That's all in a short time frame. I think that's plenty. Especially when you consider the tiny percentage of total ICE vehicle-driving people on the board.
I do not know the root cause of each. No need to be aggressive. Just my observations. That's why I'm here. To learn from people smarter on this than me. However when you have multiple people driving cars with the same engine, with the same OCI and driving conditions, and the only variable is motor oil used, then that is definitely a hypothesis-generating result to observe. For example, Glenda developed an oil burner at 60k on (mostly) Valvoline EP. She knows someone with very similar OCIs who delayed oil burning to 100-120k with M1 EP, but it still burned oil. I agree that you'd need a controlled and randomized study to know for sure. Which is why the experiment
@Glenda W. is doing is so valuable.
Are you implying there's no difference in any oil that meets the same spec?
I do think it’s valuable to remain curious and avoid true conclusions regarding general statements.
I drive a 2007 Honda Fit that began consuming oil around 200k miles. Is it just from engine wear and having to drive these engines at higher RPM; thereby increasing the potential for blowby?
My BIL with the same vehicle (year/model) had a similar experience, but his developed a greater consumption rate before settling down with more convertible/OLM based OCIs. I’ve remained at running longer than that and despite having a slow rear-main seal leak in it, the consumption rate has stayed at about 1 Qt/4k miles. His has settled around 3k after being even higher, iirc.
We both ran mostly the same oil at first; M1 AFE and he later M1 EP/EP HM exclusively; I started bouncing around brands, for differing length OCIs later on after developing consumption.
The primary difference was how far he ran his OCI out; 18k and 21k mile OCIs. And both has good looking UOAs posted on this site.
It may be we each extended the intervals too far, but my vehicle’s intervals were a little more conservative; maxing out at 14.5k miles a couple of times on M1 EP.
TBD if now 100k miles later Val R&P will reduce my Fit’s consumption rate. I’m trying it out later this year.
My basic theory is that in both of our situations running the oil too far was the problem. But without tear down how will I know? Even if R&P doesn’t reduce consumption much, the long term effects may be irreversible.
The thing is without accounting for every relative variable it’s hard to pin down an oil being a problem. It’s often an issue with engine design and/or use surfacing. Hard to prove it’s the oil.
However, that does not mean certain oils can’t tend to have better performance capabilities in one area or another. There are differences in formulation and engine temperament. How can we pin it down to just the oil? Some may simply be better suited for one reason or another; given the goals of their specific usage scenario. It may or not be much ado about nothing in the end. It could mean some engines will run better at a higher mileage, and oil is cheap insurance. Just because consumption occurred with one does not mean it would have been better or worse with another. We don’t have enough data to be conclusive though.
Some of this is educated guessing. We can’t be dogmatic about it though without sufficient data. One way or another, due to variables out of control, lack of data or questionable reliability of any data source. Even my own story has questions. Tear downs would be a wonderful thing though!
