Originally Posted by NETWizz
Originally Posted by StevieC
Nice custom ramps. The oil consumption is well within the limits that are considered acceptable. I understand it's alarming and it's really hard to tell what it could be but I would continue running the oil and maybe check your PCV valve and clean it with some non-chlorinated brake cleaner and see if that makes a difference.
If not you can try changing back to M1 but they are both really high quality oils and I doubt the oil is the cause for the change. (Just coincidental)
Be sure to let us know if you get it figured out. thumbsup.
Thanks. I can post some plans for the ramp extensions. Basically, I boxed in Rhino ramps, so they cannot move, and I used the longest screws possible (without going through) for added strength. Also used construction adhesive. Wood itself is tremendously strong when compressed; hence, the reason I built it this way... it's fairly safe.
The oil burn is only alarming because it is different and new to burn any in this car (that I know of); I don't like changes when everything is running prefect. If it starts getting worse in a few more oil changes, I am in big trouble! At any rate, I will see how it fairs this oil change. If it doesn't settle in, I will be going back to Mobil 1. Also, great point on the PCV. I did some checking, and this car has two PCV valves. I can buy both new ones and a set of gaskets OEM for around $45. If I am going to spend the effort to mess with them, I am just going to replace with new, and look up the torque spec etc. before doing the job. I will give it a chance to settle down or try going back to M1 first though.
It is also possible this may be normal. The dealer may be over-filling putting in 5 and 1/2 quarts for all I know, so maybe this isn't even new. Also if it doesn't get any worse, I can live with a 1/2 quart loss between oil changes, and I DO check the stick about every 1000 miles. In fact, I set the "other" maintenance reminder for 1,000 miles. It is my reminder to check the dip stick and other fluid levels, vacuum, wash the car, and top up the tires.
At any rate, thanks for the heads-up to check the PCV. I did some Internet research and a lot of folks have indicated a bad PCV burns oil.
Originally Posted by MONKEYMAN
I appreciate your attention to detail. Your dealership experience is one reason I change my own oil. Did you actually observe them using the oil you provided? My lack of trust can just imagine the dealer using bulk oil for your car based on their lack of attention to detail you observed. I currently use Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra Platinum with no consumption. I did notice my previous car had more oil consumption with Pennzoil Platinum compared to other oils, so it can happen.
There is no visibility back there to see what they are doing, but I can tell you that the do NOT follow proper torque procedures when they are damaging cars by over-tightening lug nuts - it's insane... makes me wonder how they could ever be trusted to do way more complicated stuff like replace an engine head assembly for example. They actually used to have a window for viewing into the garage, and they covered it with a rack of new tires blocking the view. Then soon there was a mechanic's tool box covering it, and recently they remodeled deleting said window all together as if it was never there... I suspect they don't want customers seeing what they are doing (or not doing).
That said, I honestly cannot say they aren't putting in what I provide. Personally, if I were working in a garage, I would put in exactly what the customer provides provided it met the spects in the manual/on the cap. If the customer provided something the wrong SAE viscosity or without the proper API, DEXOS, or whatever... I would immediately page the service advisor to call the customer up and tell them we cannot use their oil and why. Then I would ask if they want to proceed with bulk, buy one of our other offerings, run down and get something else, or cancel the service.
Originally Posted by ammolab
Check your oil 15 min AFTER your 3 min run when you do your change. Pumping oil into the filter may have put you almost 1/2 quart low at the START of your OCI.
I always wait 10 minutes after shutdown before checking even though the book says 15 minutes... At any rate I just checked it at right now (at midnight) because we are BITOG.
the car has been sitting level for at least 6 hours turned off..
I pulled the dip stick and wiped it. Re-inserted fully, and withdrew... Here is where it is right now
a mere two weeks and a couple hundred miles since the last oil change:
Okay, so it's too clean to see the oil, but it's there.
Held up to the light, you can see the surface-tension fills the little drilled hole for the "full" mark on the dip stick.
It's actually about 3/8" beyond the top drilled hole in the dipstick.
I also really like your ramps! I made a couple wood pieces to lay on the ramp/angle part in order to get my wife's car up a bit higher so her air dam doesn't scrape the Rhino's while driving up. It works but I also have to lay a couple rags under the wood pieces on the ramp so they don't kick out.
Are your Rhino ramps permanently attached to those wooden pieces or do they come in and out by just angling the slope part under the wooden part?
It looks like you can remove them, which, if you can, I may just build something identical to yours?
Storage room/space are my concerns but if the ramps are removable from the wooden pieces you built, then I can work with that. If you could provide details on them, that would be great.
As far as your oil consumption goes, I don't have much to add other than to tell you I use PP or PUP in all 3 of our vehicles and oil consumption is a non issue.
In my old 87 Chevy Wrangle P/U, I ran Amsoil as my buddy was a dealer/seller and I tried to help/support him but that 305 would burn/use almost a quart in a 1,000 miles. Long story short, and after doing 2 OC's, I switched back to a regular type sny and my oil consumption issues stopped.
Imo, I would measure where your oil level is after an oil change and a drive to get it warm/hot, park on level ground and let it sit for a few hours or more (my wife's car takes 3 hours to get an accurate reading where the oil isn't streaky on the dipstick) then check/note the level then repeat exactly that same process a week or 2 later.
Good luck.
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