Engine burning serious amounts of oil!

Gsconnor

I have a 2002 Nissan Primera 1.6 97k miles, the past few months it has been burning large amounts of oil, e.g, 2 litres in under a week. The rocker cover was replaced as it was leaking oil because it was cracked also the gasket seal, just before this was done it was beginning to smell badly when accelerating hard, but since it has been replaced it has began burning badly, we were driving it for about a week with no oil left so no good was done there, but it still has compression and the power is there and the blue smoke is not constant only when you put the foot down or above 60mph so trying to stay below that. There are 2 possibilities i know of the valve seals, pcv seal, exhaust valve seals, or the piston rings which are uncommon to go on this model so I heard and 97k is very early to happen aswell, so if any ideas please let me know, or is there a possibility that the mechanic could have done something accidental, or dropped something in causing to burn?It seems to have only started buring since then. Would like to hear, thanks.

mathepac

Gsconnor wrote: »

... we were driving it for about a week with no oil left so no good was done there, ...

:eek: A replacement / reconditioned engine should sort you out no problem.

Gsconnor

mathepac wrote: »

:eek: A replacement / reconditioned engine should sort you out no problem.

Yea I posted a thread for a replacement/ reconditioned engine but no look yet, you have any ideas on where to get hold of one? Thanks

Jimmy Bottlehead

Gsconnor wrote: »

we were driving it for about a week with no oil left so no good was done there

Why did you do this?! :eek:

Gsconnor

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Why did you do this?! :eek:

We didnt realise there was no oil left because it was still running fine, there was a clicking noise but it sounded like it was coming from the wheel then when we checked we filled it straight away

Hotwheels

Give a few scrap yards a ring, and keep her topped with oil, she'll last till you find an engine.

Try http://www.partfinder.ie, there seems to be a few there, just input car details....

Gsconnor

Hotwheels wrote: »

Give a few scrap yards a ring, and keep her topped with oil, she'll last till you find an engine.

Try http://www.partfinder.ie, there seems to be a few there, just input car details....

That web seems useful il give a few calls soon, thanks

Wheelnut

It's hardly possible that the breather system is blocked and the cracked rocker cover was letting out the pressure prior to repair? The fact that it only smokes over 60mph might be a clue.

Give it a try before you buy a new engine although I agree that you did not do it any good by driving with no oil! Did the oil light not come on? If not there might just have been enough oil left in the sump to save the engine. Is there a heavy knocking/rumpling noise low down in the engine when you rev it up?

Gsconnor

Wheelnut wrote: »

It's hardly possible that the breather system is blocked and the cracked rocker cover was letting out the pressure prior to repair? The fact that it only smokes over 60mph might be a clue.

Give it a try before you buy a new engine although I agree that you did not do it any good by driving with no oil! Did the oil light not come on? If not there might just have been enough oil left in the sump to save the engine. Is there a heavy knocking/rumpling noise low down in the engine when you rev it up?

There was that knocking noise when there was none left , well very litlle showing on the dipstick even though it prob still had enough, we filled it with a litre and it stopped knocking, so we keep checking and ripping up now, oil light only came on twice when taking the bends, no noise anymore though, so what are u saying I should try to do? Thanks

punto gt turbo3

i agree with wheelnut, check your breather system is not blocked,

Gsconnor

punto gt turbo3 wrote: »

i agree with wheelnut, check your breather system is not blocked,

Ok thanks, actually I just remember the coolant all dissapeared there roughly the same time that be anything to do with the breather system?

richardsheil

Eh. No.

You lost coolant and oil. Sounds serious.

replacement sounds best option

Gsconnor

richardsheil wrote: »

Eh. No.

You lost coolant and oil. Sounds serious.

replacement sounds best option

Yea bit of a disaster alright

kona

Do a compression test, post the results here.

Wheelnut

Gsconnor wrote: »

... actually I just remember the coolant all dissapeared there roughly the same time that be anything to do with the breather system?

No, it's nothing to do with the breather system, but it could indicate head gasket trouble.

kona wrote: »

Do a compression test, post the results here.

Do you want this test for piston ring or head gasket diagnoses? If the damage has been caused by running low on oil it's more likely that the big end bearings will be damaged and not the rings. That's why I asked about rumbling or knocking noises low down in the engine.

Gsconnor

Wheelnut wrote: »

No, it's nothing to do with the breather system, but it could indicate head gasket trouble.



Do you want this test for piston ring or head gasket diagnoses? If the damage has been caused by running low on oil it's more likely that the big end bearings will be damaged and not the rings. That's why I asked about rumbling or knocking noises low down in the engine.

Well Il try just about everything tyo get it fixed so il add a test for the piston rings to the list.:)

kona

Wheelnut wrote: »

No, it's nothing to do with the breather system, but it could indicate head gasket trouble.



Do you want this test for piston ring or head gasket diagnoses? If the damage has been caused by running low on oil it's more likely that the big end bearings will be damaged and not the rings. That's why I asked about rumbling or knocking noises low down in the engine.

Both , but to be specific a comp test wont differntiate between the two, you can in some cases read into it (i.e lower pressure between 2 cylinders would be head gasket).

Also I dont understand how, if his big ends are gone he is gunna be burning oil, If hes burning oil its caused by usually a few culprits. The big ends are bearings, if he ran low on oil it probably led to the piston over heating and either damaging the rings or the piston itself.

Rings
Bores
Ringland
valve stem oil seals
Head gasket.

OP after you post the comp results you may have to do a few more to try eliminate some. If your rings are gone, the bore *could* be scored, so the block may need a hone.

Gsconnor

kona wrote: »

Both , but to be specific a comp test wont differntiate between the two, you can in some cases read into it (i.e lower pressure between 2 cylinders would be head gasket).

Also I dont understand how, if his big ends are gone he is gunna be burning oil, If hes burning oil its caused by usually a few culprits. The big ends are bearings, if he ran low on oil it probably led to the piston over heating and either damaging the rings or the piston itself.

Rings
Bores
Ringland
valve stem oil seals
Head gasket.

OP after you post the comp results you may have to do a few more to try eliminate some. If your rings are gone, the bore *could* be scored, so the block may need a hone.

I understand that running with low oil coukd cause damage but whats puzzling me is how it burned it all in the 1st place? It happened very soon after rocker cover gasket was changed

Wheelnut

Gsconnor wrote: »

... whats puzzling me is how it burned it all in the 1st place? It happened very soon after rocker cover gasket was changed

That's why I wondered about a blocked breather system, the cracked valve cover could have been releasing any pressure build-up! (Have we come round the full circle?)
:rolleyes:

Gsconnor

Wheelnut wrote: »

That's why I wondered about a blocked breather system, the cracked valve cover could have been releasing any pressure build-up! (Have we come round the full circle?)
:rolleyes:

I had a look at 1 of the breather hoses there yesterday and it is slightly lose and Its near the oil cap so there is some oil on it by the looks of things from pouring in so much lately so il take it apart tomorro and clear it, since you 1 st mentioned the breather i think it could very well be that and seein that yesterday makes it look more likely now hopefully will do the trick