oil burn

[alanh]

my 1987 325i has 137k miles on it and burns oil what are the possible reasons, is it probaly just old seals? anything worth fixing?
p.s. it burns oil it never leaks it

[KC Ron Carter]

M20 engines are very bad on allowing oil past the valve seals.

The catalyst will eat any smoke so it is a matter of:
Oil is cheap compared to cost of overhaul.

Later,

[MrM3]

are you sure it isnt leaking? it could, not drip oil on the ground but still have a leak. i would get your seals checked, it could be leaking oil on the timing belt and you wouldnt even notice it. also there is a valve on the oil cooler thats known to leak on earlier M20B25's, but that you could probably notice.