Oil Consumption

[Guest]

Recently got another Boxster S after trying a few other cars (inc 2 Audis and a 997). Oil consumption seems a little high - put in over half a litre in 300 miles - and I get a puff of white smoke on start up that vapourises quite quickly. I can't remember if that's the norm for a flat 6 or not, but assume oil pooling in the cylinders after switching off could be responsible?

 

[akwaugh]

White smoke - seems like they all do it, both mine (986 and 987) do it. A bit scary at first but you get used to it. Your oil consumption seems high though. I can't recall the last time (over at least 6000 miles) I stuck any in, though I'm probably near the point now as I have lost a bar on the dash meter.

 

[ianfiat]

From new my 987 lost about 0.5 L of oil in the first 6 months- hasn't used a drop since.

 

[SidewaysSteve]

For the record white smoke on startup is generally just condensation in the exhaust system burning off. Oil burns blue not white. If you flick throuigh your handbook near the back with all the fuel consumption data etc theres actually a paragraph about oil consumption and from memory its actually quite a big number ! Im sure its something like 500ml every 1000 miles but you would have to check for yourself. I just remember seeing it and thinking "damn thats a lot of oil usage !" LOL Its normal for performance engines to burn oil in normal operation, but obviously there is a limit and as said that limit is noted in the back of the owners manual

 

[ColonelMoon]

When I bought my 987 it was 9 months old and I have covered 7000 miles in the last 14 months and my dash oil reading hasn't dropped at all.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the helpful advice guys - much appreciated

 

[Ian Mills]

Not sure you've got the right advice, my 987S reached the stage of going from max to min in 5/600 miles. Obvious visual signs were white/blue! smoke on start up and similar smoke when accelerating after a spell on a gentle throttle or overrun. The exhaust tail pipes are sooty black. I have just got the car back from OPC Nottm. who have changed the oil separator, under warranty, I am now checking the results. Suggest a trip to you local OPC would be appropriate. My earlier 2.5 and 3.2S never required any oil in approx 50k miles between them.

 

[nwhear]

"From new my 987 lost about 0.5 L of oil in the first 6 months- hasn't used a drop since". Same with my 2.9.

 

[Guest]

OPC Bournemouth told me that a litre every 650 miles is within tolerance. However, I've now used 6 litres+ in 2,500 miles, so it's definitely going in to be looked at now. They say they'll fill it to a specified level and get me to do a defined mileage to work out the consumption accurately, but it's clearly far too high. It doesn't seem to affect the performance, but the cloud of white smoke on start-up is really embarrassing!

 

[Guest]

Glad I persisted. After pressing for a formal consumption test, the OPC finally looked inside my engine with a camera and accepted there was a problem with some 'scarring on the cylinders and valves'. Just had the engine rebuilt from the crank upwards - under warranty, thank god! There's now a minor issue with the electrics that it will have to go back in for (and an occassional metallic clank - think someone left a tool in the engine bay that's causing an intermittent short and audible pulse!), but the smoking has been completely cured.