Engine is new, consuming oil, which oil is best?

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I will bring it to the dealer's attention soon and see what they say. I gotta let the oil level get low before taking it in again, so they can document the level and the amount of oil they add and then start the consumption tests. I already know going in what they are going to say. GM Engineers say it's normal. Nothing we can do.
 
If I were in your position....

Id write a letter to corporate, and include your purchase history.. If they give you the runaround, then check your oil at every fuel stop, trade that thing in a couple years from now (or sell it privately with full disclosure of the consumption) and switch automotive brands. There are plenty of drivers cars out there, BMW comes to mind. Dont patronize business that treats you badly.
 
I may do that if the dealer doesn't get GM to do something, but the only thing they are going to say is crack open the engine and re-ring it or replace the engine. I don't know if I would be ok with that. I don't have any complaints about the car. I actually love the car and everything about it. It's the most fun car I have had to date. My question here on this forum was simply if there was an oil brand I can switch to that would decrease the consumption or an oil brand that would withstand evaporation better in the high heat this engine produces.

I would never go to BMW. I have heard more horror stories of BMW owners that I know over anything from GM. Plus honestly, BMWs are pretty bland styling wise and interiors are just boring. I like my V Coupe because it looks like nothing else on the road. It stands out and looks aggressive. Like a stealth fighter on wheels and it is a rare car. You don't see them often and I see so many BMWs everyday. There's nothing special about BMWs. Lately BMWs haven't gotten that much praise either from the car mags as their driver's cars are now going away from their main objective from decades back. I have read enough reviews that re-enforce my decision to stay from the German brands.
 
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I owned a bmw--- a humble 318is. It was a 1997 model i purchased in 2004. I sold it to my father in 2012 and it still runs like new (approx 140,000 miles on it now, i purchased it with 70,000 miles) Other than a bad wheel bearing its been ultra reliable, and still consumes NO measurable oil (mobil 0w40 every 6,000 miles) Its original clutch is still in great shape! Dont believe the stereotype that all german cars are money pits.
 
Originally Posted By: Clubber_Lang
I owned a bmw--- a humble 318is. It was a 1997 model i purchased in 2004. I sold it to my father in 2012 and it still runs like new (approx 140,000 miles on it now, i purchased it with 70,000 miles) Other than a bad wheel bearing its been ultra reliable, and still consumes NO measurable oil (mobil 0w40 every 6,000 miles) Its original clutch is still in great shape! Dont believe the stereotype that all german cars are money pits.


Good to know, although the 90s BMWs were much better quality than the current generation of cars. The newer stuff is nowhere near the quality of your 1997 BMW. My neighbor has a 1997 3 series with more miles than what you have and it's still running great. I can't say the new BMWs of 2014 and 2015 are as good.
 
if I recall correctly my manual for my LS3 camaro said not to raise the rpm above 4k for something like 2k miles or so. I never had any issues in my LS1, LS3 or LS6. you may need to take it easy for a while.
 
New engine is required. In new engine 1 qt/1k is NOT normal. A new engine low gear/hi rpm is the cause for damage. You needed higher rpm in high gear to break-in. I am not sure if it can be done anymore. Pressure the GM/dealer to give you a new engine.
 
Originally Posted By: GM4LIFE
I will bring it to the dealer's attention soon and see what they say. I gotta let the oil level get low before taking it in again, so they can document the level and the amount of oil they add and then start the consumption tests. I already know going in what they are going to say. GM Engineers say it's normal. Nothing we can do.


I have a feeling that's exactly what they're going to say. It will be up to you to play hardball, to win. Good luck, keep us posted.
 
Originally Posted By: GM4LIFE
GM states in the owner's manual to never use a thicker oil over 5W30.


In that case, switch it over to a high mileage 5W-30 that'll be thicker in grade like Castrol GTX HM.
 
Originally Posted By: jrustles
Geez can we wait at least 5-10K before we lose our minds?
GM4LIFE, stop it with the high RPM, high-vacuum (low load) driving and keep the engine producing TORQUE. That means that, unless you drive on a track or perpetually climb 30% grades, upshifting, bringing the RPMs down and turning the per-stroke pressure on the pistons up. High RPMs are fine but only near maximum load otherwise you'll keep drinking oil with the new unseated rings and not help further ring seating if you cruise @ high RPM & light loads


I agree with much of this. As long as you're just tooling around in commuting traffic, there is no reason to run the engine at 3500 rpm, high vacuum conditions. Try changing your driving style for a few weeks, using a shift point of 2500 rpm and keeping the engine between 1500 and 2000 rpm when you're at a steady-state cruise condition. Take advantage of the low end torque that the supercharger gives. The higher engine load and manifold pressure may give the rings a better chance to seat against the cylinder walls. Maybe it'll come around. I wouldn't expect oil choice to make the consumption go from 1000 to 5000 miles per quart.

