I have a 2000 Accord Coupe (4 cyl.) with 140K miles. It’s been well maintained, but I live in a harsh environment and have a 40-mile (each way) commute, from a rural dirt road to the heart of Cleveland. Lately I’ve been having to add a quart of oil about every six weeks or so. Is there anything particular I need to look at?
I forgot to add. I don’t see any leaks, and the oil pan was replaced a little over a year ago.
Just keep monitoring the oil level very frequently, as the rate of oil consumption could suddenly increase drastically. Never let it fall more than 1 qt below the full mark, and if possible, add oil as soon as it is down 1/2 qt. And, of course, continue to change oil as per the Honda maintenance schedule.
My best guess is that your car is consuming a qt of oil approximately every 1,200 miles (80 miles per weekday for work + some mileage on weekends). Perhaps it is actually more like 1 qt every 1,500 miles or so. In reality, most car manufacturers will tell you that consuming 1 qt of oil every 1,000 miles is within normal limits on a NEW car, so your oil consumption is not bad at all in view of the odometer mileage.
One thing that I would suggest you check (in addition to those frequent dipstick checks) is the PCV valve. If it is sticking, that could have led to an increase in oil consumption, and if not remedied can lead to some more serious issues.
Great. Thank you.