I have a 1980 GL 240 series volvo with 249,000 on it. The engine runs well, but it "eats" oil,and I can't figure out where its going..
There is a small puff of gray smoke when starting, but NO blue when going down the road.
We changed the "flame arrestor" PCV valve, as it had been spitting oil into the air filter before we changed it. We changed the valve cover gasket, so that stopped that leak.
We are still losing a fair amount of oil. Seems to have decent power,but have to add oil every couple hundred miles, and I put alot of miles on the car commuting to work.
I have been told the dip stick seems a bit looser than normal, and it was suggested that it might be dripping out there, but there is no oil when parked when checking under the car..
Any thoughts??
Thanks...

 

I imagine it is burning it. You can burn oil and not see smoke. I have a waste oil burning heater that burns about 5 gallons a day and does not smoke. Most likely rings. You can try an oil additive like Engine Restore or overhaul the engine. It is usually carbon accumulation in the ring grooves though.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Haven't been around the computer too much lately, so just now looking at the forums again...
I have put "sea foam" in the tank from time to time to help with any carbon build up,and put Lucas engine -"stop oil leak" ( sorry can't remember the exact name _)
However we did notice there was a fair amount of oil on the top of the valve cover, even when it had been wiped clean previously, and noticed there was a fair amount on the inside of the valve cover cap on the gasket and the area where the gasket sits, so think the gasket might have been leaking some there, so replaced the gasket the other day, and we will be watching to see if there is fresh oil on the outside of the valve cover, and how much oil we use in the next little while....
Don't know of any other way oil could be being "sprayed" all over the outside of the valve cover, other than a leaking gasket, although I don't know much about that...
Any thoughts??
Thanks.

 

Try Seafoam in the crankcase with the engine oil. It will not reach the oil rings through the gas.

 

I have had a number of people tell be that putting seafoam in the oil isn't good for the gaskets for long term usage, although some people think it is okay for short term use before changing the oil...
What does seafoam do in the oil??
Thanks

 

It breaks up carbon and sludge. It is not something you would want to use all the time.

 

Doesn't the Lucas Engine treatment do the same thing as the sea foam?
Thanks..

 

The active ingredient is NAPTHA. There are many suppliers. Just check for NAPTHA.

 

isn't NAPTHA the old "white gas"??
Also, we checked the spark plugs which have been in there a a while, and they are in good condition with no appearance of oil fouling, so I am guessing there isn't oil "blowby", if I am correct on my reasoning, that the spark plugs would become fouled after while with oil if there was blowing oil that direction??

 

Naptha is a general term for lots of different mixtures of fuel,gas,etc.
Carbon accumulation on the plugs would depend on how much oil is burned. The spec most manufacturers use for excessive oil consumption is anything exceeding 1 quart every 800 miles is excessive.

 

We pulled the spark plugs and they look good, and they have been on there a while, so I don't think it is coming from there..
We did discover the gasket on the cap of the valve cover had a problem, and oil was blowing over the valve cover.. we worked on it, but don't think it is completely fixed, as when removed there is oil between the gasket and the metal rim, I think that if it was sealing properly there wouldn't be any at all..
we replaced the "flame arrester" as oil had been blowing through that into the air filter, and that seemed to have helped a bit..
I would have to pay closer attention, but it may be a quart around 800 miles, but am not sure, as I just add a little bit every couple days , which would be about 300 miles or so..
I put alot of miles on that little car ..

 

It has been a while since I posted anything, but have a few minutes, so would try to post something.
We are still having oil leakage issues.
We cleaned the valve cover off, and every once in a while I notice it looks like oil seepage around the bolts on the top of the metal cover. We tighten them and it seems to work for a while and then it seems to start seeping again..
One fellow told me that older cars that have sat for years, that the "valve guide stem gaskets" can start to break down and cause oil leakage.
now I couldn't tell you if "valve guide stem gaskets" even exist..
Any thoughts??
Thanks..

 

All cars with overhead valves have valve stem seals (not gaskets, seals). The valves are oiled on top, and so the oil runs down the valve stem. The seal prevents it from being burned. If it runs down either valve, it'll be gone.

 

so it is possible to be losing oil that way..
Is there any way of telling if that is a problem without ripping the motor apart??
Thanks

 

I don't think so. There is a symptom related to intake seals leaking that is blue smoke after extended idling. But if it's burning a quart every 500 miles (let's say) it may be going past the oil rings and the valve seals and it seems to me you'd never be able to figure out which it is. Basically you just have to eliminate leaks and then see what the consumption is. If you decide to overhaul the engine to reduce oil consumption, you'd have to do both.