Disappearing (burning) oil - need ideas, please help newbie
- Thread starter danez71
- Start date
No need to junk it. It looks good and has a new transmission.
Tell anybody looking at a 20/200K vehicle that it burns oil and they'll just ask, "how much?".
5 months, you say? Get the viscous gook out of the engine, fill it with a high mileage 15W-40 and go for that long drive.
You can visit my pal in Austin.
Tell anybody looking at a 20/200K vehicle that it burns oil and they'll just ask, "how much?".
5 months, you say? Get the viscous gook out of the engine, fill it with a high mileage 15W-40 and go for that long drive.
You can visit my pal in Austin.
Berrymans is much stronger than seafoam and doing a piston soak overnight is more effective than putting it in the crankcase. Also try using a straight 30 weight in warm weather to see if that helps.
I don't have any suggestions that haven't already been mentioned for the oil consumption but on a couple cars I've had in the past that turned into oil burners/leakers when they got to a quart every 4-500 miles I'd save oil that I drained from my better cars at oil change and use it for topping off oil in my oil burner. I drove one car over 100K miles adding used oil to the crankcase when it would get low. It was still running under its own power when I quit using it. I have had some luck slowing down oil consumption in high consumption engines with the use of one can of STP at oil change. The STP didn't stop the oil consumption but would sometimes slow it by a couple hundred miles per quart. Last oil burner I had was an '88 Ford Escort with 500K+ miles on it. When I quit using it because it needed other work I'd been adding used oil to it for about the past 150K miles. The last compression test I did on it not long before I quit driving it showed all cylinders between 145-155 PSI. Only time it ever smoked enough to notice was at the first start up in the mornings when it would give a puff of smoke that lasted a couple seconds. Back in the '90's I had a '76 Chrysler that used a quart of oil about every 3-500 miles. When I sold the car it had been over 30K miles since I'd done an oil change on it. I was just adding burnt oil to it and keeping it full. I sold it cheap to a friend that had just got married and needed cheap transportation. He drove it about 1-2 more years before junking it because it wouldn't pass emissions inspection. I don't know whether he ever changed the oil or not.
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the seals around the valve stems, both intake & exhaust. their primary job is to keep oil under the valve covers from being sucked into the intake ports. When they age harden, oil seeps past & gets consumed. All the time. The oil burn is very slight when the engine runs down the road, but it is happening. They are cheap rubber/viton seals for the valve stems, the cost is all in the labor to pull the old & install the fresh ones.
The few times I have resorted to changing valve seals, the oil consumption drops to near zero after the seal swap, this is on older engines with
175k miles and beyond, with high oil usage, decent power output & acceptable fuel mileage for the engine displacement.
My sister lives in Austin area... Bee Cave to be exact. I plan on seeing her for Christmas hopefully.
I think I'm going to try a 15W-xx eve though I've been hesitate on going thicker because it idled worse with all the thick additives in it... granted it was probably too much of the goop.
But after using Seafoam in the crankcase and a fresh oil change it idles nice after driving 15-20 minutes.
So maybe... just a maybe... I'm losing most of the oil when it's cold and the 15W-xx may help with that. The truck has more 5-10 mile trips than any car should. Always worked close to home and we generally use it for every thing.
To put that last comment in context, my wife's 99 jeep Cherokee only has 105k.
I think I'm liking that suggestion me and more. Thanks for replying.
Good info. Makes sense as to why I've seen the term umbrella seal.
If... if I decide to DIY, this is what im leaning towards trying.
Thanks for chiming in.
This thread seems so familiar.
You are keeping stuff out of the fill hole, right?
You are keeping stuff out of the fill hole, right?
correction: I didn't mean to say junk it. I meant, when you get tired of filling it with oil, maybe it's time to buy something newer. And save your money al these additives won't fix a worn out engine.
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In Texas, run 20W-50 with no concern. If the oil usage is bad enough to foul spark-plugs often, then do the valve seals, or get a mechanic to do the valve seals. It is a little time consuming, but not a tough job.
