Bobby C 01TA

I posted this on another site but really didnt get much info.. maybe u guys could help.. thanks in advance!!


Ok on average I believe my low oil light will come on every 400 miles or so. Once it even came on after 170 miles.. but that was after a day at the track making maybe 7-8 good 1/4 mile runs..It smokes at WOT but doesnt smoke at startup or driving normal. Its a 2001 TA A4..not my daily driver.. had it for 3 1/2 yrs.. bought it brand new. Broke it in gently for around 600-700 miles.

Mods are lid/cutout/3200 vigilante stall/ls6 cam and Mac Midlengths with ORY. Heads are stock. The car never used to show the low oil light until after the headers were put on.. then the light would come on when the oil got low.Before the headers, all i had was lid and cutout and the stall and ls6 cam came a while after the headers... I try my best to not let the oil come on and just check the oil whenever i go get gas. I do the 4qt 10w30 M1 and 2qt 15W50 M1 mix and it helps some. The car only has 19.9k miles on it.

What could be the problem here and what are some "cheap" solutions. I havent changed any PCVs or the valley cover mod or added any kind of catchcan etc. From reading other posts, these procedures help for some but dont help at all for others. Could my rings possibly be bad so early in the cars life? The car runs awesome so there is no complaints about performance..but I would like to reduce the oil consumption.. thanks! And yes the warranty is out lol.

PREDATOR-Z

1- Do a leak down test to make sure your rings are OK.
2- If all is allright then 2 options:
a- Catchcan (Much cheaper)
b- LS6 PCV system swap
Some poeple have both.

Bobby C 01TA

where can i go to get a leakdown test? and how long is the process and about how much in price does this test run? thanks

PREDATOR-Z

Sponsors--------->
2 hours at worse
Call a tuning shop in your area.

robertbartsch

Do the leak-down test yourself. www.jcw.com sells them for $75....

I have both catch can and ls6 valley cover mods with LT headers, cam, heads, etc........

Bobby C 01TA

was your car consuming oil before the valley cover /catch can??? did it help any if at all? I dont see any blue smoke..just dark brown.. guess its oil lol

dissonance

A catch can will stop oil from getting in to the intake but not fix the problem… an ls6 valley cover will most likely fix the problem but you have to grind on the block and remove the intake to install it. Not the easiest install, I think ls1howto has a nice write up on the subject.

I have the ls6 valley cover with no pcv valve and it works very well. My car used about one QT every oil change 3k. But now I use 0% and have no oil build up in the intake.

1st thing I would try is run 5w-30 mobile one oil in the car, also change to a pcv valve that only has a small hole in it not a valve this will keep pressure from building up and rushing oil in to the intake “i.e.” WOT part number is 12572717 “I’m not 100% that is right” maybe someone can check it for you or the dealer might be able to tell you. These two things almost did away with my car’s oil problem but I ended up doing the ls6 valley cover.

chrismcdaniel had a problem a lot like yours on his 2000 SS and has it fixed now, but not sure what all he did.

Oh and I think oil gives off a whiteish color when it's burnt? But before you do any of this make sure you have no oil leaks and your rings are good.

ChevyGoldfinger

Oil out the tail pipe = Blue AKA "Death Smoke"
Coolant out the tail pipe = White
Unburnt fuel (uber rich) = Black

(there are some cases where there is a mixture of any or all of the above)

Bobby C 01TA

i pulled off the TB hose and put my finger behind the butterfly and there was a little oil.. nothing dramatic.. not even enough to soak my finger but enough to know its oil.

I also started her up and there was black liquid spraying from the exhaust onto the ground..but i rubbed my hand across the floor and the liquid was non greasy.. so It was just the carbon buildup. That happens often if I dont drive the car for over 2 days.

Hmm I may just shoot for the valley cover/ls6 pcv/ and catchcan before I take a dramatic step towards the motor!

MyLS1Hauls

iTrader: (2)

I've seen many posts before about MAC headers contributing to high oil consumption. Obviously the headers arent at fault, but for some reason people have said they've had no oil consumption and then installed the headers and boom, instant blue smoke. I cant understand it. There is no way you are burning that much oil through your PCV system. I've seen many people with limited success on the LS6 valley cover. I personally installed a catch can, but it only would catch a few ounces an oil change. To be burning 2 qts in 200 miles, it must be going past the rings. That black liquid is just condensation mixing with carbon...totally normal. Switching to 5W30 M1 will just complicate the problem. I'd do a leakdown test and see how the rings are. Although I can't imagine them being significantly worn with that few of miles.

Bobby C 01TA

my a/f is on the dot too.. it was running extremely lean 14:1 a while back and with the MAFT it ran extremely rich so i had it tuned by LS1 edit and the entire curve ran straight and the A/F was perfect at 13:2.. i dont know why it would be the seals either.. ugh..still a brand new freakin car and burns so much oil oh well.. i'll try some cheap fixes like the pcv valve etc first

John02SS

iTrader: (47)

Unless you hurt something running real lean and detonation killed something. If this is the cause the leakdown would point the finger at the hurt cylinders. Mine was using oil and turned out to be valve seals. They got damaged during the spring install. Mine uses no oil now! Good luck!

pphilli1

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=John02SS]Unless you hurt something running real lean and detonation killed something. If this is the cause the leakdown would point the finger at the hurt cylinders. Mine was using oil and turned out to be valve seals. They got damaged during the spring install. Mine uses no oil now! Good luck![/QUOTE
i have an 00 ws-6-the valves & pistons made contact after a wrong gear shift
had several valves replaced.after installing mac mid length headers several
months after & removing the cats i noticed oil burning at wot.i wonder if the
valve stem seals or guides are the source of the burning oil.only smokes at
wot.now if i do leakdown test how can i determine if the rings are bad or if it
is the valveguides or seals.the motor has 38k on it.i find hard to beleive that the valve to piston contact has damaged the rings,seems the theory on the
guides or seals makes more sense.but, i am not sure. would appreciate any
info.thanks.

pphilli1

iTrader: (1)

ant one with oil consumption issues please contact-burning at wot only
some blue smoke on decel