Chryster Pacifica oil consumption--which oil now?

[vitez]

My wife's 2005 Chrysler Pacifica, 3.5L V-6 started to use oil over the past year. It's at 309,000 km (193,000 miles). It developed a valve tick a few months before the oil consumption increased. Car was bought new and is still in good shape overall, it runs well, blows no blue smoke, no rising coolant levels, no oil leaks. I hope to keep it a few more years. The Mrs drives about 24,000 km (15,000 miles) a year now. The engine previously consumed only 2 qts per year in make up oil but now uses about 1 qt per 2000 km (1250 miles). I changed the PCV valve, ran Rislone engine treatment and used Wynn's engine flush but nothing changed.

The owners manual recommends 3 month/3000 mile (4800 km) oil changes when in severe service, 6 month OCI's for normal service, 10W-30 preferred, 5W-30 recommended for below freezing. Our local temps vary from -30°C to +30°C. When new I ran 3 month conventional oil changes until about 16,000 km (10,000 miles), then switched to Amsoil SS 0W-30 and EaO synthetic oil-filters with an annual OCI each fall. I want to reduce oil consumption and decrease my costs. I don't want to tear into the engine. I'm thinking that increasing the grade of oil and keeping a low NOAC should help. I'd prefer to keep using synthetic oil in winter for the ease of starting.

Sorry for the long preamble but I wanted to give everyone as much information as I could. Here's what I've come up with so far:

1. Amsoil SS 5W-30 for the fall oil change, Amsoil SS 10W-30 for make up oil starting in the spring, and just suck up the cost. Annual OCI with EaO filter.
2. Amsoil SS 10W-30 year round, annual OCI, suck up the cost.
3. Amsoil SS 5W-30 in winter, start adding Amsoil XL 10W-30 in the spring for make up oil. Annual OCI.
4. Amsoil XL 5W-30 in winter, Amsoil XL 10W-30 in summer, 6 month OCI.
5. Amsoil XL 10W-30 year round, 6 month OCI.
6. Amsoil SS 5W-30 winter, conventional 10W-30 starting in the spring for make up oil. Annual OCI.
7. Amsoil XL 5W-30 winter, 10W-30 conventional oil/filter in spring, 6 month OCI.
8. HDEO 5W-40 year round, 6 month OCI.
9. Conventional oil 5W-30 winter/10W-30 summer, 6 month OCI.

I'm not wedded to Amsoil but do like the convenience of online ordering and I get dealer prices. I have an independent distributor within driving distance who sells many other brands. Amsoil SS 5W-30 has a CCS of 3954 at -30°C, Amsoil XL 5W-30 is 5524 at -30°C, SS 0W-30 is 5219 at -35°C.

I'm sure I haven't thought of all the permutations and combinations but your advice as to what I should do is much appreciated, oh august BITOG colleagues.

My head is spinning with options!

 

[Rolla07]

HDEO every 6 months. Amsoil not worth it. Where are you in Canada?

 

[Rolla07]

Or how bout a HM synthetic in 5w30 as first change and see if it slows consumption. I always think to start with lightest solution and give it time to work before moving up more.

 

[daves87rs]

Maxlife?

 

[mehullica]

GM top end cleaner to clean the stuck rings & decarbonize, let it soak for a couple days. Repeat 3 times & see if your consumption drops

 

[Johnny2Bad]

With -30C normal winter temperatures, you are a perfect candidate for an 0W-xx synthetic. You will not believe how quickly your motor will spin on startup on those cold days versus a 5W-xx

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
HDEO every 6 months. Amsoil not worth it. Where are you in Canada?


"Big Sky Country" = Saskatchewan; -30°C to +30°C probably points to Alberta. The Prairies regardless.

 

[dlundblad]

My vote is option 8 or 9 depending on what is cheapest.

May through October perhaps try a 15w40 and October through May run a conventional 5w30?

