Grumpy Bear

Then you haven't read your book. It also says check every 400 miles. If you need to add multiple quarts in that distance then reading the stick isn't the issue. Put the two together and it will make sense. Read it all.

My expectations are a bit higher. No faded paint or dry rotted plastic/rubber. I use a dressing and a ceramic sealant. No hazy headlights. No door dings. Small dent in the front bumper. All rock chips repaired. No brush scratches. No windshield chips. No fender benders. Limit damage due to a proactive plan the included ceramics and PPF and prompt attention to any exterior issue. NO RUST. Stays out of the salt and had the rear wheel wells Line-X coated as well as the bed which has a bed rubber and has been under cover since before I bought it. Washed and detailed regularly. Rex chewed up the tow button, got whacked and the button replaced the same week. He's leaned his lesson. If I can train a dog the kids are easier. All suspension is original save the King Shocks I installed very early on. 50 years ago dad told me a good shock will keep the screws in the dash tight and the front end mint. He was right. Everything within new spec yet, tight and aligned well several times. Coolant system is OEM save the modifications I made early on. Not a single leak anywhere on this machine. (Did repair an intake leak on #4 during the HPFP replacement.) The injectors I replaced didn't need to be. They checked out great. One of those, while I'm in there with the manifold off and the fuel rail apart things. Not a stain or abrasion one to the upholstery. Have kept is covered since new. Never had a carpet, it's a work truck but the carpet squared I laid on the floor have keep the factory rubber liner MINT. Ceramic wind tint helps preserve the interior. Original BRAKES with 60%+ left of the pads and rotors mic excellent. We just did a full preventative brake service. Disassembly, clean inspect including measurements, lube, Dot 4 power flush including ABS system. OEM battery. OEM vacuum pump. In fact the only things not OEM are a pinion seal the high side pump and injectors and a small plastic shield around the starter. All hoses/belts etc.. are still in service and doing well. Original tires lasted 125K and had I known some additional details would have made it to 150K with legal tread. (Date out is six years, not 5 and Continental says they are good for 10 so I pulled the trigger to early) I never let my children or grandchildren run the show. Feet on the floor and hands in your lap. Dog gets a pass. A truck is a machine the gives you back whatever your willing to put into it. Same as a computer or a butter knife. I use a shovel but I scrap it, hose it off and oil it when I'm done with it. My original spade I've had 60 years. Set the bar higher...you spend less money. No, before you ask, I have spent a fraction of the cost of a new truck in my entire maintenance program including disposables, filters/fluids etc.

5 miles away at Marathon regular E-10 87 16 $4.87 25 miles away at Shell V Power Nitro+ 93 for $4.89. In general not hard to find regular for $3.99. Seems everyone isn't getting the same memo.

Impressed myself People have been telling me since I bought it that she was going to blow any minute. 200K is certainly a milestone I'm looking forward to but I have no idea how many miles it will take to quite the pessimist among us. Pattern has been; they set a goal, Pepper exceeds that goal, the goal post gets moved. At some point I'll run out of time. It is catching up with me. We'll see. 300K? 400K? Half a million? It's not using oil yet and that is a great sign. It's not leaking from any part of the powertrain. Another good sign. So...

I use the Linear Logic Scan Gauge II to observe only. I don't log ECU data. Yes, I thought about the HP system, but I met my goals without it. So far. However, I'm open to input always.

Fuel Update 6/7/2026 Since getting Pepper back I've been blending fuel. 50/50 E-85 - 93 pump gas. At my local pricing that is a 97 octane fuel for the price of regular and metering 48% alcohol. This much gasoline octane locally is $10 a gallon with only one local resource!! I can blend this anywhere I find E-85. Why? Longer range. Same no KR timing pull. More lubricious fuel. No loss in power cylinder cleanliness and a reasonable chance at seeing any future fuel dilution in the UOA's. When I blend with Shell or XOM premiums there is some friction modifier and antiwear enhancement. No cold weather starting issues either. So lots of pluses and few losses.

