I know that the topic line got a few of you to read this thinking you could give a smart *** response like in the engine or the filler cap. Sorry to disappoint but I have that part covered. My '04 screw with a 5.4 with 215k on the clock and it is using oil. I changed the oil last week and the underside of the motor and truck is not wet with oil. Where I park it at night does not have signs of a leak on the ground. On the tailgate and back bumper there is no residue either. Yep checked the tailpipe too no smoke white or blue. So where does the oil go. I use about a quart every 1000 miles. I use Valvoline high mileage oil and Motorcraft filter. So where should I be looking or what have I missed? Any help would be appreciated want and need to get another 200k out of this truck.

 

Do you notice a blue smoke coming from your exhaust at all? Both idling and accelerating?

If so, you could be burning it. That's really my only guess.

 

Its burning it. Its burning such a small amount at a time that you will likely never notice residue on your paint or smoke from the tailpipe. Every vehicle burns a certain amount of oil, some more than others and obviously the more miles you get the more likely it is to happen. I had a 93 Ranger 4.0 V6 that had 245K on it and it burn about a quart a month but it never smoked and never left a residue on the truck anywhere.

 

I would check the PVC system (valve/hoses) going that route there would not always be a sign in the tail pipe. How long has this been going on?

 

she is just burning it. it probly wont show up in the exaust. my 2001 had 254.000 and it was doing the same thing. No leaks.

 

I would say it has really started using in the last 6 months. It has always used some as all my Fords have done. Now it is more than before and I just don't want to miss something detrimental and cause damaged to the motor. I don't have a few grand laying around to fix it.

 

Might want to check the PCV system since it just suddenly started consuming more.

 

Strange question, When is the last time you inspected/changed your air filter? If that system is blocked to bad the engine will draw air anyway it can. Just a thought.

 

It used to be that 1 quart every 1000 miles was not seen as accessive, but that was several years ago. Not sure if the auto manufacturers have changed that.

Only way to find the health of the combustion chamber is to do a compression test, then repeat after squirting a few drops into the spark plug hole and do it again. If compression increases, the rings are suspect; if not, then the valve guides are.

 

Watch for smoke while going down a hill without giving any throttle. As the engine tries to slow you down, it can pull oil past the rings if they are worn. I've had this on a couple vehicle where it would not do it at start up ,idle, revving, or normal driving/acceleration. Finally had a buddy following me one day and say " man your truck sure was puffing blue going down that hill" and then I started watching it.