# High oil consumption

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/high-oil-consumption/37962>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** corolla, toyota\
**Created:** [October 11, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/high-oil-consumption/37962 "2009-10-11T23:45:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mytalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@Mytalk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mytalk)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/high-oil-consumption/37962/1 "2009-10-11T23:45:30Z")

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I have a 1999 Toyota Corolla, 140,000 miles. Runs good and smooth, 35 mpg, but consume lots of oil, about 1 quart every 500 miles. I think it may not pass next year’s California smog test when time to renew my registration. Is this something worth fixing (how costly it is)or should I junk it and get a newer car? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/high-oil-consumption/37962/2 "2009-10-11T23:50:11Z")

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It’s certainly worth getting diagnosed. Possiblities range from cheap (pcv valve) through costly (valve stem seals) through “forget about it” (rings). Does it smoke at all, particularly when you first start it?

Also, believe it or not, oil burning usually won’t cause you to fail a smog test. Most states will fail you for visible smoke, but most of the sniff tests won’t catch it. (I don’t know about California, though)

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**Author:** ![Mytalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@Mytalk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mytalk)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/high-oil-consumption/37962/3 "2009-10-12T00:24:40Z")

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Thanks for your response. It does not smoke when I start the car, but the oil becomes very dirty (black-ish) at oil change (every 3 months) even with the frequent refill evry week. I will try the pcv valve and see if it help.