Oil Consumption

[ken1mod]

Gentlemen,

 

Say you have a truck with 50,000 miles on it. Not new but still cute. How much oil is it OK to add between changes. I have a good friend that does not believe any oil between changes is acceptable. He changes the oil in his 1959 283 every 1000 miles so he can san no oil between changes. I asked him to save the drained oil for me but he won't. The dealers say 1 qt per thousand miles is OK, I don't.

 

Seriously though, how much oil between 7000 mile changes is OK and not indicative of a problem? My thought is that 1 qt is perfectly normal and OK. My 2000 Silvy with 160 k, 5.3 is just about a qt low at the 7000 mile point.

 

Chevy rocks.

 

Ken

[Zembonez]

It varies between engines a lot.

 

I drive a company car Explorer that has 185,000 miles on it and at 5000 miles, the level is just about where it was then it was filled. I'm sure it has to be using some oil, but it's almost nothing. I've almost never had to add oil in any of my vehicles between changes... but I have heard of people having to add as much as a quart per 1000 miles. In my opinion, there is something amiss internally in an engine if it uses that much oil (or it's just very worn).

[Black02Silverado]

I agree, each engine is different. My 02 Silverado with the 5.3 has 92k on it and in 8k miles on the oil to 14k when I usually change it out once a year it is down about half way on the dip stick from when I filled it up at the last oil change.

 

What is acceptable depends on the individual I would guess.

[jblakeney]

As near 0% on 3k as possible. At 3k if it has lost more than 1/2 quart I am pulling it and its going to be reworked or replaced.

 

Jbo

[dewfpo]

I've owned vehicles that needed a qt. every 2,000 miles and one that used a qt. per 10,000. I consider about 1 qt. in 5,000 miles as a good 'normal' rule of thumb. My '05 silverado with the 8.1L goes about 2,000 miles on 5W30 and about 3,500 miles on synthetic 5W40. As long as it doesn't smoke on startup or when I'm on the power I'm happy. Every engine uses some oil, it is consumed so it is lost over time. It depends on the engine design, how you use the engine (towing/hauling/mall cruiser), the temps you use the engine in and the type & grade of oil you use.

 

DEWFPO

[RyanbabZ71]

Hypothetically of course, Does the engine have AFM

 

I Figured I would bring it up first because we know someone will

[punmax]

Hypothetically of course, Does the engine have AFM

 

I Figured I would bring it up first because we know someone will