Best Oil to add for topping off.

[lucerne06]

My 06 lucerne(18,000k) uses about 28-30 oz oil every 3100 miles/4 months or so. I understand that is supposed to be normal operating conditions for these cars. My question is when should I top off when low. should I top off at 1/2 qt down or wait till a qt down. I plan on then running the miles out to around 4500k before another oil change. And which of my oils should I use. I presently have 5w-30 kendall gt1 syn blend in the car.

My oil stash includes both cases of 5w-30 and 10w-30, of Napa Full Syn, Valvoline Maxlife, Castrol Syntec Blend,and Valvoline Conv. WB.

I change the oil in my other two cars, why I have the stash, but can't get under the buick so I let firestone do it for less then 14.00 per oil change, and I just have to drive there and wait 20 min while having coffee.

 

[JHZR2]

Id probably top with cheapest (valvoline WB), since I imagine youll change it not too far afterwards.

 

[bepperb]

Whatever half-full container you have, assuming it's something similar to what's in the crankcase.

As to when... well... what would you wait for?

 

[Captain_Klink]

if it is less than completely full, i just top it off. u already bothered to check it, you might as well bring it right back to the max. if it needs 1/4 of a quart, that's what i add. there is no harm in keeping it full, or even just a touch over. the engine will still run if it is a quart low, but at that point you definitely should add, unless you have already gone 4-5k, at which point, i would just drain and refill the whole works. i only change the filter every 10k.
so you can also use the strategy to always just change the whole works if it uses one qt per 4-5k.

 

[cmhj]

Originally Posted By: bepperb


As to when... well... what would you wait for?


Ya, after all you've opened the hood, checked the level and know it's down!!!!

 

[d00df00d]

I don't know much about those specific oils, but I frequently hear that switching/mixing oils tends to increase consumption (all else equal). It's probably best to stick with one oil.

What oil is Firestone using?

 

[addyguy]

I top-off at a half-quart low or more, IF I'm going to be going more than another 1-1.5k miles on the OC...if I'm close to an OC, I'd just leave it. My car consumes very little oil, so I've only ever topped it off two or three times.....

 

[eljefino]

Kendall is a clone of tropartic, phillips 66, and motorcraft. If you find a case sale on any of these oils in the future, for your other cars, then you'll have some for the buick too.

I agree on the valvo white bottle of what you have. Cheap, and neutral. (not that anything else would cause an issue)

 

[demarpaint]

One of my cars uses oil, and I know how much it will be down based on miles driven. I check oil every 500 miles or so, this uses about 1/2 qt every 1700 miles. When its down 1/2 qt I top it off. I usually top it off with the same oil I filled it with, or what ever I have around at the time, its the beater. If I had to top off when of my babied cars, it would always be with the same oil that I used at the time of the OC. In reality, doing that means nothing at all, its just my OCD.

 

[lucerne06]

never heard that mixing/switching oils increases oil consumption!!

 

[webfors]

Ideally you use the same oil as what's in the engine.

Next, whatever is cheapest.

 

[SatinSilver]

Top off with the Max-life since its in your stash. Thats what I did when I started consuming some oil and the consumption went away as far as I could tell.

 

[FZ1]

Top off with the same oil that's in the sump. Get a good interval like the first of every month and top it up to the full line. I wouldn't wait till is 1/2 Q. low.

 

[paulo57509]

I just topped off my 5w-30 PP with 5w-30 YB. I'm past my OCI, but I'm not going to be able to do the change until next weekend.

OK, I admit it. It was 2qts. low and I only noticed it because the oil pressure gauge was dropping to 20psi when I'd turn corners.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509
I just topped off my 5w-30 PP with 5w-30 YB. I'm past my OCI, but I'm not going to be able to do the change until next weekend.

OK, I admit it. It was 2qts. low and I only noticed it because the oil pressure gauge was dropping to 20psi when I'd turn corners.

Funny you mention turning corners.I had a 79 Chevette many years ago,and on off and on ramps going to the highway`s,it would starve for fuel in the turns!

and it wasnt due to being low on fuel either.

 

[saberz]

My Wranglers gas gauge would fluctuate depending if i was turning right or left. IF I would be close to E and made a sharp, left turn that gauge would read E lol.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Anies
My Wranglers gas gauge would fluctuate depending if i was turning right or left. IF I would be close to E and made a sharp, left turn that gauge would read E lol.


Yes,but my Chevette actually felt like it was running out of gas on those turns.And I knew their was fuel in the tank.Of course I always had carb problems with that thing,the jets were too small.

 

[Throckmorton]

Top off with Supertech or whatever inexpensive oil you can find.

 

[lucerne06]

would the 10w-30 be ok for summer use? and the 5w-30 for winter I presume.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I like strait weight for topping off except in deep winter.