Just keep up with checking the oil and monitoring consumption. Use only dexos-approved 30-weight oils so the dealer doesn't have any cause to complain about maintenance.
 
^^^^Absolutely agreed. This engine needs a LOAD, may even want to get it on the rollers at your local dyno shop for 30 minutes of higher gear open throttle operation. Correct break in requires throttle opening for increased pressures to seat rings, NOT rpms.

I have 2 track rat buddies with the supercharged CTS-V's and neither has any real oil consumption issues. They are normally nearly trouble free cars, too, if left stock...
 
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Originally Posted By: GM4LIFE
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
You mention the Std runs at much higher RPM's then an Auto , I would like to know how much . I highly doubt it is from the engine running a few extra RPM's and really you got to get more miles on that car , at least 5K for break in .

I would be talking to your dealer/GM and keeping track of this . I wouldn't bother running any boutique oils in it , just run a good grade 5W30 syn such as PP or M1 . The only other you might consider id GC (German Castrol)0W30 which is probably the thickest of the 30 grades . Keep all your oil change receipts to prove to the dealer what you are using .


I run this car hard and keep it in lower gears longer which means that it runs on average about 3,500 RPMs on up most of the time. This car is just too much fun to drive. The automatic Vs are boring!

I have had the oil consumption documented by the dealer, but it is not out of spec, so nothing they will do. I will keep an eye on it and make sure the engine is not starving for oil. I take great care of all my cars and am a very meticulous vehicle owner, so even though I run the car hard, it's well taken care of on the other side of the equation.



Do you get speeding tickets often?


PS: If I was 'leasing' that car I'd be running Supertech oil or at least the cheapest dexos1 oil I could find....
 
Government Motors not wanting to meet a customers satisfaction? Nah.. say it ain't so!

Hope you get to drive it enough to seat the rings between recalls...

If you can't tell, I'm a ford guy, yea they've had their issues too but I hear this A LOT about LS series engines locally with guys that run them hard and track them. Those modular fords won't use a drop of oil with 150k miles on them...
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: racin4ds
Government Motors not wanting to meet a customers satisfaction? Nah.. say it ain't so!

Hope you get to drive it enough to seat the rings between recalls...

If you can't tell, I'm a ford guy, yea they've had their issues too but I hear this A LOT about LS series engines locally with guys that run them hard and track them. Those modular fords won't use a drop of oil with 150k miles on them...
smile.gif



Was this even necessary
confused2.gif
 
I know I'll receive [censored] for saying it, but I just don't understand the lure of GM cars. My sister-in-law's 2012 Chevrolet has been in shop more in its short life than either my 2002 Toyota or 2003 Hyundai. :-(

Lemon? Maybe. But her previous car was a Chevrolet that she traded in at around 3 years old for having lots of problems too.
 
If 5 pages isn't the definition of [removed], I don't know what is.

You can drive your new car anyway you like, and you can believe what you want. However, the simple fact that the car is gulping down oil indicates that your particular set of beliefs are erroneous. You're beating on a new engine and the result is that you've broken something. it's real easy for the peanut gallery to offer encouragement and advice. but absent any actual qualifications, only a fool listens most to the advice that agrees with their preconceptions.

A performance car doesnt need performance driving when new. An infant..even Einstein...didnt start out with a steady diet of spinach and steak. back off...2500 miles is hardly "broken in"...and see if the change in your adolescent behavior changes your engine's response. If not, take it to another Cadillac dealer and let them take a look.

geez...
 
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Originally Posted By: Noey
If 5 pages isn't the definition of circle jerk, I don't know what is.

You can drive your new car anyway you like, and you can believe what you want. However, the simple fact that the car is gulping down oil indicates that your particular set of beliefs are erroneous. You're beating on a new engine and the result is that you've broken something. it's real easy for the peanut gallery to offer encouragement and advice. but absent any actual qualifications, only a fool listens most to the advice that agrees with their preconceptions.

