Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption?
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From: Aub, Fl
Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? I've noticed a slight loss of oil since the install, it has never used any before, why now? it has 54,000 miles on it and has lost a few ounces in just over 500 miles. I know it's not much, but it has never done that before.
I also noticed some yellow gunky looking (almost like moisture drops) in the top of my oil cap (on the inside) what could that be? the oil looks fine and the coolant is full.
Am I just paranoid about my car or what? it runs fine. <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" />
I also noticed some yellow gunky looking (almost like moisture drops) in the top of my oil cap (on the inside) what could that be? the oil looks fine and the coolant is full.
Am I just paranoid about my car or what? it runs fine. <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" />
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From: Troy, AL
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? It's just a coincedense.
A little condensation under the oilcap is nothing out of the ordinary so long as you're not using coolant. As your oil heats and cools it naturally gathers a little water. When the oil heats up, the water evaportates and condenses on your cap.
A little condensation under the oilcap is nothing out of the ordinary so long as you're not using coolant. As your oil heats and cools it naturally gathers a little water. When the oil heats up, the water evaportates and condenses on your cap.
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Maybe you've been driving it a little harder since the header install? My car uses some oil pretty much all the time (PCV consumption), but it's a little worse when I beat the car hard.
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From: SW Florida
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Colonel is right about the condensation under your oil cap. Don't even worry about it.
As for the oil consumption; I read a while back that someone else complained about oil consumption after a header install. For the life of me, I just can't understand how it could happen, but that other guy was convinced that it burned more oil. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />
Sorry, I don't have a clue. Just don't make sense.
As for the oil consumption; I read a while back that someone else complained about oil consumption after a header install. For the life of me, I just can't understand how it could happen, but that other guy was convinced that it burned more oil. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />
Sorry, I don't have a clue. Just don't make sense.
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From: New Hampshire
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Perhaps you are now running a higher RPM at a given speed/load (just the way you might be driving now that you have the headers on). The LS1s are known for oil consumption at higher RPM & light load.
Don't worry about it, and as the others have noted... the light condensation is normal, but if the oil starts turning light brown & foamy..... that would be coolant.
Gordon
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com
<img src="http://www.provenperformanceconcepts.com/PPC%20BANNER%20468x60.jpg" alt=" - " />
Don't worry about it, and as the others have noted... the light condensation is normal, but if the oil starts turning light brown & foamy..... that would be coolant.
Gordon
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com
<img src="http://www.provenperformanceconcepts.com/PPC%20BANNER%20468x60.jpg" alt=" - " />
Thread Starter
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From: Aub, Fl
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Thanks for the replys guys! I feel better about the gunk under the cap! maybe I have been pushing the car a little bit harder since the install, but not that much harder! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> I did use some BG oil treatment along with the usual Amsoil 10W-30. it was just over the full line about 1/4 inch and about 500 miles or so later it was at the top of the full line, does that seem normal? I feel like sometimes I should just get out of fast cars period and there would be less worries! <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> I have owned nothing but F-Bodys since 1988 though and it's a hard habbit to break! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" />
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by LS1JAY:
<strong> it was just over the full line about 1/4 inch and about 500 miles or so later it was at the top of the full line, does that seem normal? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I too have noticed that any oil I fill it past the full line seems to vanish faster than oil under the fill line. I think that's the nature of PCV consumption though, the more full the crankcase is, the faster it seems to suck it through. I try not to worry about it too much. Many if not most LS1s use some oil; right or wrong it's just the way it is.
<strong> it was just over the full line about 1/4 inch and about 500 miles or so later it was at the top of the full line, does that seem normal? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I too have noticed that any oil I fill it past the full line seems to vanish faster than oil under the fill line. I think that's the nature of PCV consumption though, the more full the crankcase is, the faster it seems to suck it through. I try not to worry about it too much. Many if not most LS1s use some oil; right or wrong it's just the way it is.
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From: Aub, Fl
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by M3EATER:
<strong>if the oil starts turning light brown & foamy..... that would be coolant.
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As in the actual oil on the dipstick? it looks fine. How does coolant get in the oil, is it from a cracked head or gasket? wouldn't a car run ruff if that were the case?
<strong>if the oil starts turning light brown & foamy..... that would be coolant.
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As in the actual oil on the dipstick? it looks fine. How does coolant get in the oil, is it from a cracked head or gasket? wouldn't a car run ruff if that were the case?
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Bad head gasket yes...and with that usually you'll be puffing a lot of white smoke out the exhaust too even if it's warm outside and the motor is warm.
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From: Aub, Fl
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by RPM WS6:
<strong> Bad head gasket yes...and with that usually you'll be puffing a lot of white smoke out the exhaust too even if it's warm outside and the motor is warm. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I guess you would see a drop in coolant right? mine is right at the top and I have not added to it since June when I put in a 160* thermostat, I have noticed some smoke ( a little puff visible from the rear view mirror)at WOT since the headers and O/R pipe, but I think it's from not having cats, it started right after the header install, it doesn't smoke under normal driving conditions though, it just smells terrible!
