Hey Guys,

I have a 99 5spd. f23 vtec. It is burning oil, I check it every once in a while and the dipstick reads below the minimum, so I put more in, then it is fine for a couple weeks. My gas mileage is also not that great. In fact, it varies from 250 to 350 miles a tank. I go through about half a quart between oil changes that I do myself, every 3,000 miles on the dot.

BUT I've seen black smoke from out the tailpipe once when I was getting on the fwy. Bad Piston rings? There is never oil in the coolant, no leaks at all from under the car. just goes through a little every once in a while. Is it worth checking my spark plugs to see If there is any oil in there? Is that a good diagnostic? What else can I do?

Thanks guys, anything helps

 

My 2001 Accord does the same thing. I had it serviced at the dealer and they told me it was rear main seal. My oil never checks right on the dip stick, always looks as if its low even right after I had it changed. I see smoke time to time when I take off on inclines or so..

 

mikkos might be right, though it might be the rings too or just the head gasket. but since you cant see white nor blue smoke, then it's not coolant or fuel. make sure you have your spark plugs clean...

 

So I read about the burning oil, and learned that VTEC just eats through oil. And I get on the fwy about once everyday, a good time to open up the taps a bit. Guess I have to drive a little more conservatively to save my oil... still going through a quart in between changes.

hope this helps, guys!

 

If your vtec is failing then you will burn oil all day long when vtec engages. It's a easy test to do. Take the vtec solenoid off clean it good then hook it up to your cars bat. and see if it clicks...no clicky no worky! hope this helps

-Ryan

 

95 Integra GSR; B18C1 (DOHC VTEC)
98 Accord EX; F23A1 (SOHC VTEC)
03 Accord; K24A4 (DOHC i-VTEC)
07 Civic; R18A1 (SOHC i-VTEC)
Another 07 Civic R18A1

Of all my VTEC cars, NONE of them used oil like that. And I really loved using all 8,000 rpm on that GSR. It's a MYTH that VTEC uses a lot of oil.

 

Well it's not that VTEC is failing, cuz I can hear it engage, and I know when it engages. I used to have a 94 civic sohc non vtec d15b7 so I know for sure its working. haha.

But i will test the solenoid and do the clicky thingy i guess. Hopefully it will help.

Thanks guys!

 

If you know for a fact vtec is working then don't bother checking it....unless you just want to.

I donno when I have my h22a4 vtec craped out on me and I burnt allot of oil when I got a new solenoid a month later I stopped loosing oil. My friend has a h22 swapped in his ej8 same and it was the same thing.

 

I guess I didn't pay attention to where you said when vtec is failing.
Mine never broke. ??

There's a really common myth that vtec uses oil even when it's NOT broken.

 

Well whatever it is, oil is dissapearing when I hit the upper RPM's. I did a test between gas tank fill ups.

1st tank... Drove it hard. Oil burned. Used almost a full quart to refill before 2nd gas tank.

2nd tank... took it easy. Perfect, no oil mysteriously gone.