A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE R ENG OIL CONSUMPTION BEYOND MAINT MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative

ON OCT/SUN/02 WHILE WORKING AT COMPANY X; A THIRD PARTY CONTRACT MAINT COMPANY PERFORMING A TURNAROUND SVC FOR COMPANY Y; I OBSERVED ACFT X (A B757) WITH AN OIL QUANTITY OF 10 QUARTS AND 20 QUARTS L AND R ENGS RESPECTIVELY. I ACCOMPLISHED VISUAL WALKAROUND AND DID NOT FIND ANY SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAKAGE. I THEN CALLED COMPANY Y ACFT MAINT CTL IN ZZZ1 FOR GUIDANCE. I WAS INFORMED BY MAINT CTLR THAT L-HAND ENG OIL CONSUMPTION WAS WITHIN LIMIT OF 2.4 QUARTS PER HR BASED UPON FLT HRS. MAINT CTL FAX'ED REF TO COMPANY Y OPS OFFICE WHERE I THEN RECEIVED IT FROM THE COMPANY Y PAX SVC REPRESENTATIVE. I THEN READ THE OIL CONSUMPTION LIMIT OF 2.4 QUARTS PER HR. I WAS INFORMED THE FLT TIME SINCE LAST OIL SVC WAS 4.5 HRS. I SVCED L-HAND ENG TO FULL (20 QUARTS ON SIGHT GAUGE) ADDING 9 QUARTS OF OIL; WHICH I CALCULATED TO BE 2.0 QUARTS PER FLT HR -- WITHIN LIMIT AS MAINT CTL HAD SAID. I DOCUMENTED OIL ADD IN LOGBOOK; CALLED MAINT CTL BACK WITH OIL ADD. I WAS TOLD ACFT WOULD BE PLACED ON 'OIL WATCH.' AT DEP; I INFORMED CAPT OF L-HAND ENG OIL ADD AND THAT IF HE SAW UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION; HE SHOULD MAKE AN ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK. HE AGREED AND FLT DEPARTED. THE NEXT TIME I RPTED FOR WORK (I'M PART TIME AT COMPANY) WAS OCT/TUE/02. I WAS 'TALKING SHOP' WITH ANOTHER MECH WHEN THE SUBJECT OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ACFT CAME UP. I MENTIONED THAT WHILE 2.4 QUARTS PER HR SEEMED HIGH; IT WAS WITHIN LIMITS; TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT THE LIMIT IS 2.4 PINTS PER HR. I DISAGREED AND GOT THE REF I GOT FROM MAINT CTL FROM MY CLIPBOARD; WHICH I'D SAVED; WHERE I READ TO MY HORROR THAT THE LIMIT WAS 2.4 PINTS PER HR -- NOT QUARTS! IN RETROSPECT; I THINK THAT MAINT CTL'S ASSURANCE THAT THE LIMIT WAS 2.4 QUARTS MAY HAVE PUT ME IN THE 'QUARTS MODE.' THE OIL WAS IN QUART CANS AND THE SIGHT GAUGE ON THE ENG IS IN QUARTS; TOO. WHEN I READ THE PAPERWORK; I SAW THE 2.4 LIMIT. THE WORD 'PINTS' FAILED TO REGISTER IN MY MIND. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ACFT OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION UNTIL SOMEONE REALIZED IT WAS OUT OF LIMIT AND PROB WAS ADDRESSED.