Engine oil use

[Joeescape63]

Do certain engine designs use more oil over others?I have a Ford Ecoboost 2.0L which is a inline-4. Would a Subaru boxer(flat 4) use more oil than a inline or a V shaped engine?I always break the engine in as per manufactures recommendation.Thanks Joe

 

[bdcardinal]

I think there are other factors that influence oil use. PCV design, type of piston rings and gap, and cylinder wall finish have more of an impact.

 

[Eddie]

I agree with bdcardinal. There are just too many factors to make a general statement. I've had flat 4s & 6s and inline 4s and l6 and v6s and non of them used more than a few ozs in a normal OCI. Ed

 

[OneEyeJack]

Boxer 4's and 6's have been doing well in airplanes for a long time where maintenance is well tracked and most often done with great care, no shortcuts, no quicky lubes. I had to overhaul an 84 Civic motor at 400K miles when the 4 oil control rings all failed and everything else in the engine was doing just fine. Most people don't go that far and would never see such a failure. Crankcase ventilation control is a contributor to the problem in engines that would otherwise never see such difficulty.

 

[Alex_V]

Piston orientation or basic design doesn't have much effect on oil consumption. Certain materials or designs used by certain manufacturers (Toyota's ring coking, Dodge's low-tension rings, Chevy's faulty integral PCV valve on the Cruze, etc.) do, but not strictly how many cylinders lay which direction.

 

[pkunk]

Originally Posted By: Alex_V

Piston orientation or basic design doesn't have much effect on oil consumption. Certain materials or designs used by certain manufacturers (Toyota's ring coking, Dodge's low-tension rings, Chevy's faulty integral PCV valve on the Cruze, etc.) do, but not strictly how many cylinders lay which direction.

Until you think about oil use in an aircraft radial engine

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack

Boxer 4's and 6's have been doing well in airplanes for a long time where maintenance is well tracked and most often done with great care, no shortcuts, no quicky lubes. I had to overhaul an 84 Civic motor at 400K miles when the 4 oil control rings all failed and everything else in the engine was doing just fine. Most people don't go that far and would never see such a failure. Crankcase ventilation control is a contributor to the problem in engines that would otherwise never see such difficulty.

Did you replace just the oil rings and put it back together? I would have been tempted.