Where is the oil vanishing?

[prady]

So approx three months back i hear my car rattling every once in a while, i was scared but i had no clue why. I take it to mechanic and he checks and finds there is no oil in my engine, i topped it up. Now past couple weeks i hear the same rattling when i turned it on or every once in a while i slow down or gas up. So today the instrument cluster flashes me oil signal. I check the oil and same thing, its empty no oil. I refill it and it took full 4 quarts. Not a drop inside. Can anyone tell me where is the oil going as i don't see anything on the driveway or the road.

PS - I had valve cover gaskets replaced few months back.

[prady]

70 views and no one ever had oil leak?

[bigdadi]

If it is not on the ground then it mostly through the exhaust. Have someone in a car following you and keep an eye on the exhaust pipes.

[mithril]

So approx three months back i hear my car rattling every once in a while, i was scared but i had no clue why. I take it to mechanic and he checks and finds there is no oil in my engine, i topped it up. Now past couple weeks i hear the same rattling when i turned it on or every once in a while i slow down or gas up. So today the instrument cluster flashes me oil signal. I check the oil and same thing, its empty no oil. I refill it and it took full 4 quarts. Not a drop inside. Can anyone tell me where is the oil going as i don't see anything on the driveway or the road.

PS - I had valve cover gaskets replaced few months back.

Well you still had some oil left as the 2.8L actually takes 6.3 quarts from empty, but that's really besides the point at this stage. Some oil consumption is expected but 4 quarts in 3 months is a bit excessive. The common points of oil leakage are: valve cover gaskets, cam seals and crank seals (front and rear). Your belly pan can conceal a lot of leakage, pop it off and check the underside of the engine and pan. As bigdadi said, also check for burning oil in the exhaust which would indicated leaking piston seals.

[mithril]

Oh, and check your oil level/temp sensor. There's NO way you should be able to get to the point of having just over 2 quarts of oil in you engine without it throwing big red warnings in your cluster.