User 53024

I've put about 700 miles on the car since I got it. Before driving it yesterday I checked the oil and it was down to the bottom of the dipstick. I started filling it up and it took almost two quarts to bring it up to halfway between L & H.

I had been told that the VTEC engines used oil, and I was driving it pretty hard last weekend, but is 2 quarts in 700 miles normal?

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Yes, subsequent to that I did look in the owner's manual and saw where it says to check the oil every fill-up. But my Miata owner's manual says the same thing and it's never used even a quart between fill-ups. Yes, I know they're very different cars, I'm only making the comparison to say that most manufacturers tell you to check the oil that often even though it isn't really necessary. Heck, the owner's manual for my wife's Camry says the same thing.
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SgtSaunders

Now that you have it topped off (or at mid-level) check it in a week. If your burning through 1 qt a week you got problem. I read somehere in Under the Hood forum that 1st gen S "eats" oil (doesnt burn/doesnt leak). Kindof a mystery.

I change oil & filter every 3K mi. In between I have to add oil here and there but never 2 qts. To be on safe side I check oil every weekend.

Earlier this summer I did a 1200+mi road trip to the UP and it seemed like the long distance&high speeds made it worse.

jherm

Did you check the level when you got the car?

joe_s2k

The first thing that's strange is the fact that you had to add 2 quarts of oil to get the reading to go from 'L' to 'H'. That should only be 1 quart.

I've had my S for over 4 years now and 106k miles. It has always consumed oil, so I just check my oil at 'every' fillup. I will usually add close to 1 quart between oil changes that are done every 3-4k miles.

Some of my findings are:

• The 5W-30 oil seems to be consumed faster than 10W-30 oil.
• Driving at higher RPM's increases oil consumption.
• Check your PCV valve often to prevent oil from being sucked into the air intake tube. Your throttle body will indicate if you are experiencing this problem by containing an oil film on the butterly valve.

hpark

2 qts in 700 mi means there is a problem....this is not normal.

User 53024

I didn't. I was told it has been fully serviced due to it being a Honda Certified vehicle and having gone through that process. So it is entirely possible it was low to begin with.

User 53024

I think you misread my post. The oil was down to the bottom of the dipstick. Not the L mark, but the bottom of the dipstick, which is a good 3/4" to 1" below the L mark.

User 53024

[QUOTE=SgtSaunders,Oct 31 2004, 09:49 AM]Now that you have it topped off (or at mid-level) check it in a week.

joe_s2k

I did misread your post. WOW! That's dangerously low. I would check your oil at every gasoline fillup if I were you.

User 53024

The car is my weekend car. Depending on the weekend I put around 150-250 miles on it. My plan is now to check the level Saturday morning before I use the car that weekend. I'm pretty sure there's no leaks because there's no evidence of it on the garage floor where the car sits for five days. That'll give the oil a chance to settle rather than checking it immediately after I park it on Sunday night.