Q: Excessive oil consumption and sooty exhaust

asked by on June 27, 2016

My car has around 97,000 miles and I purchased it from a specialist dealer. The oil consumption in my car is excessive, approx. 1 litre for every 500 miles. On the left-hand side of the car, the exhaust becomes sooty after around 100 miles. Can you tell me what is causing these problems and what I can do to fix them?

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Hello there,

A few different items can cause oil consumption. The most common is oil leaks, valve stem seals, PCV faults, or engine mechanical issues. Porsche 911’s are known to have some oil consumption that is considered normal due to the type of engine it is. Though 1 liter per 500 miles sounds excessive.

If you’d like to have this looked at, a qualified technician like one from YourMechanic will be able to diagnose your oil issue and determine if a fault is present.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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