Oil burning motors; possible cause identified?
04-22-2015, 09:47 PM
#71
JK Super Freak
Yeah, that's what I was getting at. I was wondering how the oil can get so low if you are checking it "pretty regularly".
I have seen lots of posts from people who also think they shouldn't have to check the oil that often. They are usually quite agitated when they post that sentiment.
Each time your oil got low enough to have the light come on, damage was done. The pump is sucking air at that point.
I have seen lots of posts from people who also think they shouldn't have to check the oil that often. They are usually quite agitated when they post that sentiment.
Each time your oil got low enough to have the light come on, damage was done. The pump is sucking air at that point.
04-22-2015, 10:16 PM
#72
JK Jedi Master
It has only flashed on very quickly twice. Once recently and once a couple of months ago. Both times I have looked into it immediately. Another observation I have made is that if you check the oil on this Jeep 15 times, you will get 8 different indications. It's like a total crap shoot. This is a new occurrence and I have noticed that the engine is burning oil much more quickly than it used to. This is the first vehicle that I have experienced that requires you to check the oil once a month. Something is wrong with the manufacturing of this engine imo. Do you think the oil pump is damaged at this point or worse? Also, what makes you so sure that damage has been done? Are you qualified to make this assesment? Just curious.
Let's look at the evidence.
The oil light has come on at least twice, and it's burning oil at an increasing rate. Sounds to me like damage has been done.
Regarding checking the oil, several things can influence the reading.
Oil temperature, drain-back time, ground slope, are a few things.
If the oil is checked under the same general conditions each time, the differences won't be enough to be OK one time, and off the stick the next time. The oil consumption will be caught while it's still visible on the stick.
You may be correct about something being wrong with the manufacturing of the engine. Some of the early JK engines were assembled with the rings in upside down. Some had out of round cylinders. I recall one poster on here that found out the rods were installed with the oil hole facing the wrong side of the cylinder, causing the thrust side of the cylinder to starve for oil.
Some of them settled in at burning a little oil, but if the owner didn't check the oil until the light came on, enough damage was done to make it burn oil at a much faster rate, until it spun a bearing.
The oil doesn't have to be so low the light comes on to have damage done. The light probably won't come on when it's 4 quarts low, but being so low will cause its temperature to go up a lot. The oil will break down sooner, and will have a higher concentration of contaminants in it.
Since you have the lifetime powertrain warranty, you should be all set. Be aware, though, they may try their best to void that warranty.
Last edited by ronjenx; 04-22-2015 at 10:19 PM.
