For about the past year my accord (142k miles) has been running a little hot and burning oil, albeit slowly.

The temperature only seems to be slightly higher than it had been running in the past, but it's been constant. Sometimes when i'm going up large hills the temperature rises to about halfway, but once we hit a plateau the temperature goes back down to it's new normal level.

It's also been burning a good amount of oil. I don't think it's leaking anywhere, but it's been so slow that it would be almost impossible to notice if it were. I'd say that it'd burn all the oil in the engine halfway between an oil change.. that is if i'd let it do that, of course i check it once in awhile and add as needed, but sometimes on multiple long trips it does dip way lower than i should let it go.

I think the temperature change and the oil burning are related. It's been going fine for the past year though, but I thought i'd ask and see if anyone has any suggestions for things I might look at for the cause of all this, because it could potentially become a problem.

Any help would be appreciated... Here is a photo shot of what my temp gauge is at right now. Should I be worried or no?

 

Did you ever flush your coolant system before?

 

Where do you live? maybe that could be a factor, if you live in a place thats always gonna be 80+ degrees? but, I would wait for other peoples reply before assuming anything. This is just my opinion.

 

I live in Pennsylvania, not too hot of weather.... As far as coolant goes I did actually just replace my radiator about 6 months ago. The last one was leaking, and had actually drained itself a number of times with me having to fill it up constantly and once in awhile i would not keep up with the leak. Not that it was leaking that fast, but sometimes i would just forget about it.

Perhaps the original coolant leak somehow started all of this? Right now I replaced the radiator with a brand new one and it's been holding everything fine ever since.

 

your guage looks normal to me. I would flush the system. Also if your car is burning oil it could be due to several things such as

1. piston rings
2. valve stem seals
3. PCV valve

When the car is constantly overheated like yours was it will cause engine damage.

 

Unless I'm mistaken, your car is running colder not hotter. How's your gas mileage these days compared to before these problems started?
Are you 'using oil' or 'burning oil'?


Change your thermostat. Sounds like it's sticking open.

Change your PCV valve. Super easy and cheap $15...dealer part only. That should recify most of your oil usage problem.

 

my car is fine. the first poster has a pix of his guage and it looks pretty normal. I get about 24.5 mixed driving and I got 130K on my car (4spd auto with more city than hwy). He mentioned that his car has a leak and the rad drained empty a few times.