where does it go?

[Mafiaracers]

I changed my oil today...then I got analytical and did some math on what came out of the oil pan.

5qts is 160oz

I drained the pan and oil filter as far as gravity would take them into the drain pan. I then re-filled the empty qt. bottles up to the 32oz mark as indicated on the oil level window on the side of the bottle.

4 bottles filled to 32oz and the 5th filled to ~10oz == 138oz back out of the engine.

So, I know my engine has great numbers on all 6 in a compression test, passes emissions with flying colors (as of last month), doesn't leak oil or leave a wet spot on the pavement...I know there's some in the oil cooler but...

where's the other 22oz?

[Nic01101011]

The rings and valve guides leak.
It's inevitable..

[tonywonder]

its in your coolant. your headgasket has a leak.

[naplesE30]

There is an oil squiter that puts trace amounts into the ventilation system. When you turn on your a/c you should be able to smell faintest bit of oil aroma. When you dont smell it anymore that means your low on oil and its time to for a change. Das germans really do tinks ov everyting. For most cars oil is a lifetime fill so something must be seriously amiss with your car.

[Dj Buttchug]

lolz at these replies.

consider the fact that its almost impossible to get all the oil you put into a motor out. internals and oil galleys in the head ect will still have oil in them when you drain your old oil out.

some will burn away but theres no way your burning 22oz of oil.

[mrsleeve]

In the butt....................

Shit wrong thread..................... some is lost to consumption, some to leaks. (All m20's leak). Some sticks to inside the engine and remains in tthe low spots. And bearings, you will /never get it all back out

[Roysneon]

A large part of it will be burned off through the rings and valve guides, ventilation system and however slowly leaked out.

Oil also "evaporates", especially conventional oil. Lots of different additives are used to thin it out and that shit burns/evaporates off

[Mafiaracers]

I figured most of it is still in the engine somewhere and yes, some will get burned off. I've been using mobil 15-50 for about a year now and changing it every 3k so...just thought it was interesting to measure what came out.

[Adrian_Visser]

Try this, pour x amount of oil into a container then pour it back into a measuring device and measure how much you just "lost". The viscosity of the oil makes it stick to the sides of the container so a lot of it doesn't pour back out right away. Think about it the container has less surface area than the internals of your engine. Now if you were to leave the container dripping for a day you would get a lot more but who wants to let their car sit all day dripping to get an extra 20oz's of oil out.

[dnova89]