Additive for high oil consumption with bad rings

[Jerub_Baal]

I want to try an oil additive for helping with bad rings. What are your suggestions.

My son's 2001 Xterra, with a 3.0 L V6, suddenly started consuming a lot of oil (3 quarts in 750 miles) and the oil is very black after a short interval (~ 200 miles). He has had the truck for only one year and has about 100,000 miles at this point. We have changed the oil and filter twice with 10w30 M1. He took it to the dealer who checked the cylinders with a borescope and proclaimed the boeres are scored and he needs a new engine. He is away at college and needs to keep driving the car until the spring, when I will rebuild the engine. A local mechanic suggested an expensive oil additive that contains Silicone but he couldn't remember the name. Please help.

 

[Chris142]

Use the thickest oil you can run that will still Allow cold starts.

 

[mopar_monkey]

put some 90w in it, it's not best but it will help, honestly nothing is going to fix it, they haven't yet figured out how to put a mechanic in a bottle yet.

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: Jerub_Baal
the boeres are scored and he needs a new engine. ...
...
...
A local mechanic suggested an expensive oil additive that contains Silicone but he couldn't remember the name. Please help.
How can he "recommend" a product and not remember the name?

That being said.....he's gotta drive it until the spring? I'd try a good HDEO, Delo, Delvac, Rotella, whatever he can find CHEAP....if flow-a-bility is a problem (see above comment by Chris, regarding cold starts) and say, the oil pressure gauge/light does not go out after 5 seconds, try draining a quart, and thinning it with some Marvel Mystery Oil



Better yet, donate it (per se....lol, not literally, we know he needs to drive the car) to research (per Bob is the Oil Guy dot Com of course).

Every week, try a new "Mechanic in a Bottle" stop-leak, and notate the oil level, say, every week......a different additive every week.

1 week, restore, next week "No Leak", next week, "No Smoke", perhaps some zMax the next.....lol. STP blue bottle the next, etc...you get my point

Could be interesting.


My reasoning for the HDEO (what many would call "diesel oil") is that it's got added detergency to it, so it'll be cleaning up the engine as it's burning/consuming oil


That being said, I have heard good, and bad, about the Restore product.....some like it, some hate it....supposedly it's marketed specifically towards "filling in the gaps" and score marks within the cylinder walls or something.....perhaps it'll breathe some new life, never know


But yea, with the winter months upon on (I see you are in Connecticut..? assuming your son is too...?) the biggest problem I see is the cold-start flowability of the Oil...as mentioned, if he finds the oil pressure gauge light/gauge not reading right, I'd advise thinning out the oil a bit...

 

[Eddie]

Suddenly started suggests that you have a stuck PCV or other problem than stuck rings.

 

[demarpaint]

If you're looking for an additive for an engine with bad rings and scored cylinder walls try Lucas Oil Stabilizer. That is about the only thing the product is good for. You could also try STP in the Blue bottle, but IMO Lucas would work better. Team either up with a 50 grade oil and hope it doesn't cold this winter where you live.

 

[EricF]

Restore .. should last about 2400 miles

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Suddenly started suggests that you have a stuck PCV or other problem than stuck rings.


I agree, this "scored cylinders" declaration should get a 2nd opinion. I'm fixing up a saturn with compression so terrible it won't run (75,20,20,75) and nothing is visibly up with the cylinder walls, or anything else for that matter.

 

[urchin]

Failed EGR and PCV systems?

 

[NHGUY]

Buy a borescope off HF for a couple hundred and check it for yourself.Keep them garages honest!

 

[Jerub_Baal]

It's hard to diagnose from 750 miles away (he's in Ohio) but the PCV suggestion makes sense. I'll see if he can pick up a PCV valve. In the mean time, I suggested he use Valvoline MaxLife semi synthetic. I hadn't considered the Diesel oils suggested. I haven't used the Lucas product but I don't have a better idea. I'll suggest he look into Restore as well.