Engine Oil Transmission Your book will have the temperatures and procedures

Then you're saying the motor is full cold on the lowest mark of the sticks range. So,... you intentionally short your oil change a full quart? Yikes!! Every motor I've ever changed oil in over 64 years of oil changing that level has been at the top when the book amount of oil is put in and level checked by the OEM procedure. Kind'a the point of the top of the range. A double check if you will. Have any idea how much of a motors oil is not in the pan at peak pump volume? (second stage at red line). Depends on the motor but 2 quarts isn't out of the question. This one quart range got started when pans held 3-1/2 - 4 quarts. With 1.5 - 2 quarts circulating a motor 1 quart low would, could and often did spin a bearing as the pump suction became uncovered. Air is a pour lubricant. That low mark told the dummy operating it he was a tea spoon away for pulling the pin on that grenade. We have a bit more cushion today with much larger pans, windage trays and such, but we also have more oil in circulation and rings that are not as adept at oil control and some truly strange pan venting systems that will suck a pan dry enough to be trouble pretty quick if not in good repair. Give an automatic transmission stick a good look (If you can find a trans with a stick). They are clearly marked for both a cold range and a hot range and many like the JATCO's even have a table in the book showing level V temperature by degrees and voltage and mm on the stick. Even my 6L80E is setup that way. Engine Oil pan sticks are legacy one quart markers to keep Joey Bumpstick's motor in play.

Biggest reason is fuel dilution rates of GDI engines.

Yea, not the reason. There is a nominal 1 quart/liter range on that stick. (Autos/light trucks) Some small metrics are a 1/2 liter. Gives a fella an idea how much to add. Your book should say something like, "Add when the level falls to the lower mark". Does in every one I've owned.

Third time. Some consumption is 'masked' by fuel dilution, soot formation, acid formation of blowby gasses. Oil consumed offset by degradation products produced. 2 to 8% How much is that of your sump volume? for Pepper that is 4 ounces to a pint of oil. Why is everyone aware that we check transmission fluids at operating temperatures due to thermal expansion and ignorant or at least dismissive about this issue for the engine oil? Ever allow a motor to drain at oil change for a period of 'overnight"? Measure on the dipstick every quarter hour for say 2 hours and educate yourself. Then let is sit overnight (cooler) and ask the expansion and dilution questions again.

That's a good video @Atlas. On point and informative. Highlights the changes over the decades. Experience needs to be informed of pertinent changes to remain relevant. Nice find. Thanks!

170+ mile trip to dads today (one way) 87 regular started at $4.99 here and was $3.67 in Iowa. On the way back their is a Love's and a BP on the Interstate (39) 10 miles from the town closest to me. Gas was $4.09 both placed. A half mile closer to home Marathon was $4.59 and at home Still $4.99. I bought Shell V Power Nitro + 93 in Morrison Illinois for $4.85 and on the way back same gas in Rochelle for $5.01. Yea, same price as Regular 87 next door to me.

193,412 Mile Services Transmission, 6 quart "Spill and Fill" Red Line D6

Where does the oil on the spark plug threads come from on the DOD cylinders? If a motor uses ZERO oil then what lubricates the valve guides and top rings?

Here's a good paper on this topic. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/waterphs.pdf

You may find this of interest. Not addressed in this article is that the UFP produced has some impact on elevated soot in the oil which only means it gets dirtier quicker. Just information and not a deal breaker. I use E-0 when it's cheaper. It does give a bump in fuel efficiency. https://www.enginelabs.com/tech-stories/mixing-e85-with-pump-gas-getting-higher-octane-for-less-money/ (Excerpt from above link below) Concerns About Ethanol These small blending mixtures of E30 to E50 maintain a large percentage of gasoline. The advantage here is that if the electric fuel pump in your street car is not rated for use with E85, a blending ratio of E50 or less can generally be considered compatible. You should consult your particular pump manufacturer to be sure, but a light blend of E30 should not cause any problems. Let’s also address the claimed issues attributed to using ethanol in older cars. Our own experiments and investigations have traced the source of many ailments not to the alcohol in the fuel but rather to the high percentages of aromatic additives used in all pump gasoline. These aromatics are often lumped together under the acronym “BETX.” This is chemical shorthand for benzene, Ethyl-Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene. These aromatics are present at anywhere from 20- to 25-percent (and sometimes more) by volume in gasoline. By themselves, BETX aromatics are not necessarily dangerous. But they are responsible for many of the problems in fuel systems, such as killing rubber fuel lines and affecting small rubber parts in carburetors. Of equal concern is a dangerous by-product created after combusting BTEX, creating what are called ultra-fine particles (UFP). These particles are small enough to enter your lungs and travel past the membranes and directly into your bloodstream. Not good. By mixing ethanol with the fuel, fuel companies are able to reduce the concentration of BETX in the fuel. Conversely, alcohol-free fuels as sold in many Midwestern states contain much higher percentages of BTEX to compensate for the loss of ethanol in the fuel.

