Questions and Answers

Oil Sucking Mustang Q. I have a 1989 5.0 liter LX Sport (Hatchback). It has 65,000 miles on the engine, and ever since I bought it (at 58,000 miles) it has been sucking down oil. It sucks down a quart of oil about every 500 miles. I kept track of the miles and this is how it went by each quart: 500 miles, 470, then I called my mechanic, he brought an oil substitute which got 670 miles, then back to 420, 460, etc.

My mechanic says that since I don't smell any oil, he doesn't think its getting burned up by the engine, so it looked to him like it was carbon collecting on my pistons and that a long drive would solve the problem. Do you think that will work? I have heard the 5.0 liter engines are notorious for misfiring pistons? Please help me, what's my problem?

Thanks for your time.
-Mustang Man- (Gabe G.)

A. As it turns out, there was a problem with excessive oil consumption with this engine. There was a TSB issued covering this problem. The repair involves installing improved piston rings, valve seals and lower intake manifold gaskets.

The repair is not going to be cheap, but if you plan on keeping the car awhile I would recommend having it done.

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