<VV> oil consuption question

[Ken Campbell]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Headley" <robedinpurple at yahoo.com>



  22.5 MPG, not
> bad.  Unfortunately, during the same tank of gas, I
> also burned 1.5 qts of oil!  What are the main hitters
> on corvair oil economy?  >
> -John Headley
> 64 monza convert
> Royal Oak, MI
*********
Try:  running about a pint low on the dipstick ... this may cut down on oil
seepage when parked, thru your valve guides .  You could go as far as a
quart low for testing, but if you play exhuberant boy racer, you will be
pushing your luck for oil pickup, not good.

Also, pull and inspect your spark plugs, look for especially oily electrodes
... you can use quite a bit of oil past the rings without showing a smoke
trail out the exhaust.

Then there is the ever present threats ::  leakage around the valve cover
gaskets ... the main oil pan gaskets ( surfaces if no gasket ) ... the the
front shaft seals ( sigh ) ..... just a few drops every minute or so can be
a quart an hour ....

....... one good thing .. if you are getting 23 mpg, there is some hope it
is dripping oil, and not burning it ...

.........Eventually, you will have to decide if adding oil is cheaper than
fixing a minor nuisance oil useage/leak ....   at fillup and $2 per gallon,
we are looking at $30 for fuel and $1 for Pennsoil or Walmart dinosaur blood
...   and don[t forget the blessings of a continous refreshening of your oil
supply (g) ...
.......... and, oil leaks or oil burning generally gets worse, so at some
time it might become apparent what the real problem is ...

......... and besides, while looking at everything for oil drips, you might
be surprised at what all you find for future projects ... corroded or broken
lamp wires, battery hold downs busted or bolts missing, frayed main belts,
etc. etc. ....

regards, ken campbell, frayed corvair guy in Iowuh.



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