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Help! Engine Oil

4pops50

New member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
2
Location
Staten Island ny
Corvette
1985 silver
I have an 85 C4 and I'm losing about a quart of oil about every 500 miles. Doesn't seem to be burning oil, no black or blue smoke coming out of exhaust. Car starts when engine is hot and has plenty of power. Oil is clear color, not dark or black even after a few thousand miles between oil changes. I check oil level often and add when needed but can't help wondering what could be going on. Nothing is leaking, everything is dry underneath the car. No oil stains on the floor. Car has 86,000 miles.
Anyone have similar experience or thoughts on what's going on?

On another topic it's time for a set of tires. Plenty of thread left but these tires are over 15 years old and I'm not comfortable on the highway with them. Car is used recreationally on weekends, mixed street and highway, not raced. Any recommendations on a tire?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
If you're adding a quart every 500 miles and there are no leaks, you may not see smoke, but trust me–the engine is burning oil and...a lot of it.

As for tires, your 85 takes a 255/50VR16 tire, something that's a bit hard to find these days. About the only decent tire I've seen in the old C4 size is the BFG "G-Force Sport Comp 2". Actually, that's more than just a decent tire. It's a really good high-performance summer tires. I think, if I had an old C4 and wated the stock size, that's what I'd buy.

If you're looking for an all-season tire in that size, good luck.
 
I have an 85 C4 and I'm losing about a quart of oil about every 500 miles. Doesn't seem to be burning oil, no black or blue smoke coming out of exhaust. Car starts when engine is hot and has plenty of power. Oil is clear color, not dark or black even after a few thousand miles between oil changes. I check oil level often and add when needed but can't help wondering what could be going on. Nothing is leaking, everything is dry underneath the car. No oil stains on the floor. Car has 86,000 miles.
Anyone have similar experience or thoughts on what's going on?

On another topic it's time for a set of tires. Plenty of thread left but these tires are over 15 years old and I'm not comfortable on the highway with them. Car is used recreationally on weekends, mixed street and highway, not raced. Any recommendations on a tire?

Thanks

Thanks for responding so quickly.
So my choices are doing a motor job or keep adding oil.
 
Time to do a compression test. If compression is good on all cylinders, you may only need new valve stem and keeper seals, which can be done without major disassembly of your engine. As you're doing your compression test, how do the spark plugs look? All about the same, or only one, or a few plugs oil fouled?
DSCN2699.jpg
 

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