My thoughts and experiences on oil consumption

[3.8TransAM]

92 SL1

147k and counting, damn beater is growing on me and Im trying to find another to replace it lol

Mine was using oil when I got it at 107k from the dealership I was a tech at.

Countless MMO and GM Top Engine Clean(best stuff period) soaks have been done.

Car ended up using(at its worst) 1-2 qrts a tank minimum. Every now and then a fluke 1 quart tank.

Dont do anything until you have a Saturn PCV. I did oil consumption testing on mine and it dropped 1/4 to 1/2 with the factory pcv than with parts store generic.

Further more, this last Mon I did a full clean out on the car, removed and cleaned plugs(i clean them so often i dont bother buying new ones unitl the procelein starts chipping).

Used B12(available quick and cheap at wally world here) and poured the entire can into all 4 cylinders and litely screwed the plugs back in.(I like do to this with the engine almost hot(only cooll enough to work on)

Than went about my way flushing the tranny fluid and other assorted tasks.(engine/tranny mounts make huge huge differences on these things, if in doubt replace them)

Due to opening the pool on Mon, the B12 was basically there for 4 hours or so since the car sat for a few hours while I did other things.

Blew the B12 from the cylinders and let it air dry for awhile and then poured a slight amount of MMO in all the holes to get some oil back on the rings.

Cleaned the MMO out and put the new freshly cleaned plugs back in (quit your whining if I didnt clean them I'd be putting in a new set every 1000k)

Only now did I actually drain the oil. I also added a couple quarts of additional clean oil and cranked it some more and drained that as well. Than added yet some more until what drained from the car was clean oil.

I purchased the Rotella T 5w40 as recommended here. Someone was smarter than me, if its burning oil, thats soot and if its soot, the diesel oils will prolly work even better. Sucks the damn stuff is expensive, but some short and slight long term testing will prove its worth or lack off to me.

I changed the oil and used the Rotella T and buttoned the car back up and of course it smoked like a chimeny from the B12 and MMO :-) (my neighbors hate me, no seriously) I also replaced the pcv with a new AC delco/dealer one.

I also started driving the car aggresively and with the performance switch on for the trans. Car was much more able to accelerate, rev and actually move :-) As the oil consumption got worse I used the gas less and less to compensate. This is my final try to decrease the oil digestion. After it let out one titanic oil cloud at 3-3500rpm or so it has steadily improved. Amazingly me beating on it the entire nite driving it around, I had used no oil :-)

I'm kinda floored right now, first day testing has gone well. Also cleaned the plugs again early in AM since the effects of MMO/B12 arent the nicest things to them :-) Was kinda amzed how much better they looked than prior, but it is still a short amount of time.

On to the second day, I have time to kill since I start my new apprenticeship next week. Out to the country to see if they have done anything to better good ole Route 41 dragstrip(of course not, nor did I think so, cheapskates).

Beating on the ole girl for 45 miles on way doing 70-80+ mph was going it some good. I also was more than abusive on the way home. Did about 10 miles worth of accelerate to 4500 rpm in third gear and then coast down to about 2000 rpm and repeat.

Also just cruised at about 80 in 3rd gear for about 8 miles :-) at 4k.

These damn rings will unstick, this I command!

Now for the bad news, but still quite good, it depends on how bad your car used oil to begin with.

I did make it drink about 3/4 qrt of the Rotella T 5w40 :-( Good side is with regular oil before I bet I would have used at least 2 qrts, if not more and had a pure blue/white cloud of smoke behind me.

I hit Wally World(Walmart for those who dont know) and got some more Rotella T to top it off with 3/4 qrt or so.

Initial testing looks very well. I will try and keep it updated as I rack up a decent amount of miles now and will add considerably more once I start my new job.

So clean the cylinders any way u can safely, flush the hell out of the oil, use the stock/GM/Delco pcv, if your at wits end try the Rotella T. It might suprise you.

This was done on 6/5/06 and 6/6/06(ohhh im scared and raptured now are you?)

later
Jeremy

[Nowhere Man]

Just to let you know, I tried all the mmo and gm top end cleaner stuff and the only thing that completely stopped the oil consumption was using that synthetic Rotella T 5w-40. My experience was similar to yours when I first started using it, I burned a bit for the first two changes or so, but after that it drastically went down until I got to where I am now. That is, no noticable consumption.

Good luck!

[Hellen]

I've been having the guys that change my oil use Valvoline 10W30.......I didn't know there was something better to use. In plain english.....does this Rotella T stuff work better than the 10W30 I'm using?

[3.8TransAM]

Sure seems to work better.

Anything else I use gets diluted almost instantly and if I beat on the car it goes thru it very very quickly.

Update: 6/8/06

It seems to be doing better. It has used some Rotella T after I had filled it to the full line again. I will verify in the morning cold since its how I had it to the full line last time. Will decide if I need to add for sure or not then.

I'm still driving it fairly aggressively and using the performance mode for the trans so I'm seeing 3k at least on every 1-2 and 2-3 shift.

I have my fingers crossed.

Another good point is the oil is looking like oil and not being diluted out of existence like all the prior dino oils have been :-)

[BarnOwl]

I have looked everywhere including truck stops. That Rotella 5W-40 is not available in this part of the world.

[kanling]

The 15W-40 would probably be fine this time of year in North Carolina. That will be available anywhere.