Let's reason it out. If the motor is equipped with a knock sensor and that sensor is telling the ECU to pull timing then more timing is available if it gets more octane. Octane that eliminates that KR (knock r-e-t-a-r-d) adds timing and nine times out of ten increased BMEP (torque). The improvements are measurable on an engine dyno but can be small enough that your seat of the pants may not notice. Sometimes it will. More torque at the same rpm allows lower TPS values for the same load which leans the motor a bit in the part throttle part of the map. Will you notice it? Ever watch Engine Masters dialing in a motor bumping timing 2 to 3 degrees at a time UNTIL power drops off (incipient knock point). There's a Aussie tuner that tunes the entire map by this method. Further reasoning. A knock sensor has to HEAR the knock to react to it so doesn't move the timing until the shock wave is pounding the rings lands. Yes there is a difference in "Intensity" and the maps are well fretted to prevent most engine damage...until it isn't. KR is driving in the rearview mirror. Give it a bit of thought. Peck at the ring lands often enough even micro pecks will eventually hammer to the ring grooves. In my Ecotec3 4300, which is a flex fuel rig, the base map is 87 Octane but, and I watch it via a Scan Gauge II device along with fuel trims, will pull up to 9 degrees of timing on a 6% grade on a warm day with zero load at 60 mph in high gear. When I use 93 that value drops to under 3 degrees on any hill. When I use E-85 at over 80% it is ZERO KR. The milage difference between 87 and 93 hasn't been noticeable over the 150K miles i played with that. Been on E-85 and now at 193K+. In fact none of my 87 octane recommended vehicles of several makes looses even a fraction of a mpg using 93 and every one of them reduced KR. Lastly. Shell V Power Nitro + 91 or 93 and Exxon Mobil Supreme Premium 93 all three contain a proprietary antiwear/anti friction additive that has been PROVEN to significantly reduce bore/ring wear. Both Shell and Lake Speed Jr have some pretty good videos on this product with receipts. Dyson Labs LLC was my intro to the product. The fuels listed are the ONLY fuels of any rating CURRENTLY using these additives. Shell was there first and has the most data. FYI. Like Ripley....Believe it or Not. This will get some blow back so I won't respond to it.

Interesting thread.

OMG don't let @riddler see this

He has no clue what he means. Argues like a child. Somewhere a village is missing its......

True and well explained. *********General comment below not directed to Atlas*************** So what does it mean when I say Pepper uses no oil? That for the duration of my chosen OCI there is no perceptible movement in level on the stick. When I change plugs on the DOD cylinders they have some oil on the threads. Normal. Explained by the above missive. So I know it uses oil. Just isn't a MEASUREABE amount by the METHOD I choose to gauge it by. The dip stick. Why doesn't it change if it uses oil? Fuel, soot, moisture in a good GDI gas motor can be up to 4% total of the oil volume so in a six quart system at change time could be as much as 7.68 ounces of a six quart system. Call it a cup. Half a pint of lost oil made up by contamination products. Think it through.

Is that what I said Stan? Literally, what did I say? And this was in response to????? I’ve never experienced that phenomenon. And what phenomenon was that? My response was directly to the point of discussion. An experience SAID you've never experienced and so....you haven't any relevant experienced based information on that topic. It ain't that hard sir. Why drag it into the weeds implying I said or inferred something you know I did say nor intend? I know you have experience and are a good observer and I have always valued your input to the degree you share those experiences. I see you're one of those people that thinks they can 'say a thing true' if they repeat it long enough. Keep repeating to yourself, "Gravity is irrelevant and people that believe it are stupid." Then step off a cliff and ask yourself on the way down if physics gives a rats *ss about your belief. Your truck doesn't care either what you believe but it WILL respond to those beliefs exactly as you feed them. I hit a nerve repeating your words back to you trapping you in your inconsistency and NOW you want me to block you and protect you from the big bad bear? Fat chance. Bear is hungry

Oil consumption free for 20K miles then BOOM, it starts? And YOUR driving habits, environment, fluid maintenance had nothing to do with that? Some GM Engineer come into your yard at 20K and sabotage it? But your going to use Valvoline to free/clean the rings? Those are YOUR words I quoted. GM gave you an oil tight motor. Your inputs fouled them. If you believe those rings can be freed/cleaned by use of Valvoline's Restore and Protect then their fouling could have been PREVENTED GENIUS! If you don't believe it will work and your going to try it anyway.....WHY?