If consumption is a HUGE issue like yours, I prefer at least trying a 100% conventional diet (when applicable) to see if that slows things down.

 

[JBinKC]

9 with perhaps consideration of 10w 40 for the summer OCI. I am in this mode with my 2006 Dodge GC with a slightly better consumption rate.

 

[Red91]

HDEO 5W-40 would probably be most beneficial to you, out of your listed choices. I'm going to make an unconventional recommendation and say use 20W-50 conventional year round with a block heater in winter.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: mehullica
GM top end cleaner to clean the stuck rings & decarbonize, let it soak for a couple days. Repeat 3 times & see if your consumption drops

Good idea, or at least a piston soak.

A Kreen treatment wouldn't hurt either.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
With -30C normal winter temperatures, you are a perfect candidate for an 0W-xx synthetic.


That's what he's been using (see OP).

 

[Ohle_Manezzini]

You got lifter tick or piston slap, with Amsoil? Has it ever overheated?

 

[CourierDriver]

I had the same oil consumption on my 2005 LeSabre, it was a bad PCV, a 4 dollar fix..Yes the old one looked good and it rattle when you shook it , just like the new one,,,but- the new one fixed the oil usage,,go figure, hope this helps. PS,,correction, I did not have lifters clicking...

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7190339_symptoms-bad-pcv-valve_.html

 

[mazdamonky]

There is absolutely no point in running the Amsoil unless you like a lighter wallet. Go with a 5w30 HM such as maxlife, quakerstate Hm, Pennzoil HM, or castrol HM. Synthetic or Semisynthetic. Whichever tickles your fancy. Also try a piston soak to make sure rings aren't stuck.

 

[deven]

Try using BG EPR. I've heard a lot of people say that it helps with oil consumption. EPR=Engine Performance Restoration.

 

[Nickdfresh]

I'd go with the top end cleaner and piston soak. Then check consumption after with Amsoil if you get it at a really good price. I'd use 10W-30 in warmer months and the 5W-30 in winter...

 

[vitez]

Part of my reluctance to go with cheap conventional oil year round is our cold winters. We regularly stay at -25°C and usually get to -30°C or lower in January. Every decade or so we can get to -40°C. The Mrs can't always plug in. We also have stupid retail prices for oil here. Retail HM oil costs pretty much the same as what I pay for Amsoil's lower tier products. We have to keep an eye out for sales or go to a distributor to get reasonable pricing. Lower NOACK synthetic oils should reduce oil consumption, and it did seem to drop a little when adding Amsoil SS 10W-30 this summer. But my cost is over $12 a quart with taxes and shipping for Amsoil SS, ~ $9 for XL, ~ $7.50 for OE, and $3.39 for Pinnacle Oil's "National" brand conventional oil at a local distributor. Retail Canadian Tire price for QS Defy is $8 a quart.

The engine shouldn't have sludge with a lifetime diet of fully synthetic oil. I'll use an Amsoil engine flush since I've got some lying around but I don't expect it to do much.

How can I tell the difference between lifter tick and piston slap? Isn't piston slap a design issue, ie it happens from new, with pistons rocking in the cylinders til warm? I hear a ticking sound that's louder upon first start up and goes away when warm. It went away faster over the summer. It shouldn't be sludge in the lifter with my synthetic oil use, but it could certainly be a worn lifter due to milage. I've got no interest in spending a lot of money to fix it. It's simply not worth it for the value of this car.

So top end cleaner could dissolve carbon and stop ring sticking. I never thought of that, thank's gents! But isn't the GM top end cleaner not very good since its reformulation? I've got Seafoam and MMO easily available, no Kroil products in Canada.

 

[demarpaint]

^^ From the sound of it I doubt the engine has sludge either, but it could have sticking rings. A piston soak and/or a Kreen treatment might really help. As far as piston slap, it won't hurt anything, but I don't think you can cure it either. Some say you can, others say you can't, so the jury is out on that one.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Not sludge but possibly carbon deposits...