Is burning oil a "death" sentence" for my Ranger?

Question

I have a "92" Ranger that has burned oil since I bought it back in "2002". The question is..Is it something to be concerned about? It doesn't smoke & it runs good. but since I've had it, every 3 months I get the oil changed & always have to add a qt of oil just before oil change time. I have another problem & need to know if I should look into purschasing a new vehichle. I love my truck but do not want to put any more money into something that may need "burying" Anyway. The other problem.. mechanic says I am running on only one cyl.. (free check test) Any input would be appreciated..

Answer 1

Burning oil is what ya get when ya buy a ford-----but seriously, If you keep an eye on the dipstick and don,t run it two or three quarts low all the time you might be okay for quite awhile yet. You've probably lost a notch or two in the performance side of things but if it doesn't bother you, don't sweat it. If you're the type of person who needs everything to be just perfect, a little oil burnin' is gonna make ya nuts. The main thing is not to sink a bunch of cash into it only to wind up with a blown motor somewhere down the road. I'd just stick with yer basic maintenance and try to avoid the high dollar items. As far as only running on one cylinder goes, I think yer mechanic has got a vapor lock. The only thing that you wouldn't notice only running on one cylinder is a lawnmower.....because they only HAVE one cylinder. He might have meant that you have one cylinder that's not running (at least, that's how he's gonna try to cover his butt) but even that should be making the thing run so poorly that you would definitely notice it. Soooo, go for it and good luck!!!!

Answer 2

I have a 96 ranger, bought new, burns 1 qt of oil every 3000 miles and so does my 94 Dodge Van, so no it is not a death sentence. (Even my old honda accord used to drink some between changes) I have 80K and 100K on my vehicles now.

Personaly, I can't see how you can run on 1 cyl. You would have rough idle, no power, gas mixed with the oil, and lots of smoking if all rings were bad. I think there was a huge communication problem between you and mechanic. Or he had nothing scheduled that week and needs some extra cash.

check with another mech to do a compression check (not a free service), and have them tell you how each cyl came out for # psi should like 90+. See if you can find a AAA auto center or someone you can trust for advice.

Just make sure you check the oil at fuel fill ups. or weekly, like a Sat AM routine and engine should last. may also try using higher mileage oil, seems to last a bit longer and stops any leaks.

Remember these are nearly free miles, a qt of oil every 3K ($3.00) is nothing compared to a payment of $300.00 month payments and possibility of other issues too.

(If it was a qt of oil each fill up then I'd say you have a problem.) Take care. Rangers are pretty good, reliable trucks overall if you do maintenace on them.

Answer 3

burning and leaking oil is a sign of old age, not a death sentence.
However, one cyl is telling you your engine has not long to live.

ps.
I don't think you would be running that well on just one cyl. So things might not be too bad. I would get another opinion.

pps
I now have a 88 ford w/ yet another v8 305 w/ the same problem as the first two. they were suspable to crankshaft oil leaks at past 150,000 miles. However I am earlier on the curve then the previous two machines. However I am in a quandry myself ... the engine is loosing a quart a month of oil .. but I have no air, no locks, no defroster, no radio, one window does not go up and down, and I might not pass the saftey inspection cause I think the exaust leaks. :)
If you like the truck, you might be able to get a used engine and/or installation for a reasonable price. Often however in the bigger cities, you can get another old truck for less than the engine replacement.

For example:
I loved my old Ford F100 and I lived in a small town. I tracked down a used 305V8 for $400 and found someone to put it in for $500. but then to get a job I sold the truck and did not do anything. At that time a new or like new engine was $800 to $1200.

Two years later .. in a bigger cityI had a town car that needed same engine. They thought they could repair it for $1200. To go the whole overhaul route:Cheapest I could find the engine was $1000 .. and cheapest I could find to put it in was $1500. Since I got the car for an afternoon's worth of work and $1200 .. it seemed hardly worth it.

Answer 4

I been a mechanic for over 30 years.A car are truck will not run on 1 cyc.So you need a real mechanic,not that idiot that says your running on 1 cyc.With a truck as old as yours(you did not say how many miles it had)adding a quart of oil with in a 3000 mile range of oil changes would be normal. If your getting good service,and no problems with your truck.You should keep it,and not worry so much. I have a 1997 Explorer with 197,000 miles on it,and it runs better than my new truck. If it was possible I would return the 2006 F 150.

Answer 5

Listen, a truck won't run on one cylinder. If it the truck is not smoking, the piston rings should still be in good shape. Oil entering the combustion chamber causes the smoking.

Check your driveway. Where do you find oil spots? Your problem may be a gasket gone bad, or a main bearing seal.

Lift the hood and look at the places that you see oil. Get under the truck, and see where the oil is coming from.

Your truck is not dead. I drove a Ranger for over 300,000 miles, and sold it in running condition. Do what I've told you, and find a competent mechanic.

I think you gave a bad gasket. Let the mechanic find it!

Answer 6

No it isnt a death sentence, Ford says that 1 qt every 700 miles is normal. But 1 qt every 3 is not too bad. The truck cannot run on 1 cyl. It would be running bad if you have 1 cyl. down

Answer 7

wow, i think it's time to get another car!! The reasons can vary, your head valve seals could be leaking oil into the combustion chamber.. The next , most probable reason is the piston rings, they are probaley worn, making it possible to capture oil into the combustion chamber, thus causing a number of problems, everything from a clogged cat to " burning oil"... If i were in ur spot, i would go ahead and another car, it would be much cheaper for you put down a small amount on a small car or truck... Keep the truck as a toy, but dont plan on it passing smog any time soon!

Answer 8

Your Ranger or any other car would not run on 1 cyl. As long as it runs smooth don't worry about it. I have owned cars that would use a quart then not use any more till I changed it. Try yours but keep a close eye on the oil. It will not hurt it to run a quart low, just be sure if it keeps using it add a quart.

Answer 9

Find another mechanic. Ask for the compression reading. A quart of oil between changes is nothing.
When VW beetles(The old ones) were around VW said oil consumption per 1000 miles could be as much as 2.5 quarts .
They only held 2.5 qts.

Answer 10

I'm sure your ranger will give you some more good miles. while using oil is a death sentence. the fact that it doesnt smoke and uses only a quart of oil isn't that bad of a sign. I'm sure it has external oil leaks as well. i mean come on its a ford. if you do not want to put money into it i would start saving now for a new one!! your ranger is almost fifteen years old.. older vehicles demand more money.