It is possible that the oxidized oil binding the ring packs together has not dissolved 360 degrees around the piston at this point. This would be a scenario whereby oil consumption could get worse, before it gets much better. Normally ring packs clean up in the 800 to 1000 mile range. However, you may not have had much auto-rx in the oiling system for that long, based on adding a quart every 70 to 100 miles. As the oil is consumed, so is the Auto-Rx. The other way that oil enters the combustion chamber is from dirty, cracked, or worn out valve stem seals. Cleaning the valve guides and deposits on the stem seals can sometimes allow the seals to function better. If they are scored or cracked or just plain worn down, then replacement may be the only option.
I am not surprised that you experience no white smoke. White smoke is steam and would only be visible with condensation in the exhaust system, which can form over night, or if you had a head gasket leak whereby water/coolant was entering the oiling system. The color of oil burning is blue smoke. And black smoke is from incomplete combustion of gasoline.
I would say at this point if you have any more Auto-Rx on hand add it after you change out the filter, as I don’t think you would have any appreciable concentration left in the oil. You may want to think about running an oil that has a bit more viscosity to minimize the burning, while you clean the motor. For example if you are running 10W30, you might want to try 10W40. At the rate that you are burning oil, the spark plugs are likely getting wet with oil constantly. And the new catalytic convertor is going to prematurely fail if we can’t get this oil consumption level back to reasonable. That being a quart every 1500 to 2000 miles.
Did the motor run well right after the new plugs and wires? Or did it still labor right from the get go going up hills? Are you doing mostly city driving or highway?
Rich
-- Edited by Frank on Sunday 3rd of January 2016 10:13:30 AM
