hi everybody. i just got a 97 gs with 63k miles. i am new here and i have been reading all the posts concerning oil problems and still no luck. well heres my problem: i have gotten an oil change about 2 weeks ago and within the 2 weeks, i had to add another quart of oil because oil level dropped and as of right now, my oil is down by half again. i am wondering where it went. i don't think its burning because if its burning oil, wouldn't the oil be black? mine still has an amber color to it. i took it to my mechanic and he did a compression check and everything and said it was fine, no visual leaks. i also read that if the car is burning oil, the smoke is blue, well how blue is it because i notice every now and then, my car will emit a really thick white smoke with a choky smell to it. the car was not cold when it happens either. the smoke i get would linger around too. am i really burning oil? the smoke only comes out once in a while. so does anyone have any thoughts on where my oil went? any fixes? please help. thanks

blue smoke out the tailpipe is a tell-tale sign of you burning it... i thought i burnt it until i saw the back of my block and said "oh, that's where it's going" #4 cylender area is leaking oil out the back of the head all over my block.

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-Ryan

try tightening the 8 mm bolts on the valve cover thats were my oil was going ...

420A = Dominating Potential

thanks for the replies, can't really see leakage from the front of the valve cover and i can't really see the back. i was wondering, would faulty spark plug gaskets cause oil burning? i hope the answer is yes because i m sure thats the cheapest solution if it is true. kind of tight on money these days. also, if it was burning oil, wouldn't i get a consistant smoking out the exhaust because like i said earlier, it happens once in a while. i have been reading this forum in search of answers for days now. someone please help.

A new gasket set for the valve cover and spark plugs runs you under $25 at AutoZone. If you have a set of sockets and about an hour you can replace it yourself and save some money.
If your plug gaskets are shitty (they get that way quite frequently) they can leak oil into the combustion chamber to be burned and that might account for the intermittent smokage.

Check out Corbin's homepage here for all kinds of cool stuff you can pro'lly do yourself (thislink goes to VC gasket replacement)

Good luck no0b! Let us know how it goes!
http://www.2gnt.com/www/corbin/vc.html

You're most likely burning oil from your headgasket leaking near the number 4 cylinder, like said above. Thats a faulty design causing that, something about a head stud being too short and not seating just right. Thanks Chrysle .

Joe

PS - just check your oil periodically. if you think its the spark plugs take one out. if you see oil then...there ya go:D

Formerly Joe B Slow
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ph33r me im l33t: I'm like
ph33r me im l33t: petting the tranny cooler
ph33r me im l33t: it looks like a baby intercooler
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ph33r me im l33t: seriously man
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ph33r me im l33t: I flow shit
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ph33r me im l33t: I cool that bitch down

thanks guys. you ve been great help. as for the missing oil, i think i found it. there was a huge crack on the hose from the valve cover to the throttle body. would that also acount for the burning? i was thinking maybe it depressurized and oil got into the throttle body and caused the burning. does that sound right? well i just ordered the o2 sensors and hopefully that will solve the mileage problem i have because a full tank lasting for like 230 miles doesn't sound right to me. also, i have heard a faulty pcv would cause occasional burning (www.dsmparts.com said that). does that sound right? thanks in advance.

I've personaly found that "race'n" my little RS for prolonged periods @ over 100mph caused it to burn oil & get low. Hey I've baby'd my car for over 50K miles I figure its about time I "AIR IT OUT" every once in a whil