I'm currently running Delo 30 weight. (straight 30) On my first run, oil consumption was no better, maybe even slightly worse than normal. Just two weeks on the second oil change so far. We'll see. I am hoping that the HDEO will do some better cleaning than standard oils and improve the oil burning even when I go back to a normal multigrade when the weather begins to cool down.

(Don't use a straight weight oil if the temp is going to be below 40F or so.)

[ttreibel]

Originally Posted by BarnOwl

I have looked everywhere including truck stops. That Rotella 5W-40 is not available in this part of the world.

Try this link:

http://www.rotella.com/wheretobuy/tr...s.php?state=NC

[Habanero]

Rotella is available at every Walmart I have ever been in. Also every farm store and truck stop. Maybe just a midwestern thing, though. I'm not sure about the Rotella synthetic, I've never run that.

Anybody complaining about the cost of Rotella should try buying synthetic (true group IV synthetic-i.e. Mobil 1 or Amsoil) diesel oil. Even worse considering how much diesels hold. My truck takes 10 quarts and the Mercedes I just sold took 8 quarts.

[3.8TransAM]

Update:

Has used very little oil since topping off and I am now on my second tank of gas.(was just shy of halfway down the hashmarks on the stick)

Still beating on it like I dont care(I really dont lol)

Mileage seems to have a slight upswing, we will see how a few tanks average.

I might grab some regular Rotella 15w40 as top of since its a lot cheaper than the Rotella T 5/40`

I have seen Rotella and Rotella T at all Wally Worlds(Walmart/made in china) and Autozone(there a joke too) near me.

later
Jeremy

[BarnOwl]

Originally Posted by Habanero

Rotella is available at every Walmart I have ever been in. Also every farm store and truck stop. Maybe just a midwestern thing, though. I'm not sure about the Rotella synthetic, I've never run that.

Yes, folks I can find Rotella 15W-40 and straight 30, but there's is no Rotella 5W-40 available anywhere around here. I promise. I've been to just about every truckstop in a 50 mile radius.

[Bill Murray]

Good summary.

I think this ring sticking / oil consumption issue has contributed to the death of a lot of S-Sats but can be addressed by using the right techniques which are not expensive or difficult.

[Nowhere Man]

Originally Posted by BarnOwl

Yes, folks I can find Rotella 15W-40 and straight 30, but there's is no Rotella 5W-40 available anywhere around here. I promise. I've been to just about every truckstop in a 50 mile radius.

The only place its availible here is in Wal-Mart. Haven't seen it anywhere else. When I first started buying it a year ago it was just shy of $12 per four quarts, now its close to $15. Not bad for a "synthetic", which is probably just a modified Group III, but still a decent price.

[Habanero]

Originally Posted by BarnOwl

Yes, folks I can find Rotella 15W-40 and straight 30, but there's is no Rotella 5W-40 available anywhere around here. I promise. I've been to just about every truckstop in a 50 mile radius.

Sorry, I misread your post. I can't believe the Walmarts out there don't have it, but I suppose it's possible. I had to stop by Tractor Supply Co. last night and the one here had it. According to their website, they have locations in N.C. You might try there if you haven't yet.

[3.8TransAM]

Update:

Still beating on it as described earlier.

Oil level is still between full and add marks on the hash.

Its looking good so far. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Next week will be a good test as I start Pipefitters training and its about 30 miles each way.

later
Jeremy

[Rat407]

Originally Posted by BarnOwl

Yes, folks I can find Rotella 15W-40 and straight 30, but there's is no Rotella 5W-40 available anywhere around here. I promise. I've been to just about every truckstop in a 50 mile radius.

BarnOwl, I was just at the Wal-Mart in Goldsboro NC about 90 miles up the road from you and they have the Rotella T 5w-40. I think it was $15 something a gallon. Are you sure Wal-Mart there on Market St. doesn't have it? I think the Wal-Mart in Clinton even has it. I will see tomorrow when I head over there to get the stuff to work on the brakes. If anything I get down your way once in a while and could bring you some if you wanted.

[BarnOwl]

Originally Posted by Rat407

BarnOwl, I was just at the Wal-Mart in Goldsboro NC about 90 miles up the road from you and they have the Rotella T 5w-40. I think it was $15 something a gallon. Are you sure Wal-Mart there on Market St. doesn't have it? I think the Wal-Mart in Clinton even has it. I will see tomorrow when I head over there to get the stuff to work on the brakes. If anything I get down your way once in a while and could bring you some if you wanted.

I know the Wal-Mart in Monkey Junction doesn't have it. I'm not sure about the one on Market. I can check there on Monday. It's near where I work. Thanks for the offer. If I decide to take you up on it, I'll PM you and throw in lunch.

[3.8TransAM]

Update:

Had to top it off slighlyt. 1-2 to 3/4 qrt.

We will see how it goes.

After this I'm figuring in 2 weeks I will pound out 1000k or close to it.

Then its time for another oil change and we will keep on tracking it..

later
Jeremy

[3.8TransAM]

6/13

Added about 1/4 of a quart of 15w40 (original change on Rot. T 5w40)

Put on 170+ miles on it about 60/40 high/city.

Half tank mark is 170 miles.

[agoldslsaturn]

So you are about 1 quart in 1k miles?

Wanna come fix my car Im up to 1 quart in 300 miles.

[3.8TransAM]

I'll take 1 qrt in 300 miles :-)

Would make me a happy happy man to only worry about checking oil when I fill up the tank lol

I'm starting new job and driving 60ish miles round trip this week, prolly onbe 40 or so a day next week once im out of school and working, I'll keep posting results every few days or so to see where I stand.