OIL Consumption

My Pug 405 1.8i glx 1995 has about 88k miles on the clock. I only do
50-60 miles per week to and from work and for the last year or so it
gets through a pint of oil every few weeks. It does not seem to smoke
unduly nor drip oil on the drive. I've more or less decide to put up
with it.
However, this weekend I did a 250 mile round trip at 60-70 mph most of
the time and I expected to need to add oil during if not after the run.

I was surprised to find it had hardly used any oil at all.

Any ideas why slowish short journeys burn oil and long faster ones don't?

Seems the wrong way round to me.

TIA

Bob

 

Hi,

Just because on short journeys the parts are not up to the right
temperature, this involving some extra clearance, therefore some oil
consumption.
On longer drives, the engine's parts are in position, with nominal
dilatation and may well not burn any oil.

I'll tell you a tale, son : at the beginning, I used to drive my 205D on 70
miles trips, stayed overweek on a car park, then another 70 miles on the way
back. It drank no oil.
A bit later, I had to drive it everyday on 15 miles trips, no more... So not
really the mileage to get it to temp. And then it drank oil.

Eeeer the fact you don't need any oil after a long trip is a good sign, too
: oil rings, pistons, valve seals are not worn.

HTH,

 

Thanks for the explanation GT
My normal journeys are 4 miles twice perday.
I'll have to try and do more long journeys!

Bob

 

Hi,

So that's it, don't look further.
You must get an awful MPG out of it in addition

Regards,

 

Quite possibly. I don't really keep records.
Gotta get to work somehow - well at least for the next 6 months then I'm
giving this work lark up for ever!

Bob