Oil consumption got worse. Not sure what to do. Should I sell the car?

UnhandledException said:

The issue I have wirh checking oil when cold is basically its not what Ford recommends but I get the point you are making.

Also this so called high flow PCV fitting has no spring in it. There is nothing but an empty tube that threads on to valve cover.

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Checking the oil cold in the garage is very repeatable, and makes it much easier to see the level on the dipstick, especially when the oil is new and clean.

The OEM fitting on the valve cover is the PCV valve, that's why there's a spring in it. The UPR check valve is built into the hose. The UPR fitting is just that, a fitting that their hose connects to.

Like I said before, there should be a PCV valve located somewhere between the passenger side valve cover and the intake manifold - all PCV systems are setup that way. Some cars (ie, Vettes) use a 1 mm fixed orifice, but the premise is the same, it's there to control the flow rate of the crankcase vapors into the intake manifold.

You said you blew on the UPR hose that has the check valve in it and verified it was flowing in the right direction. You said in post #175: "EDIT: also just blew on the hose and yes check valve was installed the right direction."

UnhandledException said:

Also this so called high flow PCV fitting has no spring in it. There is nothing but an empty tube that threads on to valve cover.

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No spring? I might have already posted this link

http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/197
How a PCV valve works


"PCV valve serves several functions. At an idle, engine vacuum is very high, around 16 to 20 inches. This high vacuum would tend to draw oil as well as fumes from the engine. The PCV valve acts as a buffer against oil being drawn out. It also regulates the amount of vacuum applied to the engine, based on engine load and speed.

high RPM engine braking ~ high vacuum, low flow
WOT /w blow by ~ low vacuum, high flow

high RPM engine braking /w no spring ~ high vacuum, high flow ?

I think we are confusing two things here:

- Check valve: The valve that sits in the middle of the OUT hose between can and intake manifold that prevents vacuum to take place in wrong direction.
- HI FLOW PCV Fitting: Replaces the factory light blue color plastic PCV valve. It screws on to the valve cover where the IN/DIRTY hose into the can clicks on to.

The high flow pcv fitting essentially DELETES the pcv valve all together. Its a pipe, through and through. The factory PCV piece is very restrictive. So common sense says with this high flow pcv fitting, you essentially have no pcv valve and all that massive compression/vacuum spits out crap load of oil which otherwise wouldnt be the case with factory setup.

MrCincinnati said:

I know it sounds silly to check the oil 15min after versus cold etc but it makes a difference with this car. Given your broad set of results with the appearance of abnormal consumption - it may be wise to more tightly control your measurements and adhere to the recommended guidelines. Otherwise you're kinda shooting in the dark and coming up with unreliable conclusions.

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Some years back..... Ford started recommending that people check their oil on Fords and Lincolns when the engine was warm.
Most people, they said, tended to check their oil when they stopped for gas, when the engine was warm. So they simply recalibrated their dipsticks to read correctly in a warm engine, when the oil has heated up and expanded.

UnhandledException said:

I think we are confusing two things here:

- Check valve: The valve that sits in the middle of the OUT hose between can and intake manifold that prevents vacuum to take place in wrong direction.
- HI FLOW PCV Fitting: Replaces the factory light blue color plastic PCV valve. It screws on to the valve cover where the IN/DIRTY hose into the can clicks on to.

The high flow pcv fitting essentially DELETES the pcv valve all together. Its a pipe, through and through. The factory PCV piece is very restrictive. So common sense says with this high flow pcv fitting, you essentially have no pcv valve and all that massive compression/vacuum spits out crap load of oil which otherwise wouldnt be the case with factory setup.

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So did you ever run your catch-can setup using the OEM fitting with the PCV valve in it?

The PCV valve is supposed to be somewhat "restrictive" ... that's how it controls the flow rate into the intake manifold.

If you're going to get any useful data from your testing to determine if the UPR catch-can system is the culprit, you need to reinstall the OEM PCV valve into the passenger side valve cover and run the OEM hose to the intake manifold (100% factory setup).

I doubt the catch can would cause a problem. However, a straight through "PCV" with no spring is suspicious.

I have changed the oil just now as well as the PCV valve as recommended by the members here. Here is a picture of the valve that comes with the catch can as well as the stock PCV valve.

UnhandledException said:

I have changed the oil just now as well as the PCV valve as recommended by the members here. Here is a picture of the valve that comes with the catch can as well as the stock PCV valve.

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Their website does say PCV "fitting", rather than PCV valve. Rather subtle difference.

Maybe you can call them and ask their technical support under what circumstances would you want straight through, rather than a spring loaded valve.

Billet and "hi flow" sounds good, unless its high flow of oil vapor into the intake manifold and then it doesn't sound as good.

mustang1 said:

I doubt the catch can would cause a problem. However, a straight through "PCV" with no spring is suspicious.

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Yeah - that sounds very suspicious. PVC valve metering is a science.

http://www.powerperformancenews.com/tech-articles/an-adjustable-pcv-valve-for-the-street/

mustang1 said:

Their website does say PCV "fitting", rather than PCV valve. Rather subtle difference.

Maybe you can call them and ask their technical support under what circumstances would you want straight through, rather than a spring loaded valve.

Billet and "hi flow" sounds good, unless its high flow of oil vapor into the intake manifold and then it doesn't sound as good.

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Only reason I could see whey UPR has the straight through fitting in place of the OEM PCV valve is if UPR put a flow control valve in the hose between the catch-can and intake manifold instead of the check valve. Don't know if they do that, I can't tell from their website. I too would call UPR Tech Support and ask them some questions to get clarification if it was my car.

GT Pony said:

Only reason I could see whey UPR has the straight through fitting in place of the OEM PCV valve is if UPR put a flow control valve in the hose between the catch-can and intake manifold instead of the check valve. Don't know if they do that, I can't tell from their website. I too would call UPR Tech Support and ask them some questions to get clarification if it was my car.

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FWIW, have a UPR setup and engine doesn't use oil. Just came from a weekend HPDE and level is holding steady.

TDC said:

FWIW, have a UPR setup and engine doesn't use oil. Just came from a weekend HPDE and level is holding steady.

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do you have the straight through PCV fitting? How long have you had the UPR setup ?

Have the setup in the pic for about 1 1/2 years.

TDC said:

Have the setup in the pic for about 1 1/2 years.

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So you dont have the PCV fitting they sent me.... with the fitting I have there is no way for car not to consume too much oil. I spoke to 2 independent mechanics and as soon as they saw the setup they said that will create excess vacuum and cause excess oil consumption in a high compression engine.

How bad is it to do frequent engine braking as far as oil consumption goes? Since changing the oil, I am driving more normal and after 100 miles, the oil color is still clean and did not move down even a mm. I m not doing engine braking at high rpms, after running up gears at high rpm, I used to hold the gear now I am just upshifting instead.