Increased oil consumption

The total amount of oil used by an engine is primarily made up of oil consumption (oil burned in the combustion chamber) and oil loss (leaks). The amount of oil that passes the piston rings and cylinder wall into the combustion chamber and is used there is negligible today. As a result of the continuous further development of engine components, material compositions and production processes, the wear on cylinders, pistons and piston rings has been reduced and in turn, oil consumption has also decreased. This is underlined by the high mileages and the reduction of incidents of damage to the crankshaft drive. Although the oil consumption in the combustion chamber cannot be eliminated entirely, it can be minimised: the interacting sliding parts (piston, piston rings and cylinder running surface) require continuous lubrication to ensure smooth operation. During combustion the oil film on the cylinder wall is subjected to the hot combustion. The quantity of engine oil that evaporates or burns here depends on the engine output, engine load, engine oil grade and temperature. In the majority of cases, wear on pistons, piston rings and cylinders and the resulting increased oil consumption is not caused by the components themselves. Instead, wear on these components can nearly always be explained as the result of an external event: abnormal combustion due to incorrect mixture preparation, dirt entering the engine from outside, inadequate engine cooling, lack of oil, use of incorrect oil grades or faults made during installation. The following pages contain detailed descriptions of different types of damage that affect pistons and cylinders.