 

[brandini]

No additive will really help unless it's something like kreen or auto rx.
http://www.auto-rx.com/fasttrack.html

check/replace the pcv
check breather/vacuum hoses for cracks/leaks/blockages
Get a sheet of white posterboard and drive the car up to temp, then park it and put the posterboard underneath to check for leaks

 

[brandini]

OH, and do a leakdown test.

 

[Jerub_Baal]

So is either Kreen or Auto-Rx available at local parts stores such as NAPA, Autozone or Advance Auto?

 

[zyxelenator]

Originally Posted By: Jerub_Baal
So is either Kreen or Auto-Rx available at local parts stores such as NAPA, Autozone or Advance Auto?
Nope. both internet shops.
I would go checking and making sure that PCV system works properly route first. I don't think it is common for modern cars to have worn out rings at 100k miles.
If all clean and works in PVC system, get him some Kreen, let him unscrew all spark plugs.Add 3oz of Kreen to each hole, recommended amount to oil. Let it sit overnight. Let him crank engine without spark plugs--car will spit out goo from holes. Put plugs back and run it around for 10 min and drain oil. Add the rest kreen to next fill. If it won't help--you have a worn, not stuck/gummed rings.

 

[Clevy]

If the walls are scored kreen won't help. RESTORE has soft metals that will fix tge problem temporarily but wears out after 1500 miles and you gotta add another can. Lucas is just really thick oil and will help somewhat. I would never put Restore In anything that wasn't already ruined. Its cheap and easy

 

[Jerub_Baal]

Yes, the dealer said the bore was scored but that doesn't mean I have to trust his conclusion. I'm hoping it's either the PCV system or gummed up rings.

I ordered a quart of Kreen to be delivered to my son. He will be doing an oil and filter change. I suggested he use 10-30 or 10-40 Rotella for now. He will also pick up a new PCV valve. We'll see how things go.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Sounds like a good plan. 15W40 Rotella is easiest to get and it shouldn't be too thick if doctored with kreen.

If that fails, Restore is the best bet.

 

[Quest]

@OP:

Did you son just bought the vehicle (used)? was he using some sort of foam air filter or no filter at all?

My suspicion as follows (assuming that the vehicle was bought recently used): there's some sort of engine smoking/oil burning issue, and previous owner/dealer/seller added motor hunny to stop the smoking/oil burning before flipping it. Now, your son takes over it and it starts to smoke again (as the motor hunny starts to lose effectiveness, or recently had an oil change).

Before we haphazardly jump into conclusion: consider getting a boroscope or similar to inspect the cylinder wall. If it's badly scoured, it needs are rebuild. If cylinder wall seems glazed, it needs a re-ring job (and cylinder deglazing). 3rd possibility is stuck oil control rings, which still requires a teardown and re-ring job (deglaze the cylinder wall and start fresh again).

Again, none of these options are cheep so you have to weigh it yourself. If, at the end, it costs too much time and effort to rebuild the engine, find a means to flip it to recoup the loss.

Also: never use any engine additives, sprays, etc. that contains silicone for it will destroys your catalytic convertor and O2 sensors in mere minutes (ended up costing you dearly for replacing those things).

Q.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Jerub_Baal
Yes, the dealer said the bore was scored but that doesn't mean I have to trust his conclusion. I'm hoping it's either the PCV system or gummed up rings.

I ordered a quart of Kreen to be delivered to my son. He will be doing an oil and filter change. I suggested he use 10-30 or 10-40 Rotella for now. He will also pick up a new PCV valve. We'll see how things go.


If Kreen doesn't work don't bother wasting any more money trying to free sticking rings. None of the cleaners will do a better job than Kreen cleaning up rings or an engine. You might also have a look at valve seals while you're checking your PCV system.

If the cylinders are in fact scored 'thick oil', Lucas, STP, or Restore are about your only options if you don't plan on an engine rebuild. JMO