MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Oil Consumption. Excessive???

I have a 1997 (P) MGF VVC for 4 weeks and have put more than 3 litres of Mobil 1 into it (it doesn't come cheap!). Travelled less than 2000 miles.

IS THIS NORMAL?

AT THIS AGE SHOULD I BE CHANGING THE GRADE TO A HIGHER VISCOSITY?
Mike Coward P340 SCW

Sounds 'orrible. My VVC with 20k has never needed any top ups between annual services. Currently dip stick still shows full!

Isn't yours the one with the crap handling from yesterday?

Go and beat up the garage!

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick

last time my VVC drank oil quicker than I could drink Jack Daniels, the engine blew up about 1.000kms later. Check pistons!
Dirk Vael

Ok - So this is NOT normal.
I'll take it to the doc for a check-up.

BTW Reading the dip-stick can be difficult
E.G. some time after being driven and in between top-ups.
It smears on the stick when you withdraw it.
Mike Coward P340 SCW

Someone here has recently reported a leak around the dipstick assembly.

Can you see oil spots under your car ?
A very simple test is to put papers under the car, esp. after having poured some oil.

Fabrice
who does know how much Mobil 1 costs ! (did an oil change 10 days ago)
My F doesn't need any top up between 2 oil changes every 6K miles
Fabrice

A friend of mine works in the petrochemical industry and told me that because Mobil 1 is fully synthetic it shrinks the seals in the engine. Is there and ounce of truth in this???

BTW The handling on my F is superb - just guzzles oil (no blue smoke)
Mike Coward P340 SCW

Rover sources have previously quoted 500 miles per pint consumption as the threshold below which they regard it as a problem. That is actual consumption of the oil rather than loss.

Mobil 1 has some interesting properties and I have seen conflicting results in a variety of engines. One engine that was run exclusively on it had a different oil used at one change when there wasn't a supply of M1. The result was a leaking seive!

On the opposite hand was another higher mileage engine that had been run on mineral oil for it's last 75k miles, keeping a dry block. Within a few weeks there were oil staind appearing all over the engine, which were eased immediately the oil was changed for mineral again.

This does support the comment of Mobil 1 having an effect on seals, gaskets, etc.

Rog
Roger Parker

Thanks for your input guys.
I have left the car for about 9 hours with the oil on the 'full' mark on the dipstick.
There has been no oil deposited on the ground. And i can see no 'shiny' spots on the engine - although access is restricted ;-S

I will have a look tomorrow with the engine running and at 'normal' operating temp (somewhere between 90 and 120 - is that right???). Perhaps when the oil is under pressure it begins leaking.
Mike Coward P340 SCW

This thread was discussed between 26/07/2000 and 27/07/2000

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.