# Losing Oil like BP

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** accord, honda\
**Created:** [June 9, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086 "2010-06-09T12:01:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![micah.poston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@micah.poston](https://community.cartalk.com/u/micah.poston)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/1 "2010-06-09T12:01:48Z")

</div>

I have a 01 honda accord and that has around 82k on it. Recently i have had to start adding oil to it. There are no visible spots in the driveway where it has been leaking and i don’t see anything coming out of the tailpipe. I wondering what is going on? Also, how much will it cost?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/2 "2010-06-09T12:11:31Z")

</div>

How much oil? Do you add a quart every 1000 miles? 500? 5000? Adding oil is pretty cheap and no damage will occur as long as it is no more than 1 quart low. Lower than that can be a disaster . . .  
Do you see oil leaking around the valve cover or oil pan?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/3 "2010-06-09T12:24:36Z")

</div>

If there’s no visible signs oil leaking then you’re probably burning it.

How often do you change your oil?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![micah.poston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@micah.poston](https://community.cartalk.com/u/micah.poston)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/4 "2010-06-09T19:53:56Z")

</div>

I change it every 3-5k. Everything else seems very normal.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/5 "2010-06-09T22:09:51Z")

</div>

But how much oil do you add between changes?

As an engine ages it’s perfectly normal for it to start to use some oil. As long as it’s not excessive, it’s not a sign of a problem. But unless we know how much we can’t even offer an opinion on whether it’s excessive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![geeaea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@geeaea](https://community.cartalk.com/u/geeaea)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/losing-oil-like-bp/50086/6 "2010-06-10T03:23:35Z")

</div>

Change you PCV valve and spray some throttle body/carb cleaner in the hose that attaches to it. It’s probably stuck. You have the proper symptoms. Nothing apparently wrong, no visible signs of oil leakage, and sudden up tick in consumption.