I just got my 78 toyota hilux engine rebuilt 2 weeks ago. Driving it around town, I noticed its burning oil at an alarming rate. In 2 weeks it burned half the oil in the engine.

I went back to the builder and expressed my concern. His reply was: Change the oil then, drive it around for a few hundred miles and change the oil again. In the mean time the piston rings should settle in and stop burning oil.

is this correct? To me it sounds bogus.

 

New rings must indeed be seated. Sometimes it takes longer than other times. There are variables.
If cylinder honing is not performed correctly, and proper break-in protocol not followed in the first minutes and hours of operation,
sometimes new piston rings will never seat correctly.,
I tell you this from personal experience.
All you can do now is follow the builders advice and hope for the best.
Please let us know how this problem plays out for you..

 

What is the proper protocol?

 

What has always worked for me In dozens of rebuilt engines is a start her up and immediately run about 20 moderately heavy footed first gear
acceleration, deceleration cycles from rolling idle to 3000 revs, or so..
Then drive moderately a thousand miles, or so varying throttle as much as possible without long sustained crusing times.
Only failure I ever had was with a 22re that was honed too finely, and I listened to a machine shop "expert" instead of going with what I know.
After 5 thousand miles, it still burned substantial oil.
Your ship has sailed as to what might get the new rings seated from the get-go.
All you might do now is to follow the builders suggestions.
Some engines will seat new rings over several thousand miles. Others never do.

Good luck to you.

 

Is 45 minutes at 60mph considered a long cruising time? My main concern is, that if it does not stop burning oil. I will not be able to pass smog.

 

45 minutes cruise might be a 'long time' if the engine is absolutely new.
How many miles on the new engine?

 

Maybe 300, maybe only had it for a 3 weeks drove around town mostly. Some freeway driving, most of it is in traffic, stop and go 35mph. I visited a friend that lives pretty far. I drove it on the freeway, on the way there it was traffic, but on the way back the freeway was empty.

 

300 is low miles, but time to change the first oil and filter in the next couple hundred miles.
If oil consumption is still high after several thousand, time to worry then.

 

Ok a little recap on my rebuilt bonanza. I did an oil and filter change drove the car around for 3 weeks. Oil consumption is the same about a quart a week also the back of the head is leaking oil there is a puddle about the size of a softball on the ground in the morning, happens only after I drive the truck. If I don't drive it there is no new oil being leaked. I did a compression check on all cylinders and piston 2-4 have a psi of 90-125lbs, piston 1 has a psi of 60-90lbs. Also the truck runs like a tractor, there is a lot of vibration in the cab at idle.

Went back to the builders and expressed my concerns also showed them the leaking head and told them about the compression psi. Their response was that they would replace the gasket and re-adjust the valves. One of my friends that is a mechanic mentioned that head might be warped and that's why its leaking and might be also why is losing compression.

From your guys experience would a warped head cause these type of problems?

 

What are the credentials of the outfit that built your engine??
Did you receive any detailed work order, or receipt for the parts, machine work, and any anything else?
Any issues with the block and head should have been identified and corrected by the builders before assembly.
A fresh engine should show well over 150 pounds compression in all cylinders.

 

There was no description on the build sheet besides describing that they installed a new water pump, thermostat and spark plugs.