2013 Leon 1.2 - Excessive Oil Consumption

[GlastoSeat]

Hi All,

I've had a look at the 'excessive oil consumption' threads that exist but can't see a definitive result...so here goes (and feel free to treat me like a 3 year old - my wife does and it tends to avoid miscommunication!)

2013 Leon 1.2 TSI - using a lot of oil. I had the car looked at by a specialist who claimed 1 ltr per 600 miles (!don't know what to make of that!) was allowable under the SEAT regs.
But I am getting through ~1lt per 500 miles and seems to be getting worse (monitoring on odometer)
Currently doing ~150 - 200 miles per week for work.
Only obvious-ish cloud of smoke is when the revs are too low for the gear and the engine makes the low down 'clunking' as it tries to cope with my rubbish driving. No smoke on starting, pulling away normally or changing gear (well!)
Had it serviced in Jan and ~600 miles later the 'check oil' light came on. Been topping up since then. They said it 'could be the turbo or the piston rings and I would chop it in for something else asap'
Obviously loathe to do that for the moral reasons but mainly because I really love my Leon and would rather get it fixed than change car.

So....

Any ideas what could be causing it?
What would I need to say to a garage to get it fixed?
Ballpark costs?

Many thanks for any and all advice

Cheers!

 

[SuperV8]

Hi,

That's worse than the 'acceptable' limit from VAG/Seat. (which in my book is not acceptable and still be too much)
They quote 0.5L per 1000km/600 miles.

Has it only been doing it since the service? or slowly getting worse?
Have you checked for external leaks?
Check the inlet pipes for excessive oil contamination.
Usual suspects would be PCV, Turbo, valve stem oil seals or Rings.

If it is a new turbo - that shouldn't be too bad/expensive!

 

[GlastoSeat]

Thanks SuperV8,

It was doing it prior to the service and has been for a probably a 18 months. (just didn't drive the car enough to realise at the time)

Sorry for being a dunce but how do I find (let alone check!) the inlet pipes?
And what is the PCV?
Would the vlave stem oil seals or rings be an expensive fix?

Fingers crossed it's a new turbo!

 

[SuperV8]

FYI; you have an EA211 engine, you can search for EA211 oil consumption.
PCV is positive crankcase ventilation - or crankcase breather valve.
Valve stem seals shouldn't be too bad. New rings could be expensive.
Do you get any blue exhaust smoke?
A restricted turbo oil return line could also cause excess oil consumption.

 

[GlastoSeat]

FYI; you have an EA211 engine, you can search for EA211 oil consumption.
PCV is positive crankcase ventilation - or crankcase breather valve.
Valve stem seals shouldn't be too bad. New rings could be expensive.
Do you get any blue exhaust smoke?
A restricted turbo oil return line could also cause excess oil consumption.

Blimey, you know your potatoes! Many thanks again!

No blue smoke that I can see. But there is a noticeable 'puff' as mentioned when applying throttle in a too high gear. E.g: misjudging the ascent of a hill, applying throttle (smoke cloud) and having to change down gear.

Are the things you mentioned something I can take to a garage and say 'this is what it could be?' or would they take offence at that?

Cheers again - super helpful.

 

[SuperV8]

The things I mention are just common oil consumption causes - any garage 'should' know that, and would normally want to do their own investigation.
Worn piston rings would be the 'worst case' most expensive fix! so if they say this, I think its fair to ask them how they ruled out the cheaper/simpler stuff.


This is from an old post on here - which might be useful/interesting:

"Valve stem seals, when the car is turned off in the night the oil left in the crankcase is left there to drain, some of this oil can seep past the valve stem seals down the valve stems and into the cylinders over night, as the engine warms up the next day this oil will be burned and expelled as blue smoke from the exhaust.

Turbo smoke is normally most apparent when the engine and oil is warm after a drive let the car tick over for a few minutes then give it a rev, if you get blue smoke then its more than likely that the oil control rings/seals on the exhaust side of the turbo are leaking which will seep oil into the hot exhaust housing and when you rev it the smoke will be blown through the exhaust.

If you get smoke on gear changes this can be caused by the thrust bearings in the turbo being damaged and allowing vertical play through the core of the turbo, this is most apparent when you change gear or leave off the throttle and put it back down because the change from boost to vacuum puts strain on the shaft which will move if the bearings are damaged, seep oil and give you smoke.

Piston ring smoke is mostly seen on a warm engine and under load up a hill for example on constant throttle. It can also be seen after a long over-run down a hill letting the car coast in 4th for example and then revving it at the bottom of the hill, the vacuum in the engine can cause oil to be sucked past the piston rings. Worn piston rings can also cause heavy breathing and can push oil out of the crankcase breather."