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.
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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.