Car Oil Loss: Causes, How to Check and Fix

Car is consuming oil (eating oil)? Learn about 7 common causes from piston rings, valve seals to using the wrong oil. Instructions on how to thoroughly check and handle to protect the engine.

Introduction: Oil Loss - The Silent "Disease" That Corrodes the Engine

Do you frequently need to top up your oil between service intervals? Do you see faint blue smoke coming from your exhaust? If so, your car may be suffering from a common but extremely dangerous “disease”:oil loss.

Oil consumption is more than just a waste of money on refills. It is a warning sign that internal engine components are wearing out or failing. If ignored, the consequences can be engine weakness, increased fuel consumption, and eventually serious damage that requires expensive overhauls.

This article, with advice from Gartz experts, will clearly analyze the causes, guide you on how to accurately check and provide effective solutions.

Part 1: Distinguishing between "Oil Loss" and "Oil Leak"

First of all, you need to clearly distinguish between these two concepts:

External Leak:Oil leaks out of the engine due to aging gaskets and seals (such as rocker arm gaskets, crankshaft seals, etc.). You can easily detect it with the naked eye through wet oil stains on the engine body or oil spots under the car.

Internal Consumption:Oil leaks into the combustion chamber and is burned with the fuel, then expelled through the exhaust. This is a more serious problem because it occurs inside the engine and is harder to detect.

This article will focus on the second reason:Oil loss due to burning (oil eating).

Part 2: How to Check if Your Car is Losing Oil?

Before finding the cause, you need to determine exactly whether your car is consuming oil and how much it is wasting.

Check with Dipstick (Most accurate method):

Park on a flat surfacecompletely flat.

Turn off the engine and wait at least 5-10 minutes for the oil to return to the crankcase.

Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean with a rag, then reinsert it all the way in.

Pull the dipstick out again and check the oil level. The ideal oil level is between the "Min" (L) and "Max" (F) marks.

Monitor:If the oil level is below the "Min" line, add more oil and note it down. Check regularly every 1,000 km. If you keep having to add more oil, your car is definitely consuming oil.

Observing Smoke From Exhaust Pipe:

If the vehicle emitsblue (or blue-gray) smoke, especially when you start the engine in the morning or when you step on the gas suddenly, it is a clear sign that oil has entered the combustion chamber and burned.

Part 3: Top 5 Causes of Oil Loss in Cars

These are the main "culprits" that cause oil to leak into the combustion chamber:

1. Piston Ring Open

Function:Piston rings are metal rings that hug the cylinder walls, their main function is to scrape oil, maintain a thin lubricating film and prevent oil from bubbling up into the combustion chamber.

Reason:Over time, piston rings can become worn, broken, or “seized” (stick to the piston due to dirt). They can no longer clean the oil, allowing it to leak into the combustion chamber.

2. Valve Stem Seal Wear

Function:Valve seals are small rubber rings that seal the gap between the valve stem and the guide tube, preventing the lubricating oil in the upper part (camshaft) from flowing down into the combustion chamber.

Reason:Due to high temperature, rubber seals age, harden and lose their sealing ability. Oil will leak into the combustion chamber through the valve, especially when the engine is cold (often causing blue smoke when starting in the morning).

3. Poor Quality or Wrong Type of Engine Oil

This is a very common cause but few people pay attention:

Too Thin Viscosity:Using oil with a viscosity lower than recommended (for example, an old car requires 20W50 oil but uses 5W30 oil) will make the oil film too thin, easily leaking through even the smallest gaps.

Poor Quality Oil:Cheap oil of unknown originhigh volatilityWhen the engine operates at high temperatures, the oil will evaporate and leak into the combustion chamber through the ventilation system, causing rapid loss.

4. Crankshaft Ventilation System (PCV Valve) Blockage

Function:The PCV valve is responsible for drawing oil vapor and excess pressure in the crankcase back into the combustion chamber for combustion.

Reason:This valve, clogged with debris, increases the pressure inside the engine, forcing the oil out through the weakest routes, including the valve seals and piston rings.

5. Damaged Turbo Seal (For vehicles with Turbo)

Function:The turbocharger shaft rotates at extremely high speeds and requires constant lubrication. Seals prevent oil from leaking to the intake or exhaust vanes.

Reason:If the seal is worn or damaged, oil will be sucked directly into the combustion chamber (causing blue smoke) or pushed out the exhaust pipe (causing thick white smoke).

Part 4: Solutions to Treat and Prevent Oil Loss

1. Repair Solutions (When the problem is severe):

Mechanical processing:In case of piston ring leakage or valve seal wear, the only permanent solution isengine overhaul(replacing piston rings, valve seals, reboring cylinders...). This is a costly and complicated job.

PCV valve replacement:If the cause is a clogged PCV valve, replacement is simple and inexpensive.

2. Prevention and Support Solutions (Most Important):

Before you think about an expensive overhaul, make sure you're doing the following things right. It's also the best form of prevention:

Use High Quality Oil: Gartz engine oilProduced with German technology and Singaporean techniques, using high-quality base oils and advanced additives. This ensures the oil hasextremely low volatility and superior oil film strength, helping to minimize loss due to evaporation at high temperatures.

Choose the Right Viscosity According to Vehicle Condition:

New cars (under 100,000 km):Use oilGartz 5W30 or Gartz 10W40These oils are thin enough to lubricate quickly at start-up but durable enough to protect at high temperatures.

Old cars (over 100,000 km) or showing signs of slight oil loss:Switch to useGartz 15W40 or Gartz 20W50. The thicker viscosity of these oils will help "fill" worn gaps, improving sealing and significantly reducing the amount of oil entering the combustion chamber.

Periodic Maintenance:Change your oil and filter on time. Old oil contains acids and dirt that will accelerate wear on engine parts.

Conclude:

A car with low oil consumption is a serious warning about the health of the engine. Check your oil level regularly and watch for any signs of abnormality. By being proactive about regular maintenance and investing in a high-quality oil product likeGartz, you are not only treating the "symptom" of oil loss, but also protecting the engine from costly damage, helping the vehicle operate more durably and powerfully.