Is there a such thing as normal oil consumption?

[Polarisdude94]

So today I was talking to my sisters boyfriend about oil being consumed during an OCI. I have always thought that an engine shouldn't consume any oil if it was running properly? But he seemed to think that the oil breaking down would lead the engine to somehow consume it, not burning oil either. What are your guy's opinions? To me that doesn't even seem possible to consume oil without burning it. And is there a such thing as normal oil consumption?

Thanks!

 

[Clevy]

Yes.
The rings will vapourize a bit of oil on every stroke. And depending on the oil there is evaporation. And depending on the engine some will consume more than others.
As Steve would say it's wildly platform specific.

 

[earlyre]

several manufacturers even claim that up to a quart/1500 mi or so is "normal"

 

[KitaCam]

Normal, no....typical, yes. Every engine is different. Some use more than others...to expect no drop in oil level between OCs is unrealistic.

 

[jk_636]

There is no such thing as normal when it comes to burning oil. If you are losing oil during the OCI, then something is wrong.

 

[zpinch]

Originally Posted By: jk_636
There is no such thing as normal when it comes to burning oil. If you are losing oil during the OCI, then something is wrong.


Where have you been?! Every engine will lose oil sooner or later, again platform specific, age related, oil variable, driving style variable, etc. Get your facts straight.

 

[Polarisdude94]

I know some manufacturers said that it was normal, but to me that was sort of to cover themselves. Good to know though!

 

[jk_636]

No...it shouldn't. Unless your motor is beginning to wear out and hit the end of its lifespan or you are running oil changes way to long, no modern engine should consume oil.

 

[jk_636]

Originally Posted By: Polarisdude94
I know some manufacturers said that it was normal, but to me that was sort of to cover themselves. Good to know though!


You should not be losing oil in a healthy, modern engine. My question would be how much his vehicle is "losing." Some people forget that your oil filter can hold up to a quart of oil in some cases. He may be mistaking that for oil being "consumed"

 

[HK45]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
several manufacturers even claim that up to a quart/1500 mi or so is "normal"

Yep, I was very surprised when I read in my Corolla owners manual the other other day:

Quote:
Oil consumption: Max. 1.0 L per 1000km (1.1 qt./600 miles, 0.9 lmp. qt./600 miles)


Crazy!

 

[abycat]

Originally Posted By: zpinch
Originally Posted By: jk_636
There is no such thing as normal when it comes to burning oil. If you are losing oil during the OCI, then something is wrong.


Where have you been?! Every engine will lose oil sooner or later, again platform specific, age related, oil variable, driving style variable, etc. Get your facts straight.


my car doesn't consume a drop At 57000km. Not saying it won't eventually but it hasn't yet. my truck is actually the same with 314000km on it. It is the 300 6 so im not too surprised.

 

[Clevy]

The rings will fry and evaporate oil on every stroke. To deny that is to not understand just how hot the edges get.
So yes some oil gets burned at the ring/cylinder contact point.
Fuel dilution compensates so there doesn't look like any oil is lost but there is.
And isn't the noack value relative to evaporation of oil and depending on the oil some evaporate faster than others but all will evaporate some as the shorter chains get burned up.

 

[Polarisdude94]

That was my initial thought as well, with the oil filter. But he said he put in the full 6 quarts it calls for. And he said he usually used about a half quart to a quart for a 4000-5000 OCI.

 

[bblackmon19]

All engines consume oil. Modern and Classic, brand new or on it's last leg. They burn it, leak it, or it ends up as varnish in hot spots. Some burn a little some burn a lot. Some burn more than what was originally designed which isn't good.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Normal, no....typical, yes. Every engine is different. Some use more than others...to expect no drop in oil level between OCs is unrealistic.
Yup, perfectly normal to have some consumption. I think on a newer car a quart every 2k is ridiculous though. My brother's Lexus has 180k miles and burns a quart every 500 miles and runs fantastic. It smokes out the exhaust quite a bit, but that engine runs soooo smooth. Luckily mine has burned 1/2 a quart so far 9,000 miles into this OCI.

 

[doublebase]

I'd say oil consumption between a half, to a quart during an oil change interval is normal for most cars.

Personally my car goes 4,800 miles without losing a drop of oil, for some reason that's the limit. Then as soon as it hits 4,900-5,000, I lose about a half a quart. Does it like clockwork.

 

[jk_636]

Originally Posted By: Polarisdude94
That was my initial thought as well, with the oil filter. But he said he put in the full 6 quarts it calls for. And he said he usually used about a half quart to a quart for a 4000-5000 OCI.


What type of vehicle, what engine, how many miles and what type of driving (city, highway, combo etc.)?

 

[zach1900]

ICE engines use oil, it's the nature of the beast, anybody claiming different needs to study the ICE engine.

 

[zach1900]

Wrong

 

[zach1900]

Wrong.