I'm sure this has probably been posted here before, but the search function is so inept, I couldn't find anything, so please excuse if this is old material.

I've had my 2009 Carrera for about six months and have put about 3500 miles on it. I've also needed to add two quarts of oil during that time. The car also often smells of burning oil after a drive.

Is this typical? Is there something which may be causing unnecessary oil burning?

Thanks.

 

that is not typical. My '08 C4 might use 5-6 ounces in 5K miles and I push it pretty hard from time to time.

 

It seems to vary from car to car. I just added 1/2 quart after 1k miles and track weekend. My buddy adds 1/2 quart at every fill up.

 

According to the user manual, you are well within specs:



How hard do you drive the car?

 

OP... whats the story on the car? miles, owners, oil type/brand used? maintenance history?

 

Not typical whatsoever, I also own a 2009 C2S and rarely add one full quart between annual/5000 mile oil change intervals that I follow. I use Motul oil, drive about 5000 miles per year, mostly highway and not much stop and go. Spirited drives into the North GA mountains every so often, etc.

 

The car has about 54.5K miles on it. I'm the second owner. I bought it from a Porsche dealer with a 2-year CPO. I don't have a maintenance history, but it seemed really clean when I got it. I've been using Mobil 1 5w-50.

I'm thinking I'll have the dealer check it out.

Thanks for the replies thus far, folks.

 

The oil consumption may not be typical but it is within allowable limits as what EMC2 posted shows.

But the smell of burning oil is not. While there can be reasonable explanations for some odor of hot metal, plastic, rubber -- 400+ pounds of hot engine and wiring hoses and who knows how many pounds of hot drivetrain and tires and brakes -- hot oil is not a normal odor.

The only times I have smelled truly hot oil smell from a car -- not from my Porsche cars thankfully -- the odor came from a valve cover leak that let oil drip onto a hot exhaust manifold. There was never any oil stain under the car and no oil mess inside the car. The oil dripped straight down on the hot exhaust and was vaporized. Sometimes I could see this when I'd catch a glimpse of some oil vapor cloud wafting from under the hood of the car. The leak would only happen when the engine was hot and would stop shortly after the engine was turned off.

My point is you can't dismiss a plain old oil leak as a possible explanation for the high oil consumption.

So your decision to get this checked out at the dealer is a very good one.

Be sure you don't fall prey to "they all do that', though.

Be sure the engine/drivetrain is fully up to temperature when you take the car in and arrange to when you take it in the car gets right on a lift so things have no chance to cool down. Might even want to let the engine run, idle, while on the lift. The tech should know what's best but you have to let him know you only smell this odor when the engine/drivetrain are "hot" (up to full operating temperature).

 

Good advice, and I fully agree that you should not be smelling burning oil, even if you consume what may seem like a lot.

Did you check that no oil had been spilt into the intake by the previous owner (possibly when topping up carelessly)?. Irrespective an inspection by the dealer would be good thing.

I don't have a firm view on what acceptable consumption is (simply because it can vary a lot by car and driver). It is however interesting to note that in 3500 miles the manufacturer spec says 9 qt's is the upper limit
So relatively speaking you're obviously not pushing your car hard enough since you're only consuming 20% of your allowed limit jk

 

I was going to guess the dealership spilled some oil when doing a service before selling, but if you have put 3,500 miles on it, that should be long gone. I would definitely get in and document the problem in the event it gets worst. Maybe it is a simple oil leak hitting the exhaust that is creating the smell and responsible for the consumption.

 

So . . . I took it to the dealer.

I spoke with the service manager, who told me they found nothing wrong with it, but 'got Porsche to agree to' an 'oil consumption test.' They want me to drive it 600-1000 miles and bring it back, at which time they'll see how much oil is gone, relative to how much it has now.

I asked about the burning smell. He said that these engines get hot when they're working, and the heat creates the smell--even if nothing in particular is burning. 'Very common.'

Not sure what to think of all this. At least I'm on record as having reported the problem while under warranty.

 

I would drive it hard to ensure a "fair and true" oil consumption test. Take it to the canyons like Decker, Mulholland, etc. Your consumption is within limits but is almost way up there.

Fyi, i sold my Z due to OC and i can relate to your oil consumption concerns.

 

Hey, at least they agreed to the consumption test. That is half the battle. Now drive that car and see what the results are. I would also check the oil level before you take it in to make sure there is no money business on the dealership's side. Check it hot and parked on a level surface to be 100% accurate.

I also do not agree with their explanation for the oil smell. Oil is oil. A hot engine does not smell like oil. When my wife comes home and parks our 4S in the garage when it is hot, it does not smell like oil at all.

 

did you get a ppi when you bought the car? they usually do compression test +/- leakdown test

 

No. Given the CPO warranty, I didn't feel it necessary.