EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NECESSITATED SHUTTING DOWN THE #4 ENG ON A B747-400. INSUFFICIENT PERFORMANCE DATA WAS AVAILABLE FROM DISPATCH FOR THE 6 HOUR PACIFIC DIVERSION.

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CREW NOTIFIED AT PVG OPS THAT ENG #4 NEEDED OIL SVCING WITH MORE THAN NORMAL QUANTITY. CAPT HAD MAINT AND FO CHK FOR LEAKS -- NONE NOTED. DURING FLT; EICAS MESSAGE APPEARED INDICATING LOW OIL QUANTITY ON #4 ENG (4 QUARTS AT THAT TIME). CREW MONITORED ENG FOR SEVERAL HRS AND DURING THAT TIME NOTIFIED DISPATCH AND MAINT SEVERAL TIMES. OIL WAS DROPPING AT ABOUT 1 QUART PER HR. CAPT ELECTED TO DSND TO ENG-OUT DRIFT-DOWN ALT AND .76 MACH WHILE STILL ON TRACK 1 TO PREVENT HAVING TO MAKE EMER DSCNT OFF TRACK. CAPT EVENTUALLY MADE PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN WHILE ENG WAS STILL SHOWING OPERATIONAL OIL PRESSURE AND OIL TEMP IN OPERATIONAL LIMITS. CAPT AND FLYING FO GOT RERTE WITH ATC FOR DIVERSION AND NOTIFIED DISPATCH. REST OF FLT WAS NORMAL. RELIEF FO'S WERE BRIEFED WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM BREAK. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE GIVEN BRIEFING AND ADVISED 'CABIN ADVISORY.' LNDG WAS NORMAL BY FLYING FO. NO EMER WAS GIVEN AND ATC WAS ADVISED OF PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN. SEVERAL ISSUES: DISPATCH COULDN'T RUN ENG-OUT CRUISE AT FL270-FL290 AT .76 MACH BEYOND COMPUTER CAPABILITIES. NEED TO HAVE SYS UPGRADED! POOR SYS DURING THIS EVENT -- ESPECIALLY HAVING TO CRUISE OVER 6 HRS WITH 1 ENG OUT. FUEL BALANCING CHKLIST IS NOT DESIGNED FOR EXTENDED 3 ENG CRUISE FOR 6 HR DURATION. CHKLIST HAS TO BE MODIFIED TO BE USER FRIENDLY. LOTS OF WORK KEEPING FUEL BALANCED. CREW AND DISPATCH NOTIFIED WHEN PROB OCCURRED THAT ACFT HAD EXTENDED 2-3 WK HISTORY OF HIGH OIL USAGE AND CONTINUALLY FILLED AND SIGNED OFF. CHRONIC PROB WITH MAINT. THIS ENG SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED LONG BEFORE THIS EVENT. DOES PRATT AND WHITNEY HAVE A LIMITATION ON MAX OIL CONSUMPTION ON THIS ENG THAT WAS EXCEEDED?