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  • Hemmings Muscle Machines

    ASK RAY

    Aug 27, 2021 7 minutes
    By Ray Bohacz

    OIL-BURNING OLDSMOBILE

    Q: I cannot figure out why my 1967 Olds 4-4-2 with the 400-cu.in. engine is using 1 quart of oil about every 500 miles. The short-block has been rebuilt with all the right tolerances and new piston rings, and it now has about 1,500 miles on it.

    I am using 10W-30 synthetic oil. The compression and leakdown tests are all okay. The engine does not smoke, even on startup, and there are no oil leaks. The spark plugs are light gray.

    I have a stock GM PCV valve and it is sucking fairly strong with a baffled valve cover. Could it still be sucking the oil out?

    Roger D.

    Via email

    A: When I read your letter, a few things came to mind that I will address as an FYI for all the readers.

    A leakdown test and a compression test, for the most part, are invalid for an oil-control issue. The oil ring is responsible for that and does little to nothing to control cylinder sealing.

    However, there are times when these tests are partial indicators. For example, in an engine with 300,000 miles that uses oil, has low compression, and 40-percent cylinder leakage. In a

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