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Engines with alot of miles

S

Sniper82

Lifer
Have a 2000 Grand Am SE with like 128,000 miles. Use it on long trips is the reason for so many miles. It seems to still be running good but is using oil and has been for a long time. I check the oil often and I got to noticing that there is some oil around the engine which I know ain't good. I am guessing the seals are getting bad but I think it's been doing this for a long time. Just never really looked over everything like I did today.

My question is, is there anything I could add to my oil that will help with seals thats going bad and help stop leakage or slow it down? I don't want to add anything thats gonna finish the engine off as I am sure it doesn't have much life left in it. But I want it to last as long as possible. Going sometime this week for a oil/transmission fluid change.

On a new oil change I probably go through a quart until it's ready for another change(around 4,000 miles).
 
losing a quart every 4000 miles is not bad at all. 1qt/5k miles is standard. You could try something like valvoline maxlife, but why mess with what ain't broke?
 
STP Engine Stop Leak oil treatment helps to gum up the seals and gaskets. Won't do a lot, but it might help a bit.
 
It looks like your engine hasn't been getting cooled sufficiently and could be the reason for it not running like it should. You're absolutely sure you aren't leaking oil from the oil pan? Reason I don't think it's getting cooled sufficiently/running hot/overheating is because those seals should last for like 200,000 miles, 128K miles isn't very long so it seems like the seals are going bad from running too hot..
 
Originally posted by: D1gger
STP Engine Stop Leak oil treatment helps to gum up the seals and gaskets. Won't do a lot, but it might help a bit.
Click to expand...

It won't do much if the engine is burning it. My LS1 and LT1 eat about a quart every 3000 miles.
 
The temp has always ran at or around 200 according to my gauge I look at it often while in the car and it has never went above that. I am guessing thats about a normal temp since it ran at that since I got the car. Heck that might be high? There could be a leak from the oil pan but what would explain the oily/dirt substance around the engine other than a seal? I def think there is a leak somewhere and wouldn't mind adding something to it if it's known to help and not mess something up.

I heard some things can be bad on one. Just want this car to last as long as possible. It's had a short hard life 😀. I've already had to put a new fuel pump in it about 1,000 miles ago.

Thx
 
NO!

DO NOT use fix-a-leak products in your oil.

The best thing you can do is use a thicker grade of oil. Or, since the car is so new.. how about getting the leak fixed?

BTW, 128k miles is not a lot. It's a lot for a '00, but meh. I'd assume they're all highway miles, which are the easiest on a car. The problem is that it is a Pontiac.

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
It looks like your engine hasn't been getting cooled sufficiently and could be the reason for it not running like it should. You're absolutely sure you aren't leaking oil from the oil pan? Reason I don't think it's getting cooled sufficiently/running hot/overheating is because those seals should last for like 200,000 miles, 128K miles isn't very long so it seems like the seals are going bad from running too hot..
Click to expand...
😕

Do you even know what you're talking about?
 
Before assuming it's some life-ending repair for the car - look at some of the simple things. Oil can leak from many places, most not that expensive to repair, while some are very expensive to repair.

Is there visable, somewhat shiny oil trails anywhere you can see?

Get a large box, flatten it, and put it under the motor overnight. That may help indicate where the leak is, especially if it's in the bottom of the engine.

Is there a small amount of bluish-grey smoke coming out of the tailpipe? Especially at startup?

Do you have a friend that's a bit more mechanical? 😛

You should be able to get a free diagnosis at some chain auto repair store, then you can make an educated attempt at resolving the issue.

I just noticed you say it goes through 1QT every 4k miles?

That's not excessive consumption of oil, there's better, yes, but that's not bad for an American car with that many miles.
 
I'll echo Eli's statements.

Do NOT use snake oil. Oil consumption of a quart every 4k miles is normal even for a brand new engine. Your engine probably has another 100k miles left in it.
 
To leak a quart every 4K, you'd have some serious puddles when you parked and oil trails on the undercarriage. The leakage is part of getting old, and crappy seal/gasket/heat management design.
The bulk or the consumption is most likely a combination of ring bypass and valve stem seal/valve guide wear.
At 1QT/4K, I'd do nothing. drive it and change the oil at 4K🙂
If the leaks bother you, clean the engine completley and run it, and observe the leaks.
Replacing rocker cover gaskets is easy, timing covers, cam and crank seals, and oil pans are not.
If you get a good puff of smoke at cold startup, and it then cleans up and evens out the rest of the day, it is valve stem/seal. The engine cools off and any oil on the upper stem leaks down past the seals by gravity. It puddles on top of the valve and makes a nice puff on startup.
If it has some differences in compression, say more than 15 PSI, then it is likey ring wear and ring bypass consumption.

