My engine is burning oil...help.

[Joel]

My daily driver has 200k+ miles on it and it's burning oil relatively at a rapid rate. Every month or so, the "low oil" light comes up and I check the dipstick and sure enough it reads on the low end. I end up adding a fresh quart every time . I check the ground but no leakage.

What does this mean? Is it on it's way out? Do I need a new engine? The car has been taken cared of all it's life. The car is a 96 Geo Prizm (basically a Corolla).

 

[Dtrigg]

Do you have a lot of exhaust smoke?

 

[xxx]

I thought you were referring to the NSX in the beginning. :biggrin:

 

[Gerard van Santen]

Every month or so, the "low oil" light comes up and I check the dipstick and sure enough it reads on the low end.

Do you wait untill the low oil light comes up
If the light comes up, you're possibly to late....

Check the breather pipe. If it is wet, probably a broken or bad piston ring is the cause.

 

[Joel]

Do you have a lot of exhaust smoke?

no. none.