Hey guys - please link me if already covered ..

Oil usage in mk2 1600 xflow - what's people's experiences? Unsure of true kms of my engine and see about 500kms a fortnight of mainly highway / high rpm commuting to work. I have to top up 200-250mls of oil maybe once monthy. Anyone else have oil usage figures for their xflow?

Thanks

400ml to half a litre per 1000 kms is a little above average but not a reason for undue concern.
 
May help to use 20w/50 Castrol GTX right up to 20w/70. I have been using "Forte Compression Stabilizer" for the last 20 years as a VACC Senior Mechanic in my Service Centre on clients cars with 90% success while using 15w/40 to 20w/50 standard Castrol oil.
I use it in my own GTV6 and XY351 just out of preventative maintenace; both never use more than 300 ml of oil between services of 5000k, and I always use Upper Cyl Lube in every tank of fuel since I started driving over 39 years ago which has proven to avoid premature wear on the Pistons, Rings and Cylinders !
The previous owner of my Capri did the same thanks God; proven by my recent internal examination of my GTV6 soon after I purchased it with a burnt valve. All aforesaid parts were like new !
None of my 12 vehicles ever go longer than 5000k between Oil&Filter changes, except the Prado which uses 100% synthetic for 10,000k, mainly for fuel economy, which I wouldn't believe until i saw it myself!
 
Good luck
Bernie

Great advice there Bernie, sounds like a great preventative step to keep our engines in good nic

Thanks for your reply! I've been recommended castrol GTX, I use castrol edge for my 3 MPS.

It might pay to use a decent oil like the GTX when I do a change, and use some stabiliser, and start recording my oil consumption a little more regularly, I may have overestimated my usage.

My Escort mechanic tends to think it isn't necessary to use valve saver additive to fuel when using high octane fuel, says he's yet to see a significantly burnt valve yet on the older cars he owns and maintains. Controversial???

If I am using some significant oil I'll keep an eye on it and aim for a rebuild when financially viable 😀 my odometer shows 85k kms and otherwise the vehicle looks like it's probably legitimate, but I would expect it's wound over the clock once before.

Thanks for your input!

Isn't oil consumption usually a sign of your piston rings wearing out? 

Eskie92
Isn't oil consumption usually a sign of your piston rings wearing out? 

It could be valve seals too.
 
Always use the best oil you can find with these old girls mwg88, if the oils to thick or thin when hot or cold then you have a sure cause for engine wear, i`ve been told the same about the upper cylinder lubricant but i`d rather spend a few bucks just in case than be forced into a head recon before i need to. Being on a pension as i am makes things like hardened valve seats a long term project

i recently did the head gasket, while that was off i had the valve stem seals replaced. good point about the upper cylinder lube, it's only cheap. off to the shop for supplies, it's service day :-D will go castrol gtx 20w-50. 

I use Penrite HPR30 20W60 for its high zinc content, which keeps my valve train from eating itself.

I've been told not to bother with upper cylinder lube too but still use it anyway, it's cheap and good insurance just in case. My old 'tinas dead original with 30000k's so I'd hate to loose its authenticity by pulling the head off.
I had a kent Escort a while back with dodgey valve seals it didn't blow any smoke but used a bit of oil, it was a daily so I figured I could buy a lot of oil for the price of having them done....
Cheers Drew

That's a good point. I haven't had a whole lot of diagnostic work done, no compression test or anything. The head has been off to do the gasket and stem seals and mechanic said everything looked really good. My escort is my daily too so will keep an eye on oil use and save up for some reconditioning work in the future