Using Oil...lots.

My car is using silly amounts of oil. It is a mg metro engine, on original bore and internals from factory.
Its believed to have done aroundf 15k miles from new,,,but I can't prove this.
It uses a lot of oil. There are no leaks from the engine, and even if it was it would need to be quite a large leak for the amount it uses. So I'm guessing it is burning it. Although the car doesn't smoke at all....oil pressure is 75 running and around 55 tick over.
I have noticed black speks from exhaust if I park it next to something it leaves a black smattering on it. I'm guessing this could be deposits of oil?
I'm assuming the only option is a re bore and rebuild now?
Below is a pic of dipstick after doing 130 miles....the level was between max and minimum before starting.  IMG_20190107_104530.jpg   84.98K   1 downloads

I must also add I have tried different oils, from valvoline vr1 to Halfords 20 50.

Edited by merther, 08 January 2019 - 11:39 AM.

You'd be getting a fair amount of blue smoke if you were burning all that.

Rocker cover gasket can leak a fair amount of oil over a wide area, and only whilst running; so can go relatively unnoticed.

I would get someone to follow you down the road and see if they can see smoke from the exhaust. Smoke on start up or from overrun is normally usually valve guides or valve guide oil seals and smoke under load (acceleration or going up hills) is piston rings. Sometimes a car can be smoking a lot but the smoke doesn't rise enough to see it in the rear window or mirrors. I would think if it has genuinely done such a small mileage from new, then it has spent a lot of time sitting and not being used. The piston rings might have gummed up in their slots on the pistons. unfortunately it needs to come apart for investigation.

Have a look at your spark plugs and they'll let you know if you're burning oil or not.

 

 

They don't always have a wet look to them, but basically, something like this ^

Thanks all
I took the plugs out
Also noticed oil sitting on the head where the plugs screw in...
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You will have to do a compression test to check the condition of the engine. Look under the car, if there is oil covering the underneath from engine to rear bumper then that is a good thing - it will stop the rust

 

If using a lot it has to be burnt in the cylinders and there will be blue smoke from the exhaust. Those plugs do not look too bad, maybe wet with over rich fuel mixture - is your engine operating at the correct coolant temperature. Mokes picture is a good one on burning oil.

 

Oil pressure at 55 psi at hot idle is very high, you need to check the oil pressure release valve and spring.

You will have to do a compression test to check the condition of the engine. Look under the car, if there is oil covering the underneath from engine to rear bumper then that is a good thing - it will stop the rust
 
If using a lot it has to be burnt in the cylinders and there will be blue smoke from the exhaust. Those plugs do not look too bad, maybe wet with over rich fuel mixture - is your engine operating at the correct coolant temperature. Mokes picture is a good one on burning oil.
 
Oil pressure at 55 psi at hot idle is very high, you need to check the oil pressure release valve and spring.

Thanks Rorf. I have done a compression test and all is good..and equal values across all cylinders.
There is definitely no smoke, I had someone behind me and nothing was seen coming out, apart from a nice smattering of black soot on his car when he got too close...
I have located the oil leak and although there is a leak it is tiny and certainly not enough to warrant the amount I'm losing.
What oil pressure would you say is good for ticking over? And when you say check the valve, what should I be looking for?
Thanks.

If you have oil sitting in the spark plug recesses, it sounds like it is leaking from the rocker cover.

I would have a close look at the gasket/head joint.

On the bright side, all that oil loss is going to become a splendid anti rust coating.

Rorf has raised a good point here;-

 

Those plugs do not look too bad, maybe wet with over rich fuel mixture

 

It does look to be running on the Rich side and this will be washing the oil from the bores and thus burning it, while this maybe occurring, the plugs don't quite appear 'rich' enough for this to be going on, but it could be.

 

From the colour of your oil in the first photo, the Rings do appear to be sealing well enough, however, depending on ring design, if one or more rings has been fitted up side down, it will effectively pump the oil from the sump in to the combustion chamber, not by the gallon, but a fair bit.

Do you have a dizzy ?  Sometimes worth a check to get better running.  Full compression test and a teaspoon of oil compression test will give you a lot of information too.  Regular oil changes at 5000 kms or less.  The gearbox breaks the oil down very quickly in old minis imo.