i have a civic that just wont stop burning oil. was my wife's car but now she has a minivan. she says it has burned oil since she owned it. i drive 44 miles roundtrip to work and back daily. also about 350 every other weekend. i usually have to add oil after 1 and 1/2 months or less. now that gas prices have gone up, it seems that the mileage has become even worse (may be my mind playing tricks). NO SMOKE. NO POWER LOSS. can drive for 3 hours every other weekend at a constant 95+ Mph. has 140,000 miles. had an 87' accord with 280,000 miles that drove with more power, better mileage, and no oil burn. maybe should have kept it.

 

Did you try to run a compression test?

 

Well it looks like you learned how to post, do you still need help?

 

can you tell us what you have checked so far?

 

didn't know where to start. looks like compression test is my first stop. just don't want to get ripped off. i live in a town full 'good ol boys'. also should i wait to flush the engine until i get the compression test done?

 

Im wondering why you want to flush the fluids. a compression test on a four cylinder shouldn't be too hard. You might be able to do it your self. Take the spark plug out and replace it with the compression tester.

 

i figure all the oil that has been burnt off has left alot of grime or sludge. THIS CAR HAS BEEN BURNING OIL FOR ATLEAST 6 YEARS OR MORE. also, there is a guy at my job that has a 96' that does the same exact thing. didn't know if there was some problem that is well known with civics of that generation.

 

i too just bought a 97 civic with a blown motor [siezed it up do to lack of oil ] according to the oil change sticker she only 4k before it ran dry --it seems to be a common problem

 

Don't feel alone in this issue, I also had a '97 Civic that was burning/leaking a little oil... here are a few things I did to alleviate the issue:

1. Change your own oil and use Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic High mileage with a top line oil filter.

Reason
-Mobile 1 has an addative that softens engine seals and extend their life (and it works), this can greatly slow or in some cases stop the loss of oil - don't be put off if you don't notice immediate results, it may take one or two oil changes with it before you notice the difference.
-Fully Synthetic oil is more stable and lubricating than traditional oil, and once the leak slows you can go longer between oil changes (I'm currently going 12-15k miles before oil change with high end filter and Mobil 1 in my '01 Civic, but I do a lot of highway). Fully Synthetic can also increase your gas mileage slightly.
-A top line oil filter may cost a little more but is more effective in filtering out contaminants

2. Make sure to change your air filter - a dirty air filter can cause extra strain on the engine.

3. Use a fuel injector cleaner for 2-3 consecutive gas fill ups - this can clear out that nasty gunk in the engine

4. Check Coolant levels or do a flush and fill - If some part of the coolant system is clogged or not filled completely this can cause uneven expansion of the engine block which can also wear on engine seals.


Hope these suggestions help with your issue. If you try all these and still have problems, you may need to have some engine gaskets replaced.

I would also suggest slowing down a little... you get the best gas mileage at 50-70 mph.

 

check pasanger side of head for hose not on all the way and also check the oil pan gasket look for were theres a clean spot of oil dripping around hoses.