At 1QT/4K, I'd do nothing. drive it and change the oil at 4K🙂
 
Someone mention using Maxlife which I have been using 10w40 for the last 2-3 changes. Well it will use a quart every 4,000 miles or so I have put in a little more before but not always.

Here are some pics I took:
http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0088nf.jpg
http://img487.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0032pk.jpg
http://img371.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0024yt.jpg
http://img464.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0047kh.jpg
http://img464.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0106id.jpg

Heck it might not be oil it could be something else. Is it possible the engine could be sweating making it look like that? It was cold this morning when my GF left. I don't know much about cars thats why I posted pics and am posting here. I might look into taking it somewhere to be checked out.

One last thing is there a way to clean that stuff off? Whats the best way.

Thx all
 
Looks like oil to me.

I would get some degreaser or Simple Green, soak the entire area where you see oil, scrub with a brush if possible, and hose off. Get it as supremely clean as possible and watch for where the oil develops.

EDIT 128K miles on a Grand Am seems a bit up there to me, it might need some work bein' put into it soon 😉
 
Thats not a major leak - looks like a tappet cover and a little coming out from the oil filter, although it's difficult to tell from those photos. Figure out where the leak is coming from and fix it - it's not rocket science.

To clean, just spray with degreaser or simple green and hose off.
 
Did GM change the intake manifold seal design on the engines by then? Do a google search, intake manifold leak and DEXCOOL problems are very common on some GM engines.

My friend's Grand Am had that happen, good thing she caught it in time before it ruined the engine. Costs about $700 to replace the seals .... mostly labor, it's a PITA to do it because of the seal design.
 
My '87 Volvo just turned 250,000 miles with the original engine. I have the oil changed every 3,000 miles and it's never burned *any* oil.
 
my 86 Ford XF Falcon S pack, fitted with it original 4.1litre inline 6, has recenly crossed the 600000km barrier, it has never been rebuilt and has only ever had one head gasket replaced. it drinks maybe 1.5 litres of oil for every 2500-3000 kays.

It still starts first turn of the key, doesn't blow much smoke(a little puff of white smoke at start up), gives 22-25mpg (it has a 3sp auto and 2.77:1 rear end).

the only thing that it has wrong with it is a slighly worn timing chain...it rattles a bit when the engine is cold...or on really hot days when the oil is possibly a bit thin.

It get an oil change every 5 months or 9000km's on the dot, the rest of the servicing is done according to the maintance manual.

It would have to be one of the most dependable cars I have ever owned, it has never let me down other than the odd time I have ignored the dodgy fuel gauge (it was a big problem in the XF S packs from day one) and run out of fuel...usually 2 or 3 blocks from a servo.

It doesn't go as hard as it did a few years ago, but it is more than capable of still doing 180km/h(down from 210km/h) and still can accelerate 0-100km/h in less than 10 seconds....not bad for a 99kw, 1400kg sedan.
 
http://auto-rx.com/
The ONLY engine oil additive that I have use that actually DOES something!

A test by an Auto-RX user.
http://www.rms13.com/

I am not associated with ARX. I ran 2 cycles of this stuff through my 1992 S10 with 170k.
Both of my valve cover gaskets stopped leaking. Oil consumption dropped for 1 qt every 1500 to 1 every 4000. Compression in all cylinders went up 50 to 90 psi.
Beats an overhaul for the price.
 
LOL, an oil additive boosted compression by 90psi? Okay mate, whatever you say. I have a hard time believing anyone would even bother doing a compression test just to check an oil additive.
 
BTW, 1 quart every 4k miles is nothing.

The front seal on my truck has started leaking, and I'm going through 1 quart a week(320 miles).

I do intend to get THAT fixed. The engine only has like 40k miles on it.. I think it started leaking because it sat and was only used like once every 6 months for like 2 years.
 
Originally posted by: rhatsaruck
My '87 Volvo just turned 250,000 miles with the original engine. I have the oil changed every 3,000 miles and it's never burned *any* oil.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don't really know where people get these strange numbers. A healthy engine burns very little oil.

It can also depend on the oil... Some lower quality oils, up to 14% can boil off.. while higher quality/synthetic oils, it can be as low as 6%...

And of course, the engine. Some just eat more than others.
 
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