Consumption Under Heavy Load, Up a Grade?

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So I daily drove the S10 this week, which is about a 50 mile round trip. It involves a run up a 10-13% varying grade mountain for a couple miles. The little 120 hp 4 cylinder struggles a little bit, I have to run it in 3rd gear which from the sound of it (no tachometer) is revving hard. Checked the oil today and it was about 1/2 quart low, honestly not upset about it though, the mountain is tough on a vehicle. As far as I know it isn't a bad oil burner, because driving around town or bypassing the mountain (toll road) there is no noticeable consumption. It has a minor valve cover leak that will be addressed in the spring when it gets its full tune-up. Current fill is Castrol High Mileage 5w30. Would upping to a Xw40 slow consumption a little bit? I have 3 gallons of Rotella 0w40 on hand I need to use up. The truck is used sparingly during the spring/summer, but is used during the winter during inclimate weather to keep the salt off the better cars.
 
Rotella works well in high mileage engines.
Valvoline Maxlife is in my opinion the best high mileage oil there is, just from reading threads on this board on it i have read experiences where it has near completely stopped leaks and oil burning so maybe try that after the Rotella.
I have started topping up my daily driver Peugeot 106 which burns some oil with 10w40 syn-blend Valvoline Maxlife and have noticed that the engine is a bit quieter and definetly burns less oil.
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Going down a 13% grade engine braking/high manifold vacuum is likely when the oil is being consumed.
I wouldn't worry about it.


Likely....High manifold/cylinder vacuum. Look for a puff of blue smoke out of the exhaust first time back on the gas after engine braking to confirm.
 
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Originally Posted By: car51
Biggest load of B.S. Ever heard here


Who are you replying to ? If you're replying to me, you gotta click on the reply button in my post box. Otherwise, it looks like you're replying to Delta, the OP. And by the way, you're bypassing the censor software by using two periods in B.S. Shame on you.
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Did not think about the engine braking, I do let the engine do the slowing down the mountain. I will note the engine is lugging alot of times, there's no real sweet spot. You're either high RPM's or lugging.
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
You sure driving up those mountain roads isn't causing some extra oil to leak out the valve cover?

Could be you're not burning at all.


Could very well be, there was a couple extra drops in the driveway, but leaking 1/2 qt in ~300 miles?
 
When an engine is under load while the vehicle is going up a grade, the pistons are forced to one side of the cylinder wall. If the oil is too thin, it'll sneak past the piston rings on the opposite side of the cylinder wall.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
When an engine is under load while the vehicle is going up a grade, the pistons are forced to one side of the cylinder wall. If the oil is too thin, it'll sneak past the piston rings on the opposite side of the cylinder wall.


In theory, sure. In reality, piston pin is offset to one side to control side thrust.

Delta -- Have you serviced the timing chain yet? How's oil pressure?
 
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
In theory, sure. In reality, piston pin is offset to one side to control side thrust.

Delta -- Have you serviced the timing chain yet? How's oil pressure?


Personally never serviced the timing chain, nor do any records I have. Valve cover gasket was replaced around 57K, and there is no records showing any other engine work (dealer baby). Oil pressure is great, it does drop slightly after climbing the mountain, but never drops below 20 at idle. Typically shows around 32-40 driving 55-60. Unfortunately for me the engine is in great shape (lol, waiting for an excuse for a V8/T56 swap!).
 
Ok. Sounds good.

Where'd you source the Rotella? T6 0w-40, correct?

If so, feel free to use up what you have in this engine.
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Going down a 13% grade engine braking/high manifold vacuum is likely when the oil is being consumed.
I wouldn't worry about it.


+1

It's not the uphill that's eating your oil
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Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Ok. Sounds good.

Where'd you source the Rotella? T6 0w-40, correct?

If so, feel free to use up what you have in this engine.


I wondered where the OP sourced Rotella 0W-40 as well.
While I know it exists, I've never seen it on a shelf in this region.
 
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