Re Alfa pain

[Jonathan Coates <jon@domain.elided>]

Peter Webb wrote:

>Jon,
>
>A few of less ominous things to check for oil consumption that high:
>
>1) The cam seals.  They are the half-moon thingies at the back of the cam
>cover.
>2) Leaking oil pressure sensor.  They are notorious for leaks.
>3) Oil filter ring.  Did the last person to change it leave the old ring 
on?
>   Would explain why the PO didn't notice previous oil usage.
>4) Spica pumps are notorious for leaking oil when badly maintained.
>
>Compression seems good.  The usual procedure is to do a dry test, then wet
>the cylinders and do another and look at the compression change.  You 
don't
>have any really low cylinders to warrant that amount of oil consumption.
>
>I would suspect an external leak before an internal one based on your
>description.
>
>-Peter
>
>
>
One of the things that helped me lull my critical eye into terminal
blindness,  was the fact that the engine was leaking very little oil..
 a nice, but not internally significant feature.   After my 60 mile run
home on the freeway, and a few local drives,  totalling about 100,  the
next day there was barely a drop or two coming out of the car overnight.

Not sure what you mean by the oil filter ring,  the rubber seal under
the filter?  Would you not notice oil going down the pan and dripping
off it and the sump guard?

And is there a place that oil can exit while driving, without ending up
on the body or someplace to make tell tale drips later?

Thanks..

Jon

------------------------------
Dont know specifically about your car, but my 75 (Milano) lost loads of oil 
because the oil return pipe from the vapour seperator came off the engine 
connection. Only lost oil when at fairly high revs, but it was enough for 
it to lose all of the oil in 80 miles (just before I had to tow it 80 miles 
back again).

HTH Jonathan
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