Hello,
All of a sudden my wifes car is loosing oil, about 1 qt/Day. Its not leaking (no stains in driveway) or burning (no smoke) that I can tell.

I'm thinking maybe its squirting out the filter when shes driving or maybe something with the intake manifold.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Popa Tim

If I suspected the filter was holed and ithe car was using a quart of oil per day without smoking, I think I'd change the filter and see if that fixed it.

It'* cheap and easy enough, after all.

Please post the year, make and model in your signature.

OK, This is a really weird one!
I changed the oil filter and the problem actually stopped for 3 days, it didn't loose a drop!
i thought for sure it was it but to be positive I took it on a cruise since my wife won't take the highway for anything. I drove up to a friends house, so I put on about 30 miles of highway @ 65mph and about 15 of mixed town & country roads, up and down hills. It didnt loose a drop. I drove home the same route a few hours later and still didn't loose a drop. Wife took it to her daughters (3.4 miles city) the next day and came back down a quart <grrrrr>

I dumped 5oz od seafoam into the engine oil but my can doesn't say when to take it out or leave it in...

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Popa Tim

ps - the car is a 1996 Olds 98 Regency Elite

I think your wife is draining a quart out to drive you crazy

after about 500 miles or less drain the oil with the seafoam, and put new stuff in

You have two choices here: The oil is exiting the engine through a leak or through the tailpipe.

First of all, pull a front spark plug and see if it'* dark. If 1 quart of oil is being burned in a 30-mile trip, all the plugs will be fouled. I also think it would be impossible not to notice a car that burns one quart of oil in 30 miles-the back of the car around the exhaust pipes would be coated with oil and the exhaust smoke would be apparent to all.

Ergo, my guess would be that you have an intermittent leak that appears in stop-and-go driving. While I can't imagine what that might be, if the plugs aren't fouled, them it'* a gasket leak, and you need to run the car up on ramps or a lift and see where the oil'* leaking. .

Putting a clean piece of cardboard under the car at night to pinpoint the leak would also be a good idea.

And one last thought-you are letting the oil drain back into the crankcase for a few minutes before checking it, right? And the car is level when you check the oil?

Thanks for the info everyone. I really appreciate your help.

I'll pull the spark plugs and look this weekend, but there is no smoke at startup in the mornings and no unusual soot around the tailpipe for a car with 133,ooo miles on it.

could the cat absorb that much oil?

The car is parked in the same spot in the driveway everyday and once in awhile there is a single drip spot the size of a quarter from oil pan seep. The car has sat typically for many hours when I check the oil level and driveway. You can see by my posting times that I work nights. My wife works days.

The former filter was wet with oil and I thought that for sure it was the culprit. I have yet to check the new one

The oil pressure is in the 60s typically with a peak in the low 70'*. Is this normal for this engine? that Seems high to me.

Does anyone know if they still make the florescent additive so I can trace a leak with a blacklight. If so what is it called/named? I haven't used it myself in many years but it might help trace down this mystery leak.

Thanks once again,
Popa Tim

If the cat was absorbing a quart of oil a day you would no it by now. These are high compression engines compared to older cars but I think 60s is normal but I could be wrong.

I am guessing it is a crack or hole around the filter or pump that occurs only when the pump is on.