A performance car doesnt need performance driving when new. An infant..even Einstein...didnt start out with a steady diet of spinach and steak. back off...2500 miles is hardly "broken in"...and see if the change in your adolescent behavior changes your engine's response. If not, take it to another Cadillac dealer and let them take a look.
geez...


You may wish to explain this very common refrain in mine and many other cars owner's manual: "full throttle operation is beneficial to engine break in".

The number one Ford performance guru in the country takes brand new engines, warms them up, then does several FULL THROTTLE pulls to redline on 10W oil.

My BIL is a third gen machinist who works on mega expensive hot rods all the time. His advice? Drive it hard when new for best performance, less blow by, and longer engine life.

Then there's others. Lots of them.

I have an entire fleet of V8 powered service trucks and a few cars/boats,toys as well. Not a single one burns oil between servicings. One has 200k miles. Several are at or near 100k miles.

All were broken in at higher speeds in the upper gears. It's only worked for 43 years...
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
Originally Posted By: racin4ds
Government Motors not wanting to meet a customers satisfaction? Nah.. say it ain't so!

Hope you get to drive it enough to seat the rings between recalls...

If you can't tell, I'm a ford guy, yea they've had their issues too but I hear this A LOT about LS series engines locally with guys that run them hard and track them. Those modular fords won't use a drop of oil with 150k miles on them...
smile.gif



Was this even necessary
confused2.gif



Nope, just a basher. Disregard...
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Noey
If 5 pages isn't the definition of circle jerk, I don't know what is.

You can drive your new car anyway you like, and you can believe what you want. However, the simple fact that the car is gulping down oil indicates that your particular set of beliefs are erroneous. You're beating on a new engine and the result is that you've broken something. it's real easy for the peanut gallery to offer encouragement and advice. but absent any actual qualifications, only a fool listens most to the advice that agrees with their preconceptions.

A performance car doesnt need performance driving when new. An infant..even Einstein...didnt start out with a steady diet of spinach and steak. back off...2500 miles is hardly "broken in"...and see if the change in your adolescent behavior changes your engine's response. If not, take it to another Cadillac dealer and let them take a look.
geez...


You may wish to explain this very common refrain in mine and many other cars owner's manual: "full throttle operation is beneficial to engine break in".

The number one Ford performance guru in the country takes brand new engines, warms them up, then does several FULL THROTTLE pulls to redline on 10W oil.

My BIL is a third gen machinist who works on mega expensive hot rods all the time. His advice? Drive it hard when new for best performance, less blow by, and longer engine life.

Then there's others. Lots of them.

I have an entire fleet of V8 powered service trucks and a few cars/boats,toys as well. Not a single one burns oil between servicings. One has 200k miles. Several are at or near 100k miles.

All were broken in at higher speeds in the upper gears. It's only worked for 43 years...


Yeah? So, how do you explain gulping down a quart every thousand miles?

People once believed the world was flat, too. They were convinced, after all, they always experienced the world as flat. That's until someone showed them it wasn't so.

The guys has a problem with his engine, likely caused by his adolescent response to having a zoom zoom car. Most folks don't run a performance car flat out on a consistent basis until everything has seated. That some have gotten away with this isn't the issue, it's that he apparently has not.

The safe, even *Gasp!* scientific way of demonstrating this..if the damage isn't permanent, which we can find after the inevitable tear down... is to back off for a while and see what happens.

What exactly is the problem with that?
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
You may wish to explain this very common refrain in mine and many other cars owner's manual: "full throttle operation is beneficial to engine break in".

The number one Ford performance guru in the country takes brand new engines, warms them up, then does several FULL THROTTLE pulls to redline on 10W oil.

My BIL is a third gen machinist who works on mega expensive hot rods all the time. His advice? Drive it hard when new for best performance, less blow by, and longer engine life.

Then there's others. Lots of them.

I have an entire fleet of V8 powered service trucks and a few cars/boats,toys as well. Not a single one burns oil between servicings. One has 200k miles. Several are at or near 100k miles.

All were broken in at higher speeds in the upper gears. It's only worked for 43 years...


From OPs description of his driving habits, it doesn't sound like he's doing it per the above. He appears to accelerate hard and then just cruise along at high RPM. The cruising part may very well be the cause of improperly seated rings, if that in fact is the case.
A change in that habit would be a better choice IMO instead of searching for a unicorn oil.
 
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