Oil consumption TR4

[North London Mike]

Hi guys

 

Hot on the heals of leaking wet liners I was wondering about oil consumption

 

Contemporary road tests talk of a gallon of oil every 4000 miles (or a quart every 1000)

 

Obvioulsy more than my Audi and a little more than my old Frogeye. So I wondered if this is a normal figure and if there were any tricks. On the BMC A series the very top of the dip stick level burns off down to the middle of the scale between the hatch and the top line. keep it at this level and it uses much less, keep topping it up and you keep topping it up

 

So what do you get ?

 

PS How much is the difference between the top and bottom of the dip stick

[ianhoward]

My 'ex' TR4 used very little oil between normal servicing... Only a 'dribble' from the rear crank scroll oil seal that I understand is pretty normal.

A quart every 1000???!!! Seems a tad on the high side to me

 

Rgds

[Bill Wirz]

My old TR-4 motor was exactly the same. I would always run it between the lines (low aprox. 1/2 qt.). If I kept it up to the full line, I'd be adding oil all the time. It used used aprox. 1 qt. in 1200 mi.. The sump holds aprox. 6 qt.. Most V8 motors use 5 qt. in the sump. As long as you have good oil pres., 1/2 qt. low is not a problem.

[MikeF]

For myself I would love to have enough miles to tell you what 21st century TRing has to offer. Soon will I hope!

 

In 20th C I used to reckon on adding a pint between changes but as othrs have said don't keep it to top line or it will go up especially with energetic driving. Mind that was then, this is now. Again then I seem to remember more than 1 pint per 1000 mile would be indicative of wear, but likely now taht would be a normal condition for a lot of cars!!

[North London Mike]

Thanks Guys

 

The engines must have improved with age. One guy on a trans euro trip was happy with a "only a pint" in 800 miles !!

 

Interesting to note that Triumph share BMC's dipstick half full trick

[North London Mike]

Hi Mike,

 

One thing in common between the 1960s and the 21st Century - you can't get more than 500 miles to the pint of engine oil out of a TR, whether it's got 4, 6 or 8 cylinders. And if you hoof it, you get less miles . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

 

 

Sounds about right for my research......now where's my 20/50

[TR4Geoff]

Sounds about right for my research......now where's my 20/50

 

Hi Guys,

 

This might stir things up a bit! My engine was rebuilt approx 16000 miles ago - this included a set of £100 plus rings as it already had a set of excellent pistons and liners. Obviously it drips a little but on a recent 1400 mile tour to Norway the oil level dropped about eigth of an inch maximum and as you can guess I have never topped it up between oil changes.

Also, on that run it averaged 35 plus mpg and on a recent run back from Scotland averaged 38 mpg doing between 70 and 80 all the way( well at least where there weren't any cameras!). On continued inspection the plugs are a nice dark biscuity brown so its not running on a **** mixture!

Perhaps I should add the car does between 7000 an 9000 miles per annum and seems to love it.

 

Cheers

 

Geoff Keeble

[North London Mike]

Hi Guys,

 

on a recent run back from Scotland averaged 38 mpg doing between 70 and 80 all the way

Geoff Keeble

 

 

Geoff

 

Interesting comments, now my oil level is down past halfway on the stick its slowed right up!

 

Also, if you saw my post on Fuel, due the the pinking I have held her back to 2500rpm in O/D top and getting just under 40mpg which proves how good these old 4pots are

[TR4Geoff]

Mike,

 

Can't help you with the 'halfway down the stick comment'.It occurred to me that the big ends/crankshaft might be whipping a full sump of oil into froth and pushing it out of the breather, but I keep my oil up to the full mark and as I have a 3A crankcase with the old unsealed breathing that thought does'nt seem to hold water(if you'll pardon the pun!)

 

On the mpg front, nearly 40 on a max of 2500rpm doesn't seem surprising but you will appreciate that I investigate 3000 to 3500 a little more often. I also operate on Strombergs which for some reason some people don't seem to favour,(although I must admit it took me a bloody long time to get them right!)

 

Geoff