipping container the 4AC came in. The next time I need an engine, I'll rebuild it.
I'm not particularly worried about it at this point. The engine still runs well, and could probably last another 50-100k miles with care. I'm going to install the 4AC, fog the cylinders on the 3AC, then store it in the shipping container the 4AC came in. The next time I need an engine, I'll rebuild it.