Why Does a Car Burn Oil?
You won’t see any drips on the ground. When you find your car burning oil and not leaking, it’s not as simple as changing a gasket. The causes are much more severe.
When your motor starts to burn oil you better act fast. Odds are that your engine has some internal damage that will cost you a pretty penny to fix. In this article we’ll cover all the details about a motor thats burning so you can avoid overspending on engine repairs.
Piston Rings Don’t Seal
The pistons in your engine move up and down in their cylinders. Oil control rings, often just called piston rings, allow oil to lubricate the cylinder walls and moving parts without pushing up into the combustion chamber. If the piston rings are stuck, worn, or broken, oil can get into the combustion chamber and burn.
Valve Guides Leak
Valves control the air-fuel mixture intake and the exhaust gas release. Valve guides prevent engine oil from leaking into the combustion chamber from the top where oil lubricates the valve guides. If valve guides are worn, oil gets into the cylinder and burns.
Leaking Head Gasket
Cylinder head gaskets seal oil galleries in the engine block and head, allowing circulation without leaking oil or coolant inside or outside the engine. If the head gasket leaks, it can dump oil directly into the cylinders.
Stuck PCV Valve
Engine pressure is released through a Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve, or PCV valve, back into the intake manifold. If this valve sticks, it creates engine pressure that can blow seals or push oil up into the cylinders.
What Are Signs that an Engine is Burning Oil?
The most common symptom that your engine is burning oil is a puff of bluish smoke from the tailpipe. The blue tinge is characteristic of burning oil.
On some cars, especially those that use synthetic engine oil, the tailpipe smoke might not be so evident. A burning oil smell is still quite obvious, though. It’s off-putting and heavy, and could turn your stomach.
Even without blue smoke or a burning oil smell, you could have a car burning oil but not leaking. Oil consumption is a normal part of engine operation, with normal oil consumption averaging up to a quart per 2,000 miles. It can leave your crankcase low on oil. If your oil consumption is much higher than normal, you might not know it until it’s too late.
What Happens to a Car if the Burning Oil Issue is Ignored?
Your car can run for a while if it’s burning oil, as long as you keep adding engine oil when it gets low. There are, however, issues that will come up.
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The engine will run rough, because oil doesn’t burn properly in the cylinders.
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Spark plugs will become fouled by oil, turning on the Check Engine light.
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Excessive oil in the exhaust can cause your catalytic converter to overheat or fail.
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Low engine oil can cause a blown motor or seized engine.
If your car is burning oil, it needs to be addressed soon and not ignored.
Is It Easy to Fix an Engine that's Burning Oil?
If you’ve Googled “How to fix my car burning oil”, you know it isn’t usually an easy fix. The only concern that is an easy fix is a replacement PCV valve. Otherwise, fixing an engine that’s burning oil can take weeks and chew up a big part of your savings.
How Much Does it Cost to Fix?
If you’re so lucky that it’s only your PCV valve that needs to be changed, you might only pay $100. All other repairs are much more expensive. Replacing the head gasket, for example, could be anywhere from $900 to $1,800 per cylinder head, and replacing or fixing a blown motor can range from $2,500 to $5,700.
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Can I Sell My Car if It’s Burning Oil?
There’s no manual titled ‘How to Sell My Car When It’s Burning Oil’. What you can be sure of is that buyers will be able tell the oil is burning and that it isn’t typical engine repairs like an oil leak. When you sell your car, you’ll have to tell the car shoppers that it needs mechanical repairs to fix the issue. It could scare off anyone who’s interested, or you could get a ridiculously low offer. Dealerships don’t like to take cars on trade with these kinds of problems either. And you definitely won’t get your money out of it if you part out your car.
There is another solution, though. CarBrain is the better way to sell your car in as-is condition. It’s fast and it’s easy, and it puts cash in your hand quickly. Simply submit your car’s information, mileage, and condition and you’ll receive an immediate guaranteed offer. If you accept, you’ll get payment fast, and CarBrain will even tow your car away for FREE!
How Can I sell My Car if it's Burning Oil
Should I Fix My Car or Sell It AS-IS
Some car repairs are just not worth it. They require tons of labor hours and expensive parts. If not diagnosed properly, you could run the risk of wasting more of your hard earned cash on the repairs than what the car is worth. To avoid overspending It's important to be well informed of what issues are worth it.
How To Sell A Car Fast
Every mile you drive or day that you wait to sell your car will cause it to depreciate. it's important to act fast if you wish to receive the highest return but, the sale process can be a very long and tedious task. Read more to learn about how to sell your car fast and efficiently.
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