Have a 99 Prism with less than 50K miles. Goes through @ 1qt of oil per 500 miles (Highway). More if in the city.

No leaks in driveway, No blue smoke. Tailpipe area has a black coating.

Am I burning or blowing oil? Am I looking at a rebuild here?

Submitting for a co-worker.

Thanks.

It's has to be going somewhere. Take the oil filler cap of the top of the engine. Is there excessive blow-by gasses [engine at idle]? Next, if you can, run a compression test. If one cylender is low, try adding a few drops of oil into the sparkplug hole. If the compression increases, you may have a sticking valve.

Check for leaks at the drainplug, and oil filter. It's hard to find oil leaks, especially if the oil is being burnned by hot engine surfaces

Is there excessive blow-by gasses.... My prism has this, and the oil goes fast... what does that mean?

It's has to be going somewhere. Take the oil filler cap of the top of the engine. Is there excessive blow-by gasses [engine at idle]? Next, if you can, run a compression test. If one cylender is low, try adding a few drops of oil into the sparkplug hole. If the compression increases, you may have a sticking valve.

Check for leaks at the drainplug, and oil filter. It's hard to find oil leaks, especially if the oil is being burnned by hot engine surfaces

This is not my post, and or reply

johnholl

lay a white sheet or card board under the car for the night, or let the car idle over the card board for a while. Unless it's something relatively inexpensive like the valve cover gasket, i'd live with it. Many times you spend all that money to make it right, and it will start leaking again in another year. My wife's car leaks. I just keep a carefull eye on the level and add when low.

john holl