oil consumption question

[svt4cobra6]

I am the original owner of an 03 cobra, now with 46k miles. It still does not seem to use any oil and just wondering when they typically do (at what mileage)?

 

[TheFleshRocket]

The piston-to-cylinder-wall clearance is pretty tight in these cars, so it would take a LOT of wear to get any noticeable blowby. And the valves? Not sure how long the guides last before they wear and start leaking, but if you use good oil and don't beat on it, they could go 100K? 150K? 200K?

 

[svt4cobra6]

using mobil 1 synth plus still it has not been pulleyed. Guessing the valves would go first as well.

 

[SnakeBit]

I have found that Ford engines use oil according to a bell curve. Some use a lot, while others do not use any. Ford used to use 750 miles per qt as "normal" (do not know what they consider "Normal" now though). I had an engine (5.0 pushrod) rebuilt under warrantty, but only after an "Oil consumption test" showed less than 750 miles on a quart.

One other factor is how much time your engine spends up above 3,500 rpm. At higher rpm, the valvetrain thrashes the oil around pretty good, so oil droplets can exit through the PVC valve along with other vapors. That's one reason why oil separators are such a popular mod.

You may just be one of the lucky ones who ended up on the right side of the bell curve. I'm just to the left of center, but my car sees high rpms nearly every time I take it out. I guess that driving style may matter.

 

[svt4cobra6]

I had a 2000 ford mustang gt and it used about a quart every 3k miles since new. High rpms probably due increase consumption.