• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

MGA Oil Burning MGAs

DonHolle

Senior Member
Offline
A fellow MGA owner recently asked my advice regarding what he considered excessive oil use by his car. The short of it is that he appears to have an incorrect oil dipstick in his engine. I say that because he reports that after doing an oil change and putting in the prescribed amount of oil (9 pints), the oil line was still below the "full" or "max" line. So he added more oil to get to the full line. He should have just put in the 9 pints and stopped there. But I think a common "cause" of oil burning MGAs and possibly MGBs is that the average owner adds a full quart of oil when the oil level falls from the max line to the min line. Wrong! That 3/8" distance between the two lines represents only one PINT, not a quart. Your engine will quickly get rid of the extra pint and you will swear you have an oil burner. But you probably don't. Comments?
 

aeronca65t

Great Pumpkin
Offline
Over 30 years ago, my best friend and I both had 1500 MGAs (in high school). I recall that both cars blew out the first pint of oil very quickly, so that when we did oil changes, we always left them "a half quart low". I always assumed that it was "the nature of the beast"
 
A

aerog

Guest
Guest
Offline
Another false assumption is that the vehicle is "burning" oil. As Nial related many engines will just naturally blow off a certain amount of oil (within reason obviously). If the oil level drops suddenly to the "low" mark, for example, but never drops further then it isn't actually losing oil through the rings, leaks, etc. You can at least make note of what is, in reality, "full" oil level compared to the stick (making allowances for filters, oversized oil pans - I see that on VW engines, etc) by just filling to spec, running the engine for a minute, then let it settle and check the dipstick reading.


I have to admit not having seen this problem in my MG, but it's common with airplane engines. All our 6-cyl engines are supposed to be topped off with 12-qt of oil, but typically they'll all drop down to +/- 10qt after an oil change (after running for an hour or so) but never drop beyond that.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
HighAltitudeTR3 TR2/3/3A Just started burning some oil... Triumph 8
KVH TR4/4A I Can't Stop Burning Oil; Engine Missing at Take Off Triumph 5
J New engines burning oil, Too much fuel? Triumph 14
athenssprite Smoke - oil burning Spridgets 5
athenssprite heavy smoke on start up - burning oil Spridgets 13
D Oil burning at cold start Austin Healey 17
2wrench TR6 TR6 Burning/losing oil, what do you think? Triumph 7
D Burning Oil Triumph 7
D New rebuilt engine-burning oil after 700 miles?? Triumph 5
Webb Still Burning Oil? What Type of Oil to Use? Triumph 20
Hegg Elan +2 is burning oil [come on in and laugh!] Lotus 8
1 TR2/3/3A TR2/3 Oil Leak Where Oil Sending Pipe Connects to the Block Triumph 4
Jim_Gruber Correct Transmission Oil for Datsun 210 5-speed Spridgets 1
af3683 TR2/3/3A Recommended Oil Filter Cartridge for Purolator Triumph 8
R oil pressure Spridgets 2
RickPA Overdrive Oil Pressure Austin Healey 8
6 Valve Oil Seals Spridgets 10
RJS TR4/4A Smiths Oil Temp Gauge Triumph 11
J MGB Oil Pressure Gauge Gives Constant Reading -- Doesn't Seem Right MG 15
Lotuswins Dry Spin-On Oil Filter Austin Healey 14
Todd78d Oil Spridgets 6
Erica General MG Oil Drain Valve -- mine is an MGB, but they have others MG 3
G Right-Side Shock Weeping Oil Austin Healey 1
scottkilpatrick TR4/4A Gear oil and choke question Triumph 4
D TR2/3/3A cylinder head oil plug bolt size Triumph 6
G High Oil Pressure Austin Healey 2
T Spin-On Oil Filters for Cars with a Brake Servo Austin Healey 3
Bayless What oil for Datsun 5 speed? Spridgets 7
T Spin-On Oil Filters Anti-Drain Back Valves Austin Healey 0
T Spin-On Oil Filters Austin Healey 1
K TR2/3/3A Old school penetrating oil? Triumph 24
R TR6 question re: Engine Oil Triumph 3
nevets Spin-On Oil Filter Adaptor Austin Healey 12
D Overdrive Stops Working After Oil Change Austin Healey 26
AUSMHLY BJ8 Differential Oil Change Austin Healey 6
Celtic 77 General MG Lever shock oil refiller MG 0
I MGB Sprung an (oil) Leak! MG 2
sim oil pressure gage bad or engine needs rebuild It starts our cold at 60 psi but when warm it down to 10 psi Spridgets 21
S TR2/3/3A Aluminum oil gallery plugs Triumph 9
WHT Oil Sump Question For Dougie Austin Healey 0
Joel Lester TR2/3/3A Priming new engine with oil Triumph 9
A TR6 spin on oil filter for tr6 Triumph 4
RJS General TR Oil Pressure Gauge - Test Triumph 11
RJS TR4/4A R&R Oil Pressure Gauge Triumph 7
LD-Ordie TR2/3/3A Canister Oil Filters Triumph 9
B Oil (or Coolant) Leak Austin Healey 10
K Usual 1275 rear main oil leak question Spridgets 0
S TR2/3/3A Removing a stuck oil drain plug Triumph 13
kodpkd 1961 BT7 engine oil Austin Healey 31
Celtic 77 MGB 77 MG B oil cooler MG 5

Similar threads

Top