2002 Pontiac Sunfire -Where is my oil going??

2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
129 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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JMCENNENY
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I have an '02 sunfire with 129k miles, runs great and is in excellent condition, but in the last year or so I have noticed every time I change the oil (every 3,000m) there's LESS than a quart left in there. It's gotten to the point where I can't get anything on the dipstick after about 1,500m, and I feel like I'm constantly buying oil. No smoke, no smells, and 3 people checked and can't find a leak. Starts running a little rough after about 1,000m after a change. I know it's got a lot of miles on it, but this seems excessive. Is this normal for an older model? I heard checking/changing the valve gasket might help, but can't find any info on it. And I switched to thicker oil last year when it started. Any suggestions would be much appreciated, not ready to give this car up yet!
Feb 28, 2011 at 4:54 AM
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MHPAUTOS
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Oil loss will be either from a leak or burning, a leak will be obvious, it will leave a stain, burning can be via valve stem seals or faulty rings, to burn oil it has to make its way into the combustion chamber, if it is burning just a small amount at a time, you will not notice this, but a mechanic may be able to see tell tail signs of oil burning on the spark plugs, also if you use say 20W50 full mineral oil, this may help slow down oil consumption .

mark (mhpautos)
Feb 28, 2011 at 5:11 AM
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WRENCHTECH
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I would no recommend using an oil that heavy in your car. The manufacturer requires nothing heavier than 10W30 and I totally agree with that. Today's engines are built with tighter oil clearances and using an oil that heavy will lead to dry, cold starts and some excessive engine wear. If you have leaks, then locate them and repair them. If the engine has internal problems, then using heavy oil is just going to create new ones.
Feb 28, 2011 at 12:59 PM
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JMCENNENY
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I use 10W30 right now. I'll have my friend check the spark plugs. Thanks guys.
Feb 28, 2011 at 1:19 PM