<img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" />
<strong> Bad head gasket yes...and with that usually you'll be puffing a lot of white smoke out the exhaust too even if it's warm outside and the motor is warm. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I guess you would see a drop in coolant right? mine is right at the top and I have not added to it since June when I put in a 160* thermostat, I have noticed some smoke ( a little puff visible from the rear view mirror)at WOT since the headers and O/R pipe, but I think it's from not having cats, it started right after the header install, it doesn't smoke under normal driving conditions though, it just smells terrible!
<img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" />
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? Headers make more power by two means.
They lower exhaust side "pumping loss",
and by more effectively extracting more
exhaust, you have a lower partial cylinder
pressure of waste gasses.
Less residual cylinder pressure at exhaust
stroke TDC means higher peak cylinder vacuum on
(and more vacuum throughout) the inlet stroke).
More vacuum means more oil uptake past the rings.
The higher cylinder vacuum at intake stroke
makes more intake side airflow. More intake
side suction means more PCV airflow activity,
possibly through the fresh air path.
More intake charge makes more power stroke
cylinder pressure. More cylinder pressure
makes more blowby. Blowby pressurizes the
crankcase and pushes oil past the rings,
the PCV extraction and fresh air paths.
More blowby means more crankcase condensates,
both water vapor and hydrocarbons. What you
see on the cap is only a sample of what ends
up in the oil.
This is my Grand Unified PCV Theory As Pertains
To Headers.
They lower exhaust side "pumping loss",
and by more effectively extracting more
exhaust, you have a lower partial cylinder
pressure of waste gasses.
Less residual cylinder pressure at exhaust
stroke TDC means higher peak cylinder vacuum on
(and more vacuum throughout) the inlet stroke).
More vacuum means more oil uptake past the rings.
The higher cylinder vacuum at intake stroke
makes more intake side airflow. More intake
side suction means more PCV airflow activity,
possibly through the fresh air path.
More intake charge makes more power stroke
cylinder pressure. More cylinder pressure
makes more blowby. Blowby pressurizes the
crankcase and pushes oil past the rings,
the PCV extraction and fresh air paths.
More blowby means more crankcase condensates,
both water vapor and hydrocarbons. What you
see on the cap is only a sample of what ends
up in the oil.
This is my Grand Unified PCV Theory As Pertains
To Headers.
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From: brainerd mn
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? on your oil use problem gm has bulitins out on some cars that the top mark on the dipstick is the max fill mark not the full mark and should be left .5 qt low or there will be increaced oil consumption untill the level lowers itself
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by wolfman jack:
<strong> on your oil use problem gm has bulitins out on some cars that the top mark on the dipstick is the max fill mark not the full mark and should be left .5 qt low or there will be increaced oil consumption untill the level lowers itself </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wow...this is some interesting info...it seems to hold true in my case as well. Do you have a link to the bulliten? I'd like to read it if you do... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
<strong> on your oil use problem gm has bulitins out on some cars that the top mark on the dipstick is the max fill mark not the full mark and should be left .5 qt low or there will be increaced oil consumption untill the level lowers itself </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wow...this is some interesting info...it seems to hold true in my case as well. Do you have a link to the bulliten? I'd like to read it if you do... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
Staging Lane
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From: Knoxville, TN
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? My biggest worry with headers right now is the oil consumption. I got 2 buddies with 98' ls1 models with Mac headers and they started smoking and using oil right away. I know that headers will make the LS1 run rich but the oil consumption these 2 are having is strange. Both cars have under 75k miles and have no cats. One of them rebuild his motor and found all the ring gaps was lined up.
I would have looked pass one person with this problem but 2 people with the same mods and year LS1's? It don't make since. Was that a bad year or something for LS1's?
I would have looked pass one person with this problem but 2 people with the same mods and year LS1's? It don't make since. Was that a bad year or something for LS1's?
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From: Aub, Fl
Re: Is it possible for headers to cause oil consumption? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Bandit:
<strong> My biggest worry with headers right now is the oil consumption. I got 2 buddies with 98' ls1 models with Mac headers and they started smoking and using oil right away. I know that headers will make the LS1 run rich but the oil consumption these 2 are having is strange. Both cars have under 75k miles and have no cats. One of them rebuild his motor and found all the ring gaps was lined up.
I would have looked pass one person with this problem but 2 people with the same mods and year LS1's? It don't make since. Was that a bad year or something for LS1's? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thats strange, thats just how my '99 seems to have done? as soon as the headers wen't on it started using oil and smoking, befroe that it never used a drop! weird???
<strong> My biggest worry with headers right now is the oil consumption. I got 2 buddies with 98' ls1 models with Mac headers and they started smoking and using oil right away. I know that headers will make the LS1 run rich but the oil consumption these 2 are having is strange. Both cars have under 75k miles and have no cats. One of them rebuild his motor and found all the ring gaps was lined up.
I would have looked pass one person with this problem but 2 people with the same mods and year LS1's? It don't make since. Was that a bad year or something for LS1's? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thats strange, thats just how my '99 seems to have done? as soon as the headers wen't on it started using oil and smoking, befroe that it never used a drop! weird???
