I have had the car for 4 years bought with a 115,000 miles on it. it runs like a top very smooth running quite motor, not hardy a tick on a cold startup after sitting for a few days.
I have used dino 5w30 or 10w30 in winter and 10w30 dino in summer since I have owned it. I was thinking of using 15w40 in summer only.
it's not burning that much oil actually very little when I am babying it on the high way and not pulling my bass boat. but when it's hot outside and i'm pulling my 2000 pound bass boat for 100 too 200 miles on the highway at a time it can burn a quart fairly quicky like a quart in 400 miles, unsure were the oil is going by, rings or valve guides?, I never see it smoke.
heat, load, rpm's and miles since oil change seem to be the factors cuasing the oil burning. The motor is dry, doesn't leak a drop period.
on a side note I had a mercury cougar with 4.6 motor with 120,000 miles, I bought the car when it had a fresh oil change and it Had motorcraft oil in it from the sticker, unsure what weight oil. i drove it 3500 miles before changing the oil since the oil stayed clean. during those 3500 miles I never had to add oil. I then changed oil, put dino 10w30 penz and a napa gold filter. well after about 1000 miles on the new oil problems started. and then the motor start knocking on startup, it sounded like a rod bearing for a few seconds. it only knocked after sitting over night. the hotter the temp was the worse it was, if it was a cold day and night it was better (August was cold here in WI). I noticed the penz oil turned dirty quick and when I drained (a cold drian)it was very thin.
well next ( late august) I put motorcraft dino 15w40 and a walmart motorcraft filter in it, knock was gone period. but after a cold night I did hear a little timing chain noise( I think)for a few seconds on start up. I have noticed that the oil temp is very hot in the cougar, I pulled over at a wayside to check the oil, wow the stick tip temp was the hotest I every felt in my life, the temp was 50 degree F outside and i was criusing down the interstate at 65 mph.
it appears to me the penz dino 10w30 couldn't take the heat and sheared down, the motor never really burned any oil before, but after 1000 miles on the penz it starting burning some oil and i had to add. i sold the cougar after putting 1000 miles on the 15w40
[ September 25, 2004, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: MillerMan ]