excessive oil consumption
 

Oh knowledgeable ones,
The stang is drinking quite a bit of oil. No noticeable difference in power or MPG. Going through about a quart every 1k miles. No oil leaks or puddles under the car. Friend suggested valve guide seals. This seems something I don't want to mess with unless it's really obvious. Think I should take it to a Ford dealer to let them check it out? It's got 122K miles, should the valve guide seals be replaced?

Thanks,
Rob

I can't wait to hear on others opinions on this matter, however, Here is my experience.

I have quite a seasoned 86 injected gt vert with 180k original miles, valve covers never off.

Right about the same miles as you have, I as well started to lose oil. It never really smoked visibily though.

Well, I run through a quart probably every 600-1000 miles also, depending on how much I jump on the throttle. Under full throttle, I can smell it, however, it is not really a visible smoker. The car also runs like a raped bear. It is nearly stock, and being a heavy vert with almost 200k and the weak e6 heads, I can turn a high 14 second quarter all day long.

From what I have heard, the 5.0's were built with weak oil rings, but strong compression rings. In other words, we wind up burning oil, but the motor loses no compression. I can't wait to see others opinions, but I wouldn't worry too much about it, drive it hard, and you will still get another 100,000 miles out of it easy.

For that many miles, 1qt every 1000miles is not excessive by any means for a forged piston 5.0L

Can you visibly see any blue smoke while driving? If not, then have someone else drive your car, and you drive behind it to watch the tailpipes when they floor it, and when they let off. If it smokes when floored, then its most likely a piston ring issue, if it does it when slowing down (compression braking) then its either a valve guide or valvestem seal issue.

Also, if its smoking just for a few seconds when you start it, then a valvestem seal will cause this as well.

1qt every 1k miles can get annoying, but like i said, its not excessive for the miles you've got.

As stated, any opinions would be great and I definately appreciate your input. I'll get the wife to follow behind me one day to check for the smoke. Although the oil consumption appearantly not a big deal,

1) how difficult is it to check the valve guide seals (and know) if they're bad and
2) How difficult is it to replace them?

Again, thanks.
Rob