The tips others have given you on using rope or compressed air to keep the valves up when doing the seals are good.
With that many miles on it, it is time to not put major money in it. It is time to save money you would of spent on major repairs, and be able to use that for a down-payment for its replacement. And junk yard engines, especially from something that old, are a crap-shoot as to what you are getting. Even if the junk yard warranties the part, you probably end up eating the cost of the labor.
You do not want to get into throwing good money into something that repeatedly requires you to put more good money into it, and that money is equal to or more than payments on a much better vehicle with much more trouble free years ahead of it would cost.
The tips others have given you on using rope or compressed air to keep the valves up when doing the seals are good.
With that many miles on it, it is time to not put major money in it. It is time to save money you would of spent on major repairs, and be able to use that for a down-payment for its replacement. And junk yard engines, especially from something that old, are a crap-shoot as to what you are getting. Even if the junk yard warranties the part, you probably end up eating the cost of the labor.
You do not want to get into throwing good money into something that repeatedly requires you to put more good money into it, and that money is equal to or more than payments on a much better vehicle with much more trouble free years ahead of it would cost.
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- May 16, 2021
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My 2002 Ford F-150 was using a quart of Castrol every 1000 miles.
I switched over to Valvoline High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W20 and have never had to add oil since.
5,000 miles now between changes.
Just a suggestion.
I switched over to Valvoline High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W20 and have never had to add oil since.
5,000 miles now between changes.
Just a suggestion.
Oil life monitor came on around 3k miles average? Sounds like a lot of short trips... or did it sit for long periods? Either way is not good.
i study problems with the 5.3 since i have one my self. there is NOT a common problem of valve seals going bad on these never heard of any having this issue. rear main seal IS common . has anybody thought to look at the pvc system? light oil use is common on these but at a qt every 1500 miles or so. mine does this and has since 50k. these are usually 300k motors -not 200k. even abused ones make it to the high 200k mark. . new truck all have major issues due to over complexity to meet epa mandates. all except toyota and nissan. i would get a crate engine and keep this truck. the early Silverado of this gen were far better than the newer ones due to AFM . the best post so far is the one that suggests the berryman ring soak. all those additives prob have done more harm than good.
I can install a Brand New 380hp 6.0L for around $8,000.....Turn Key with Tuning. 3 year 100K warranty.
Rebuilding your existing 5.3L will run @ $6,000. 3 year 100K warranty.
Buying a low mileage Gen IV 5.3L, Converting it to 24X/1X from 58X/4X, New Rod/Main/Rings/Timing Set/Oil Pump/Valve Seals/Lifters/Gaskets & a used LM7 camshaft will run about the same @ $6,000. 3 year Warranty on workmanship.
I have a used LM7 out of a 2005 Suburban with 108K, Piston/Ring soak with GM Top Engine Cleaner, New Valve Seals & Gaskets......@ $3,500 Turn Key. 2 year 24,000 on workmanship.
Rebuilding your existing 5.3L will run @ $6,000. 3 year 100K warranty.
Buying a low mileage Gen IV 5.3L, Converting it to 24X/1X from 58X/4X, New Rod/Main/Rings/Timing Set/Oil Pump/Valve Seals/Lifters/Gaskets & a used LM7 camshaft will run about the same @ $6,000. 3 year Warranty on workmanship.
I have a used LM7 out of a 2005 Suburban with 108K, Piston/Ring soak with GM Top Engine Cleaner, New Valve Seals & Gaskets......@ $3,500 Turn Key. 2 year 24,000 on workmanship.
I've been primarily using Valvoline HM 5-30 at oil change...
I think its a synthetic blend.
Re the engine idle, maybe you should check for fouled plugs.
A lot of short trips.
Per odometer & hr meter I'm like averaging 26- 28 mph if I remember right.
I'd have to go look again... but I'm over 5k hours.
Fort Worth
