An update. I've driven my truck 1208 miles so far and it has used 6.25 quarts of oil. The shop told me to bring it back and they will take the valve covers off to see if there is a valve guide seal that is not seated properly - that is the only reason they can think that the truck would be using oil so quickly.

I'm thinking of letting them do that. IF they don't find anything, the only thing I'm out is the cost of new valve cover gaskets and a little bit of labor.

 

They wont find anything.

 

HOLY CRAP!!!! There is no small/quick fix reason for that kind of consumption, if it's not your valve seals I'm afraid you might have a catastrophic problem on your hands. Sounds like blow by or the rings are eating the oil.

 

Has anyone one pulled the plugs yet? I would have pulled them after the 2nd quart.

 

Spike - I truly value your opinion and appreciate the help you have been in previous conversations. And I hope that you are correct here. But, respectfully, I have such a hard time swallowing the "new gasket theory" with my rate of consumption. One quart in 1000 miles is acceptable to Land Rover, not 6.

I will pull the plugs this weekend to see if I can tell what's going on.

The issue is, this didn't start happening until the head gaskets were replaced. Prior to that, I had to add two quarts in the time frame it took me to get to my 5000 mile oil change. That's why we're thinking its the valve seals. Not sure if, by replacing the head gaskets, it would aggravate an unknown problem?

 

I have to agree 6.5 quarts is not new gaskets soaking up oil.
did they send the head out to be milled and if so were the valve guides seals replaced? there is a reason that they are supplied with the head gasket set (at least in the AB set).

 

The leaking syn oil may be so clear that it is difficult to see. Might also need to do a compression test if concerned about rings, but the shop did not touch them?

 

No, but one thing that I never here brought up on this site is it is quite common to restore at top end (especially on a high mileage vehicle) and blow out the lower end.

Back in the days of old, when Buick made a 215 , no reputable mechanic would do a valve job on an engine with more than 80k without warning you that the new compression in the top end could blow out the lower end.
Have things changed that much that it is no longer a worry, or is everyone just hoping that they are going to have a the 250K mile engine. I meen the lower end does have 150k on it now.

 

They do send the heads to be milled, cleaned, and all other. That's what they were concerned with - the company not seating one right vs. leaving the old ones in (even though that problem didn't exist previously).

I'm really hoping the top end didn't do anything to the bottom! I mean we all have been doing countless head gasket replacements on these beasts - if that was still a major issue I'm sure we would read about it on these forums (or maybe I'm blind?).

 

if it is a valve guide seal it's not a big problem they dont even have to remove the head.
You say the problem didnt exist before; but didnt i read you were using oil between oil changes before the head gasket.