I bought my F reg Townace (diesel 4wd manual) a couple of years ago with 40k km on the clock. It's now on 89k km. All was well up to a few months ago when the oil consumption started to rise - initially to around 300miles per pint... but now suddenly it's up to about 300miles per gallon! There is no major leak (by rights it should be leaving a slick like the Torrey Canyon). There's not a lot of smoke either ( I know - sounds impossible). Coolant level isn't rising, performance hasn't changed except for a slightly rough tickover sometimes. The only clue is the exhaust smells strange - can Comma 15w40 semi-synth oil burn with little smoke? Is the likely that the Turbo seals have gone? Is there a good Townace engineer near Swindon? Help!

- (#1218) Dee, 9 May 05 15:58

Turbo maybe, or (less likely) rings, but check the little breather hose at the top of the engine for blockages first. Only other reasonable possibility (rare, bit nevertheless it does happen) is a cracked piston...

- (#1218) David Miller, 10 May 05 00:05

300 miles to a gallon of oil is a lot of oil going somewhere. There should be lots of smoke, if the oil is passing the rings or through a faulty turbo but, as you say, this does not appear to be happening. Have you checked the inside of the exhaust tailpipe and, is there a lot of unburnt oil deposited there? You have, no doubt, checked under the vehicle for oil leakage and have mentioned "no major leak" but, is the filter secure and, is there a possibility of oil being ejected, and blown away whilst travelling? There ought to be a lot of oil, under the vehicle, if this were to be the case but, it's worth checking. As mentioned, the engine breather check is an important first step.

- (#1218) John Davis (Leics), 10 May 05 01:59