Do I need to remove the heads to replace my valve seals? I have a medium oil consumption issue. I know that I'm losing some through leaking lower seals, but I also suspect that I'm burning some. My last Smog test wasn't stellar and I have another one coming. If the seals are relatively easy to replace, I might give it a go.

 

Yes -- need to pull the head.


If you are burning oil, you're at the decision point that many of us reach......seemingly heading towards impending emissions failure......

Do I open it up or do I leave it alone?

I have a 95SC2 and a 97SC2. I had work done on the 95, and I left the 97 alone.

95SC2:

Burned no oil up to about 95K. At 115K consumption was 6 quarts of Dino oil/3 K mi (no I am not kidding). Not a hint of smoke. Passed emissions. These engines are the most efficient oil burners I've ever seen. New plugs, 87 octane some dry-gas to get the moisture out of the fuel system, a clean EGR and EGR ports, a properly functional ECTS, a good/non crudded front O2 sensor, and a working cat should get you through emissions.

Anyway -- Had rings + valve seals done at 117K. They "forgot" to do valve guide seals. Burned no oil for a month -- then started up again but leveled off for the rest of the life of the engine.

Moral: If you're gonna open it up -- address all of the above while you're at it. Consider only if you're gonna run it into the ground.

Oh, and watch for burned valves.

97SC2:

Oil consumption steadily increased over life of the engine. I left it alone, switched it to Mobil 1 synthetic at about 100K (should have done so earlier but didn't know better), lost a cylinder at 185K. Put in a fully re-manufactured engine rather than open it up.

Moral: If you're not gonna open it up, change the oil and drive it till it gives in.
_________
If you do your own work, then the cost element is in your favor. If you have someone else do the work, it just is not cost efficient to do a ton of internal work on these S car engines -- it seemingly buys you time....but how much?

How much oil are you adding between changes?

Derf

Edited by: derf

 

My first car was an old 71 Vega. I was running 20W-50 plus a can of Bardahl oil treatment and still would burn 2 to 3 quarts per TANK of gas so I don't have much trouble believing your 6 quarts. I don't even want to think about the quarts per 3000 miles. [img]smileys/smiley4.gif[/img]


I didn't do oil changes on that car. Just periodically drained the accumulated additives.



That's the rub isn't it? I do more of my own work than is sensible so I'm probably on the right side of thatequation. Old habbits die hard.


I don't carefully track how much I add. I just add it when it gets to the bottom of the dipstick. Probably about 2 to 3 quarts between 3000 mile oil changes. I'm not too worried about adding oil, but I am worried about the smog. I'm also a little concerned about a perceived reduction in power. This car never popped wheelies, but it is starting to really lug up hills, especially since I overheated it a couple of weeks back.


The tough part is deciding what's worthwhile. The car no longer has a resale value, just a cost if it goes away. Until the incident a few weeks back with the MAP sensor, it had probably gone about a decade without a breakdown. I drive it to work every day and want to continue doing so. Just need to decide where to draw the line.