Burning car oil is a pain point for many new and old drivers, but any car cannot escape fate of oil loss, and "excessive" oil consumption can cause serious engine damage. A turbocharger oil leak is one of reasons leading to "excessive" oil consumption.
First, you need to understand that not all oil consumption is called oil burning. Because engine itself cannot fundamentally eliminate oil consumption. As with a greasy plate or bowl, if you scrape it with a spoon or even a knife, oil will never be clean. This is same as oil scraper ring on piston, which never scrapes oil off cylinder wall.
The engine has a normal oil consumption value, and oil consumption varies from engine to engine. For example, engine oil consumption indicated by BMW in owner's manual is: 0.7 l / 1000 km, and for some diesels it is even indicated that below 2.24 l / 10,000 km is normal.
If engine oil consumption exceeds manufacturer's calibrated value, engine oil is being burned. Why does oil "burn"?
1. Oil leak
Oil leaks come from many sources: pipelines, drains, gaskets, valve covers, oil pumps, timing chain covers, and camshaft covers, just to name a few. A leak may occur. The leak factor cannot be ignored as small leaks can also lead to oil consumption. If every 5 seconds a drop of engine oil flows out, then 0.55 liters of engine oil will flow out per 100 km. The way to check for leakage is to put a light-colored cloth on bottom of engine and check if there is an oil stain on cloth after starting engine. The location of oil stain can be used to determine location of leak. .
2. Front and rear oil seal
Damaged front and rear oil seals are bound to lead to oil leakage. This condition can be detected while engine is running. Oil seals must be replaced when worn, as oil leakage can be severe without seals.
3. Connecting rod bearing damaged
The effect of rod clearance on oil results in a more direct oil hit on cylinder wall. As a result, too much oil is ejected onto cylinder wall, so that excess oil enters combustion chamber and burns, that is, phenomenon of increased oil consumption occurs.
4. Damaged camshaft bearing
Camshaft bearings are lubricated with pressurized oil, too much clearance can cause excessive oil loss. Increased oil consumption.
5. Crankshaft wear
Grinding crankshaft can affect oil consumption. When it wears out of circle, gap will be uneven. The size of gap between non-circular crankshaft and bearings changes during rotational motion, causing more oil to be ejected. This increases oil consumption.
6. Old engine oil
If engine oil is not changed in accordance with oil change cycle, engine oil will become dirty, causing oil to block oil clearance in piston and piston ring, resulting in increased fuel consumption. Bad engine oil can also cause increased wear on bearings, cylinders, pistons, and piston rings. These worn parts will lead to consumption of oil itself.
7. Oil viscosity
The viscosity of oil is too low, which can lead to increased oil consumption. You must refer to your vehicle's service manual to select appropriate factory oil viscosity according to driving conditions and ambient temperature.