Car is Burning/Leaking Oil, where should I start to find the problem?

[BIGSxNPTACTIX19]

Hey guys,

I bought a 93 Accord over the weekend. The vehicle has 291k and I believe it's burning oil. When the vehicle is cold and started, white smoke will come from the exhaust until it reaches operating temperature, which to me seems like it's actually burning oil. Once it reaches operating temperature, I'm not really sure if oil is still burning. It smells like it is, but the muffler was cut off to about the back seat of the car, so it could be just be exhaust getting into the vehicle. I'm getting a new muffler this week so I'll have to check it when it's installed.

However, I would like to see if there is a way to diagnose the problem. I'm sure it could be a multitude of things. If you guys have any ideas on what to look at or thing to test to pinpoint the problem, that would be awesome. I know a little bit about cars, but nowhere to the point of taking the entire engine apart. Any advice or idea would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Crankshaft]

White smoke is not oil being burnt, burnt oil is perceived as blue smoke with black smoke being excessive fuel. Thin white smoke is simply vapor but thick white smoke is a sign of coolant being burnt.

[BIGSxNPTACTIX19]

White smoke is not oil being burnt, burnt oil is perceived as blue smoke with black smoke being excessive fuel. Thin white smoke is simply vapor but thick white smoke is a sign of coolant being burnt.

I'll have to look again when the engine cools down. I assume it's blue smoke because the previous owner would often need to add oil every 2-3 weeks, while never touching the coolant.

[Crankshaft]

place a cardboard under the car over night and check for oil spots in the morning, i am willing to bet its leaking with the oil sender usually being culprit of big oil loss.

[deevergote]

The cardboard thing is what I was going to suggest to check for a leak. If you see oil spots, look for wetness on the engine. Once you find a wet area, clean it thoroughly. The next time it leaks, it should be easy to spot.
If you're burning, oil has a thick smell. Coolant smells sweet. It's hard to describe, but you should be able to tell once you smell it. If you're not burning a lot, sometimes the color can be hard to tell. The smell helps identify. If you're burning oil, piston rings and valve stem seals are the most common culprits. If you're burning coolant, it's usually the head gasket.

[Fleetw00d]

If an EX automatic, the oil cooler (between the block and oil filter) is also a typical culprit for leaks on high mile engines; rear main seal as well (shows up on the bottom of the engine where the trans meets the engine). Distributor housing and shaft seal show up as a lot of oil under the distributor and/or inside the cap. As already mentioned, clean the engine as best you can, then trace the leaks.

If you can fix any/all external leaks, the consumption might be easier to live with.