"BE" <n3wsr3ad3r_|@|_sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:C070EA45.4B250%n3wsr3ad3r_|@|_sbcglobal.net.. .
> My 2001 Odyssey is consuming oil at what I think is an alarming rate. A
> couple months ago the oil light came on - I immediately shut the vehicle
> off
> and ended up adding 3 quarts of oil. I checked it again the other day and
> had to add half a quart.
>
> This engine only has 41K miles. It does not put out blue smoke; there are
> no
> oil spots in our garage. Don't tell me that this can possibly be normal
> consumption??? Where could this oil be going?
>
> Thanks,
> Be
>
I hate to suggest this, but it could be a bad ring. A few years ago we were
seeing several posts of low-mileage Hondas suddenly consuming quarts of oil
a month. Most remained a mystery, but one sufferer under warranty persisted
and the dealer tore down the engine to find a broken ring in one cylinder. I
don't know if it showed up on a compression check, or if it was a
compression ring or oil control ring. I don't think I've ever heard of
broken oil control rings, though.

I believe the catalytic converters prevent the exhaust from smoking even
with significant oil burning.

Mike