# 1985 Merkur XR4 - can a vacuum leak affect oil use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 1, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015 "2020-03-01T01:28:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JakeRiesser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@JakeRiesser](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JakeRiesser)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/1 "2020-03-01T01:28:28Z")
Boost and vacuum leak that seems to cause an oil leak/loss of oil. Just rebuilt the engine, new T5 transmission and new turbo, is it possible for a massive vacuum leak to cause oil loss or consumption? Car is a 1985 Merkur XR4Ti, sadly you don’t have any options to select that make/model (can you add my XR4?) Would love to have this car running smoothly. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/2 "2020-03-01T13:48:08Z")
Have you fixed the vacuum leaks? Don’t drive it until you do. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/3 "2020-03-01T21:15:52Z")
Anything is possible but if there is a massive vacuum leak the engine will not idle or generate any boost. Check the PCV valve as a faulty valve can cause external leaks or oil use in the upper end. Before wading any deeper into this maybe a good idea would be to connect a vacuum gauge and check the vacuum reading at idle. It should be in the 20" range and the needle should be rock steady. If not, then maybe both a dry and wet compression test needs to be performed just in case a ring problem has gone haywire. You won’t get Tom and Ray here; just a bunch of people willing to help in some way. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Riesser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Jake\_Riesser](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jake_Riesser)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/4 "2020-03-02T00:49:25Z")
Boost/vacuum gauges showed 5-10mm Hg idle, vehicle got up to 0psi and that was it under throttle for the few seconds I drove it with the issue (was 1000ft from work and 10 minutes to get to work before I was late, didn’t feel like calling a tow until later). Checking more systems for issues, may just replace the entire PCV system and breather just to be 100% since I have spares (Merkur aka bring spares with you). Doubt a ring issue, freshly built bottom end and top end, unless more points to that, given this car’s history of odd vacuum issues, I am thinking that until all else fails. Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/5 "2020-03-02T01:28:24Z")
There’s either a massive intake leak or the camshaft is a mile out of time. Those engines are pretty simple and there’s not a lot of leak possibilities. EGR stuck open? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/6 "2020-03-04T02:10:28Z")
Are you certain that the ignition timing is correct? ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/7 "2020-03-04T04:34:41Z")
You arent really explaining your issue very well here… just asking a theoretical question. What exactly is going on? What led you to know there is a problem? What was the vehicle doing? Not doing? Etc. I’m afraid we are well in the dark without giving us some actual relevant details rather than a theoretical question about vacuum and oil consumption. There is nothing to go on here… sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-merkur-xr4-can-a-vacuum-leak-affect-oil-use/160015/8 "2020-03-04T17:51:56Z")
There is a lot left for the imagination @Honda_Blackbird. But I’ll add that a restricted exhaust, most likely a catalytic converter, could also be part of the problem. And a massive loss of oil on that engine is likely at the turbo.