When it comes to oil consumption and oil burning, I can only relate my own experiences with Saturn ---> after 6 different Saturns over the years from '93 to now, I've never had an engine that exhibited the oil loss/burning that is being discussed here. I guess I've just been lucky (or is it diligent?) By the way, I still have the '93 and the '02 Saturns, and they still do not lose/burn oil .........

My '09 Aurn I'll have to wait a bit before including it in the list, because a factory defect (mentioned elsewhere) forced an engine change within the last 30 days -- I have no history as to whether this engine will be "burn free" or not as yet

 

I have talked to a number of mechanics about this since my first post and what I here is that it is well known that these (4 cyl) motors use oil. The problems occurs when the owner doesn't check the oil level, causing the damage when it gets to low. We know that by the time the dash lights come on it's to late.

I don't know what the answers are but there is enough information that tells me many of these engines use oil. I have done my own service for 8 years and 195000 mile on this car so if the problem is from my practices so be it, but I have done the same thing on all of my cars & trucks for over 40 years and this is the only one that hasn't liked it. I will keep searching, listening and trying one thing at a time untill I have an answer.

 

I'm with Oceon Archer, mine does not burn oil either, but it just turned 100,000 miles on it. I really don't expect it to. A 94 SL2 coupe with automatice purchase in 1996 as a used car with about 45,000 miles on it.
However, I have seen them buring oil, worked on a couple and it remains a mystery to me, a friend of mines son blew up his due to not checking oil based on miles driven. Needed to be checked about once a week. And another friend with a high mileage 99 that started burning oil. Tried some Z-max and heavier weight oil, it seemed to stop it. He move a few years back and is still driving it as far as I know.
I am now beginning to see them on the street with a blue cloud following them. I don't know the reason for it other then engine wear or neglect.
Back in the day it was not uncommon to see excessive oil consumption in cars that were driven in 4 seasons with one of the winter complete with snow.
Since I have moved out of that environment, cars I drive to not wear out there engines.

 

Pacaman --

From your posting, it appears that the oil consumption problem is created by the owner(s) failing to properly maintain their vehicles. Apparently, these smaller engines will not take the "ignorance abuse" placed upon them by not performing the scheduled service requirements. I don't consider that an "engine fault", I call that a careless owner ...

 

I would agree that "igorance abuse" is part of this when someone doesn't check there oil level on a regular basis. But I haven't see many engines that loose 3 to 4 quarts of oil between oil changes unless there is something wrong with them. As far as these engines go I have seen way to many with over 250k on them to belive it is not a good design. The problem is that they loose oil. This is not a worn cylinder or valve guide problem (good compression). I have been looking into this for a few years, I have owned this one for 8 years and 195k miles and the maintenance has been done. In doing my research I have found a few people that beleive that the problem is carbon build up in the cylinders causing the oil rings to become stuck.

It is a little early to say that I have a fix but I added a bottle of Z-Max to the oil about 1000 miles ago and the usage appears to have decreased. I plan on posting the results at my next oil change. My commute is 120 miles per day and I change every 5000 with Mobil 1. If this is truly a fix I wouln't mind putting an oil additive every 3rd or 4th oil change. I plan on at least 300k from this SL2

 

No! 3 quarts of oil are not normal in 5.000 km if your sure you have
no leaks than i would 1st

-check the p.c.v valve for sludge or better yet change it a bad or
pluged p.c.v valve can cause oil consumption but on the other hand
you might have a sticking oil piston ring thats not expanding out
to seal in the oil? 2 remedies for that if its that. they are using

-BG 109 compression restorer thats added to the oil with engine
idling at 1300 rpm for 20 minutes (this stuff is strong stuff its what
the good proffesional shops use aside from hooking up a cleaning dialoses machine) the other choice would be to use the new penzoil ultra synthetic oil this oil is full of detergent for cleaning an engine out slowly and safely 1st thing is first check your p.c.v valve ..! then try the others and post back your results..?

 

thats a good idea one thing you left out is to do this when engine
is FULLY WARM so you dont run the risk of bending a piston rod just
something to think about but yeah ! post your pictures for us all to see...

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions; I will replace the PCV valve first to see what effect it has. I will also post my results as they become apparent.

 

OK, I replaced the PCV valve and will see if there is any change. The one thing that I found in the process of doing this is that it seems to me to have an excessive amount of vacuum pulling on the PCV valve, enough to be pulling the oil out the top of the engine. I makes me wonder if I should be looking for a problem or just build a catch can like the one "saturnsseries" recomended in his post. Just something else to ponder!

 

The only time I have experianced oil being sucked through the PCV valve is when engine wear had progressed to the point where there was tremendous cylinder wear and accompanied oil consumption.
A compression check would generally confirm overall or individual cylinder compression being extemely low.
What caused the wear?
A whole bunch of reasons for sure but one of the biggest causes was long term use of oil that was way too light for the application it was being used in.
As Saturns have developed the reputation of oil consumption along with a Factory recommended light weight oil whose sole benefit was to increase Gasoline Mileage, that one gets my vote.
As I immediatly changed to a heavier oil on purchasing the car, and driven it hard for the last 16 years it does not at this time consum oil.
Nor does any other car I own other than my 1970 muscle car with failed valve stem umbrellas.