Best oil for a car that is burning it.

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I have a 2002 Nissan Maxima with 86,000 miles that burns oil. Some of the VQ35 engines just use oil from what I've read in the Maxima forums. Mine uses about 1 quart every 1k miles. Anyway, I was using Mobil 1 10W-30, but this next oil change I'm making a switch to something else. I was thinking of switching to regular oil because of the cost of having to add $5 worth of oil every 1k miles. It just seems like a waste to me to keep putting expensive synthetic oil in.

I was going to go with Pennzoil high mileage vehicle in the hopes that maybe the car wouldn't use as much of it. Reading here though, it seems like everyone really likes Pennzoil Platinum. It's cheaper than Mobil 1, but I'm just not sure if it's even worth it for a car that uses as much oil as mine does.

What do you oil experts here think?
 
Welcome to the boards! I had an A32 Maxima a couple of years ago in the UK, which was consuming some oil as well. I used Castrol GTX High Mileage and the oil consumption significantly dropped.

That said, it might be worth treating your engine with Auto-Rx before trying any HM oil, and see if that solves the problem (which it should do unless your guides or rings are shot). If it does solve it, stick to PP with a 3 oz. dose of Auto-Rx. If not, try a high mileage oil to see if it makes a difference.

However, before you do anything at all - have you replaced your PCV valve?
 
Yes, I replaced the pcv valve. For awhile I thought that might have helped the problem. Now though it seems to be back to it's usual 1 quart per 1k miles routine. I'm even thinking of running 10W-40 instead of 10W-30 hoping that might cut the consumption.

That Auto-Rx stuff makes me a bit nervous. I've read here on this site years ago some people posting that it could cause engine damage.
 
Valvoline Maxlife 10-40 would be a good choice as it is a little thicker and a a stout oil.
 
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If you want to stay with full synthetic, get some Mobil 1 High Mileage or Maxlife full synthetic, although the latter is harder to find in some areas. If you want to save some money just get some regular Maxlife or Pennzoil HM. My experience with the Maxlife is that it will slow consumption quite a bit, even more so if you run the 10W-40 ML in the summer. Either of these oils will go 5000 miles with no problem under normal conditions. It will take some time, perhaps the whole oil change to get consumption reduced considerably. Wait to pass judgement after the second run of whatever oil you choose. Right now AutoZone has a $20 sale on 5 qts Maxlife (with Fram Toughgard oil filter), or stop by Wal-Mart and get a $14 /5 qt.jug of the Maxlife or 13.50 for the Pennzoil HM.

Please let us know how much lower the consumption is after you try one of these oils.

BTW,
welcome2.gif
to bitog!
 
Originally Posted By: kbohip72
That Auto-Rx stuff makes me a bit nervous. I've read here on this site years ago some people posting that it could cause engine damage.


I've done 3 treatments in my own vehicle with nothing but positive results, albeit it didn't help with the oil consumption problem in my truck because the guides are shot. But it has reduced the blue smoke significantly.

I think you're confusing Auto-Rx with engine flushes. Those can cause damage because they are run for a very short duration, and contain harsh chemicals as a result to get the job done in that time frame. They remove large chunks of sludge, soot, etc. where as Auto-Rx does it all very slowly and safely, depositing it all in your oil filter. You cannot drive with an engine flush in the oil, or at least it isn't recommended.
 
Originally Posted By: kbohip72

That Auto-Rx stuff makes me a bit nervous. I've read here on this site years ago some people posting that it could cause engine damage.


Auto-Rx? Engine damage? Nothing could be further from the truth in my experience and that of many others!
 
Originally Posted By: ZZman
Valvoline Maxlife 10-40 would be a good choice as it is a little thicker and a a stout oil.


+1 get the syn blend at Walmart. Don't waste your money on synthetic oils.
 
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Before you switch oils, definitely replace the PCV valve and check all the hoses for clogging. Then, start watching your oil consumption at your next oil change. If it doesn't decrease, then try another oil.

High mileage oils might do well for you, whether synthetic or not.

RLI BioSyn will probably do very well for you. If I were in your position, that would be my first pick. It's expensive but also very tough, so you could easily increase your oil change intervals to compensate.

Whatever you pick, IMO, stick with 5w-30 or 10w-30 at first. If nothing does it for you, then step up to 10w-40.

Remember that you might need to do a couple of oil changes before you see your consumption drop. Sometimes different oils mixing can cause consumption, so you want to wait until all the old stuff is flushed out before you make your call.
 
I wouldn't want to have a car that used a quart of oil every 1000 miles.

Try some HM oil, if that doesn't slow the oil consumption, then just buy some low cost jugs of Supertech dino.
 
Thanks for all the help guys. For only 25,000 members, this place is very active! I think I'll give the Autorx a try next oil change. I also plan to go with Pennzoil HM.

As far as the way the car runs, it's not a problem. My fuel economy is a bit better than epa figures on it, both hwy and city. The car has tons of power and as far as I can tell doesn't smoke at all. The oil just seems to disappear, sort of like tax money going to congress...gone.

I've actually come up with the 1 quart per 1k mile number as a best guess. It may be using more or less as I haven't been keeping a notebook with the actual mileage numbers in it like I should. I bought the car used a few years ago and I wonder if the lady who drove it ever even checked the dipstick. If not, and she drove 4-5k miles before an oil change....

This is my 3rd Maxima, but it's the first one that's ever used oil. My wife still has a '91 that doesn't use a drop between 5k mile changes. It got the Pennzoil Platinum today.
 
Don't use the A-Rx with a HM oil. Best to stick with a cheap dino for the clean and rinse phases. Once you're done than make the switch to the HM oil.

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Originally Posted By: kbohip72
Thanks for all the help guys. For only 25,000 members, this place is very active! I think I'll give the Autorx a try next oil change. I also plan to go with Pennzoil HM.

As far as the way the car runs, it's not a problem. My fuel economy is a bit better than epa figures on it, both hwy and city. The car has tons of power and as far as I can tell doesn't smoke at all. The oil just seems to disappear, sort of like tax money going to congress...gone.

I've actually come up with the 1 quart per 1k mile number as a best guess. It may be using more or less as I haven't been keeping a notebook with the actual mileage numbers in it like I should. I bought the car used a few years ago and I wonder if the lady who drove it ever even checked the dipstick. If not, and she drove 4-5k miles before an oil change....

This is my 3rd Maxima, but it's the first one that's ever used oil. My wife still has a '91 that doesn't use a drop between 5k mile changes. It got the Pennzoil Platinum today.


Pennzoil Platinum would be a very decent oil to use with the ARX treatment (avoid HM oils for your ARX treatment). PP is a Group III synthetic, although same variants do have some POA content in it. Which viscosity grade did your purchase?
 
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