Oil consumption

[Milky400]

Morning all,

Had the car for a couple of weeks now and loving the it.

However as mentioned in provious post, after collecting and travelling 60 miles the car was heavily smoking whilst hot in stationary traffic.

After speaking to the dealer he was quick to get it to Dom and try to resolve the issue. Lambda sensors replaced and collect Friday. To be fair not had much opportunity this weekend to take it out to see if smoking had stopped.

Whilst with Dom I asked he check oil levels and fill as needed.

The car has used atleast 1 litre of oil in 276 miles... Is this considered normal? The few guys I know with SP6 engines certainly don't use that much...

[benny4x]

hi
wow that does seem a lot!
I think mine uses hardly any compared to that I guess 1/2 litre in 500-700 miles
I don't drive it that hard that often though could make a difference

[wongthecorrupter]

I have had my tuscan 2 years and i have never topped it up, it hasnt used a drop. I must drive like a girl

[stevieeg]

My 1st Tuscan drank oil at a similar rate... in short order the engine ate itself. The replacement engine ran at about 1 litre per 1000 miles.

I've done 1200 in the new one in the last two weeks and only used about 1/2 litre.

[S6PNJ]

Milky400 said:

The car has used at least 1 litre of oil in 276 miles...

It might not have done! If different people topped up and measured the oil, they could have got significantly different readings. Only once the same method has bben used by the same person can you (reasonably) accurately say how much oil is being used. Just a thought.

[blueg33]

My Mk1 Tuscan has a TVR Power rebuild, and did not use any oil between the services at every 6k miles. Total mileage was 45k circa 15k post rebuild. I did not drive it gently, but I do try and have some mechanical sympathy

[NCE 61]

TVR quoted 1000 miles per liter, but particularly on later or re-built engines this was a lot less. Best to check the level in the same conditions i.e. oil temp (>80 Deg.C) , just after switching the engine off and on level ground at 200 mile intervals and you should get a better idea of the oil consumption.

[m4tti]

Mine was running the same.. roughly 300 miles per a litre. The car ran fine pulled well and only really smoked when hot.

I would pull the plugs and see for yourself. Presuming they weren't changed last Friday it will be fairly obvious which cylinders are consuming oil. Can post an example pic if necessary.

[Cockey]

S6PNJ said:

Milky400 said:

The car has used at least 1 litre of oil in 276 miles...

It might not have done! If different people topped up and measured the oil, they could have got significantly different readings. Only once the same method has bben used by the same person can you (reasonably) accurately say how much oil is being used. Just a thought.

I agree. There are so many variations to how people read the oil level. Before getting too worried, I'd take a reading yourself and then compare it a few hundred miles later using the exact same method.

The way I do it: when the car is warmed up, unscrew the oil cap whilst the engine is running, turn off the engine and as quickly as possible take a couple of readings. You need to do it quickly because the longer you leave it, the more oil drains out of the system into the tank and screws the reading up.

[s6boy]

Also worth checking what it was filled with at the last service. Original spec was 0w 40,but I believe Dom @ Power recommends 10w 40 once an engine is run in, and that's what's been going in to mine for the last 4 years.

[wongthecorrupter]

10 40 semi

[likesachange]

As a new Tuscan owner myself I'm interested on what the average oil consumption is also...

Any long termers on original engines, what's your oil consumption like?

Does it get worse the more miles you put on to a point where it suggests it needs a rebuild??

I'm about to go on a 2500 mile trip.. Looks like I'll need to pack some oil... What's most recommended?

Thanks in advance

[S6PNJ]

likesachange said:

Any long termers on original engines, what's your oil consumption like?

I have about 61,300 miles on my original engine and yes, it likes to burn a bit of oil. My valve guides are probably worn (smokes on start up), possibly piston rings as well etc. I've had the car since about 24k miles and I've always warmed it up well before giving it any boot. I've done about 4 or 5 track days, including 3 days at the Nurburgring, so it's also been driven quite hard at times. I'd say mine will quite happily get though about 1 litre in 500-750 miles, so it doesn't worry me too much yet. I know I'll need a rebuild at some point, but at the moment, some oil is cheaper than a lot of expensive work, so I'm happy to keep running my car as it is.

[likesachange]

S6PNJ said:

I have about 61,300 miles on my original engine and yes, it likes to burn a bit of oil. My valve guides are probably worn (smokes on start up), possibly piston rings as well etc. I've had the car since about 24k miles and I've always warmed it up well before giving it any boot. I've done about 4 or 5 track days, including 3 days at the Nurburgring, so it's also been driven quite hard at times. I'd say mine will quite happily get though about 1 litre in 500-750 miles, so it doesn't worry me too much yet. I know I'll need a rebuild at some point, but at the moment, some oil is cheaper than a lot of expensive work, so I'm happy to keep running my car as it is.

Cool that's very reassuring.
What oil is it you use??

Is yours an early car too I pressume?

[Speed 3]

My 2004 has done 53k with no rebuild. I haven't put any oil in it since the last service just before I bought it a thousand miles or so ago and its still on max on the dipstick. No smoking, pulls like a train and still on its original clutch, previous sole owner must have been a cruiser ;-)

[S6PNJ]

likesachange said:

S6PNJ said:

I have about 61,300 miles on my original engine and yes, it likes to burn a bit of oil. My valve guides are probably worn (smokes on start up), possibly piston rings as well etc. I've had the car since about 24k miles and I've always warmed it up well before giving it any boot. I've done about 4 or 5 track days, including 3 days at the Nurburgring, so it's also been driven quite hard at times. I'd say mine will quite happily get though about 1 litre in 500-750 miles, so it doesn't worry me too much yet. I know I'll need a rebuild at some point, but at the moment, some oil is cheaper than a lot of expensive work, so I'm happy to keep running my car as it is.

Cool that's very reassuring.
What oil is it you use??

Is yours an early car too I pressume?

Mine's on a 51 plate (or would be if I didn't have a personalised plate) but registered Jan 02. I use Halfords (listen for the screams!) 10W40 semi synth (if memory serves me well enough). As I get through a lot of oil and I know the engine isn't at its best, I'm not going to throw good money after bad and as already said, I know it will need a rebuild at some point, from which point onwards it will get the oil recommended by the re-builder and nothing else.

[cerbera8]

S6PNJ said:

Mine's on a 51 plate (or would be if I didn't have a personalised plate) but registered Jan 02. I use Halfords (listen for the screams!) 10W40 semi synth (if memory serves me well enough). As I get through a lot of oil and I know the engine isn't at its best, I'm not going to throw good money after bad and as already said, I know it will need a rebuild at some point, from which point onwards it will get the oil recommended by the re-builder and nothing else.

You can get 4 litres of castrol GTX 10w-40 on ebay for £15.99 delivered!! I can recommend it as it goes in my zafira

My Tuscan hasn't needed any oil in nearly a year and 2000+ miles. It was slightly overfilled at the last service, not an issue because dry sump but all the same had powers full rebuild a few years ago by previous owner. Maybe OP should check oil level again at optimum temperature, not the easiest dipstick to read

Edited by cerbera8 on Monday 2nd June 23:08

[Haves1979]

Around the doors or on short runs my old Tuscan used very little oil. However covering similar miles on a constant motorway run it used a lot more, probably litre for 500-700 miles. That was a factory rebuild in 05 with about 15k on it.

[Milky400]

Car went back to dealer and refund received.

In the market again. The joys of buying TVR's.

[Speed 3]

Milky400 said:

Car went back to dealer and refund received.

In the market again. The joys of buying TVR's.

That's a shame but at least you aren't out of pocket.