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WOLFIE

HI
I’m an AA member, 3083261794784775 is my membership number.

I purchased a 2001 Corolla Fielder S/W, 1.8L engine, manual, Japanese import, a year ago.
The car is going very well, is very economical, performs as you would expect.
What worries me is the oil consumption – I have to top it up every 6 to 8 weeks since the oil drip is showing very low. The engine does not loose any oil, there are no leaks in the engine comportment, no drops or puddles underneath the car.
I’m using a synthetic oil.

Do you have an idea what might be the cause of it? I trust even with the new age synthetic oils that supposedly attach themselves to the engine parts at all times the oil will eventually flow back into the reservoir once cooled down?

Thank you
Regards, Wolfgang

Anon

It's not uncommon for engines to use oil. Most manufacturers even suggest using up to 1litre/1000km is normal. You might want to consider using a standard engine oil (eg: Castrol GTX 15W40) instead of a fully synthetic oil and compare the oil usage. Synthetic oils can be too slippery for some engines and cause more oil to bypass the rings - more oil consumption. Ensure you are checking the oil level with the vehicle on a flat surface. When the engine is switched off you should give it a few minutes for the oil to settle and then check the oil level.