2 quarts of oil after 426 miles!

porschekiller · #1 01-06-2008, 11:46 PM

Why would an engine consume 2 quarts of oil after installing ecutune cams and ecu? could it be the custom tube from the intake to the throttle bodies to adjust the idle with the engine tubes left open or the custom connector tube connecting the throttle body nipples with those tubes left open causing oil to be sucked into the engine? could the cams or the ecu or both cause that match blow by? keep in mind tomssvx said the engine was just getting broke in and he drove it from Boston to Philly without adding oil and then gave it an oil change before i drove it back. should I just take his advice and get a catch can to catch a quart of oil every 213 miles? the catch can only holds half of a quart.

TomsSVX · #2 01-07-2008, 08:00 AM

are you sure?? The only way to be positive is to fill it, drive 500 miles and then check it. After the numerous times I have the valve covers off, it may have been a little low, not to mention all the work was done 2 months ago

Tom

Hocrest · #3 01-07-2008, 08:04 AM

Are you checking the oil after the engine sits off for a bit? Subaru's hold a lot of oil in the heads, the reading on the dipstick changes from idle to just off to 10 minutes off.

sicksubie · #4 01-07-2008, 08:12 AM

Or even longer than that.. Boxer motors do not drain any near as fast as motors with 'V' or vertical designs.

porschekiller · #5 01-07-2008, 08:20 AM

i checked the oil after i pumped 14 gallons of gas, plenty of time to settle. i just checked it cold and it's 1/3 quart more than hot. my gas mileage also went from 17 mpg at 3k rpm on the highway from philly to boston, to 13mpg under 3k rpm around town. blue smoke is coming out of the exhaust and the back of the engine is dry, not to mention 2 quarts would've made a bit of a mess.

TomsSVX · #6 01-07-2008, 08:22 AM

2 quarts would also be dripping out of your exhaust system. Fill it, drive it normally and then check it after 500 miles and see where u are at... BTW I will call you today. I took yesterday off for my birthday

Tom

porschekiller · #7 01-07-2008, 10:02 AM

I meant to remember that too. Capricorns are good friends to have. Happy Birthday man, hope you didn't drink too much

I talked to sicksubie and he explained about the extra oil in the motor. He's taking it to ESP Monday for a compression test and dyno run. It is running strong, I just hope they don't tell me I need a rebuild when i wanted to get a ccr engine or could've got the valvetrain kit. sic is going to take care of the rear wiper, speakers, and tail lights too. looks like the car is sitting lower because of bad rear springs.

SURTEESS · #8 01-10-2008, 11:05 AM

Last year My SVX started blowing "blueish" smoke but could not detect any real loss of oil, took it to my Subaru service shop - they tested a few things out while I waited (no charge!!) told me the Air Flow Meter (AFM) was sticking, letting in oil from the breather on the RHS (from front) cam cover. This they said was a non servicable part - new part was NZ$100 (New Zealand) - since it is under the "pipes" at the RHS top front section of engine, you need special tools to get it off - or you take the cam covers off (with all the other pipes etc), so I was prepared to book the car into the shop.

When the work was done I got the old part to look at - it is a simple hole in a metal casting with a sliding shutter that is operated by a bi-metalic spring eg voltage is applied & the spring warms-up, closes approx 80% of hole, this acts like secondary choke ?. I managed to soak the unit in cleaner & hey presto it now works when voltage applied (but cannot tell if it is correctly working for the applied voltage Vs time?).

But if the engine is running for to long & unit has not closed off then the warm "thinner" oil seeps past the hole into the inlet valve area..... Hey presto blue stuff coming out the exhaust!!

Hope this helps

If you want I can scan from service manual what & were the unit is located (or tell someone what section/page the info can be found).

Steve Surtees
Auckland, New Zealand

TomsSVX · #9 01-11-2008, 12:06 AM

What else are you looking for?? The car runs good minus a bad idle from the cams and some smoke on start-up... You are not burning oil that quickly and obviously you are not leaking it. Seriously, if you burned that much oil in 400 miles, the car would not even run the plugs would be so fouled. Also, have you taken my advice and checked the oil since the re-fill?? Otherwise the issue has been resolved has it not?

Tom

porschekiller · #10 01-12-2008, 01:58 PM

you know these cams arent going to pass inspection like you said they would among other things, see pm

sicksubie · #11 01-12-2008, 04:31 PM

You should pass inspection with the way your car is set up now. I passed with my car.

TomsSVX · #12 01-12-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschekiller

you know these cams arent going to pass inspection like you said they would among other things, see pm

I replied to your PM, and Bobby is right, I do believe it will pass inspection as emissions are a mere standing rev rather than a roller test at 20mph. besides that if it doesn't pass it will be due to outstanding issues with other aspects of the car.

Tom

porschekiller · #13 01-12-2008, 10:16 PM

" if you have issues with the cams, take that up with Longassname, not me."TomsSvx. (someone who really stands behind their work, especially after I said I didn't want to do business with Longassname after talking to him, and I still havent gotten the stock cams back even though I donated a transmission and wheels)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

I replied to your PM, and Bobby is right, I do believe it will pass inspection as emissions are a mere standing rev rather than a roller test at 20mph. besides that if it doesn't pass it will be due to if you have issues with the cams, take that up with Longassname, not me. outstanding issues with other aspects of the car.

Tom

YourConfused · #14 01-12-2008, 10:19 PM

Are you having issues w/ YT's work or LAN's parts?

TomsSVX · #15 01-12-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschekiller

" if you have issues with the cams, take that up with Longassname, not me."TomsSvx. (someone who really stands behind their work, especially after I said I didn't want to do business with Longassname after talking to him, and I still havent gotten the stock cams back even though I donated a transmission and wheels)

You cannot get stock cams back unless you get them from Longassname. i sent MY cams in to get cut and I kept yours as their cores. IF you have issues with the cams and NOT their installation, you can take that up with him. If you would like to take the car to a dealer to check the installation, please do. AND if they are indeed installed improperly, which I know for a fact they are not (hence removing the valve covers to double check). If they are installed improperly I will pay your bill for having them re-installed to stock specs. If they are not installed improperly your beef if not with me but who you bought them from. SO before you point fingers, remember these were your decisions and remember where these parts came from. Thus far there is no fault on my part except the fact that I never checked your oil again after the covers were off and your car sat for a month waiting for you to come get it after you called me off from doing any more work on it due to holiday finances. I am a nice and generous guy, but I do not work for free. I would like to clear this up before there is any more situations like there have been in the past. I have done my best to field your numerous phone calls and questions to the best of my abilities. I am very sorry you are not satisfied with your decisions but I feel that very innapropriate to blame them on me.

To stick with the topic of this thread, there is nothing I could have possibly done to your engine to make it smoke like you are saying it is. This was obviously an issue that the car has had before.

If you feel there is more work to be done, like I had told you, feel free to bring the car back down and I will get it done, but please do not tell me to hold out on it and then complain what you asked for was not finished

Tom