Oil burning journey 2006 CR-V with 176k mi

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

I’m posting this to consolidate my data as I work to reduce oil burning on my CR-V’s K24. This car was owned by my father who did 3,000 mi changes with Quaker State conventional 5w20 since about 60k mi. Lots of short trips in cold weather. Significant varnish inside the valve cover.

Log:

2/19/22, 176,114 mi
Oil change, Supertech Advanced 0w20, Wix XP filter, replaced PCV valve with OEM valve and hose, replaced oil cap with OEM

1/14/23, 178,580 mi
(Burned 1qt in 2466 mi)
Oil change, Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 5w30

7/9/23, 179,700 mi
(Burned 1qt in 1120 mi)
ATS 505 fuel and oil pour-in treatment
Oil change, Amsoil SS 0w30, Supertech filter

7/14/23, 180,475 mi
(Burned 0.5 qt in 775 mi = 1550 mi/qt)
Added 0.5qt HPL Engine Clean 30 to crankcase and bottle of Amsoil PI to gas tank
MPG up, over 230 mi to 1/8 tank

8/5/23, 181,311 mi
(Burned ~6oz in 836 mi = 4459 mi/qt note: calculation dubious due to inaccuracy reading low burned volumes)
Added 6oz HPL EC 30 to crankcase

182,102
(Burned 1/2qt in 791 mi = 1582 mi/qt)
Added 0.5qt Amsoil SS 0w30
Changed old Supertech filter (2402 mi), replaced with Wix

Oil in old filter appeared dark caramel in color, but not quite black, Supertech filter shows brittle, hard, black grains as shown in below photos. (Ignore airborne seed in one of the pics, photo was taken outside)



Plan:

Run the Amsoil/HPL EC combo to 184k, topping off as needed, then perform Berryman’s piston soak followed by change to HPL Premium Plus 0w30 and Fram Titanium filter.

If the burn does not reduce in approx 10k mi, then I’m probably giving up and switching to Valvoline High Mileage 150k 5w30.

 

[cptbarkey]

This youtube channel is attempting something similar, its hard for me to follow what progress he has made as there is a bit of chaff in there vs clear data and results which you ARE doing! He attempts multiple methods with a late 90s corolla. Maybe you will find some more anecdotes there to try, or things to avoid.

https://www.youtube.com/@FamilyFriendlyDIY

 

[fdcg27]

Kreen

 

[Passport1]

I watched DIY Dave's videos. He got some improvement with this.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

I watched DIY Dave's videos. He got some improvement with this.


View attachment 176325

I forgot to mention if I do a piston soak with Berryman’s I’ll immediately follow it up with MMO to restore some lubrication to the cylinder walls.

I also ran 8oz of MMO in the crank prior to this log, I just don’t have the same level of detail on it.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Kreen

This is not particularly helpful.

 

[Al]

Go with 10W-40. I use 5W-40 in my '22 Forester

 

[JavierH19]

m1 0w-40 can clean pretty well.

 

[Ursatdx]

It's a 17 year old Honda that likes to consume oil.
Ant leaks?
If It doesn't impact emission inspections then top it off and let it be.
How much does a Qt of oil cost?
Grab a qt and add as needed.
Trying to fix an unfixable problem will, surely, cost too much $ than
actually accepting it and keeping it full with oil.
Happy Holiday!
God Bless America

 

[MSCH]

I’m posting this to consolidate my data as I work to reduce oil burning on my CR-V’s K24. This car was owned by my father who did 3,000 mi changes with Quaker State conventional 5w20 since about 60k mi. Lots of short trips in cold weather. Significant varnish inside the valve cover.

Log:

2/19/22, 176,114 mi
Oil change, Supertech Advanced 0w20, Wix XP filter, replaced PCV valve with OEM valve and hose, replaced oil cap with OEM

1/14/23, 178,580 mi
(Burned 1qt in 2466 mi)
Oil change, Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 5w30

7/9/23, 179,700 mi
(Burned 1qt in 1120 mi)
ATS 505 fuel and oil pour-in treatment
Oil change, Amsoil SS 0w30, Supertech filter

7/14/23, 180,475 mi
(Burned 0.5 qt in 775 mi = 1550 mi/qt)
Added 0.5qt HPL Engine Clean 30 to crankcase and bottle of Amsoil PI to gas tank
MPG up, over 230 mi to 1/8 tank

8/5/23, 181,311 mi
(Burned ~6oz in 836 mi = 4459 mi/qt note: calculation dubious due to inaccuracy reading low burned volumes)
Added 6oz HPL EC 30 to crankcase

182,102
(Burned 1/2qt in 791 mi = 1582 mi/qt)
Added 0.5qt Amsoil SS 0w30
Changed old Supertech filter (2402 mi), replaced with Wix

Oil in old filter appeared dark caramel in color, but not quite black, Supertech filter shows brittle, hard, black grains as shown in below photos. (Ignore airborne seed in one of the pics, photo was taken outside)

View attachment 176298View attachment 176299View attachment 176300View attachment 176301View attachment 176302View attachment 176303

Plan:

Run the Amsoil/HPL EC combo to 184k, topping off as needed, then perform Berryman’s piston soak followed by change to HPL Premium Plus 0w30 and Fram Titanium filter.

If the burn does not reduce in approx 10k mi, then I’m probably giving up and switching to Valvoline High Mileage 150k 5w30.

could do the smartest most economic thing and just use the cheapest oil on the shelf and add as necessary.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

If anyone has a problem with gathering data to help other people, they are free to click past this thread. It may very well be that there is no benefit to this plan, but it is entertaining to try.

This is not about money. This is not about the car. I’m in a position to run a test and that’s what I’m doing.

HPL is talked up a lot for its cleaning ability, so I am testing it. I already have the oil in my possession. I, and I suspect many others, are curious if anything will change. If it doesn’t, then of course I’ll be using cheaper oil, like I already mentioned.

 

[fdcg27]

This is not particularly helpful.

Kreen is a product some users here have used in freeing carboned up rings.
Here's a link and you can find plenty of user reports in the various car forums online.

Kreen | Kroil - Best Penetrating Oil

Provides four solutions in one: improves compression, reduces oil consumption, cleans injectors and increases gas mileage.

www.kroil.com

Valvoline makes an engine oil specifically intended to free up rings in Cummins diesels that some have tried in their gassers.
Here's a link as well as a link to an old thread about this oil from here.

Premium Blue Restore

partner.valvolineglobal.com

Valvoline Premium Blue Restore

I just called the local Cummins service center about this oil. They have it in stock and it's $73.00 a gallon.

bobistheoilguy.com

Just wanted to provide what may prove some more helpful information and I agree with your premise that you're looking at sticky rings rather than gross wear.

 

[CarDoc66]

Assuming you've eliminated a PCV or blow-by issue, I personally wouldn't use an expensive oil. I might get some 5W-40 Syntech or Supertec and see what happens (had a Subaru EJ255 burning a quart every 750 mi and Rotella 15w-40 slowed it considerably). I tore it down @84,000 miles, rings were clean as a whistle. I got some new rings, did some cleaning and a light hone and then performed a high load, low RPM break in with conventional 30W for 100 miles, then switched back to 5w-40 and was down to a quart every 4000 miles. Clearly a case of improper break in.
Rings are THE most important part of break-in and it needs to happen fast..... in the first 50-100 miles and done properly when dealing with low tension rings. Brief, full throttle acceleration at LOW RPM (with a brief cool down cruise in between) is considered a good break in practice. The cylinder pressure forces the rings into the walls to seat them fast without glazing.
Don't forget an intake valve guide or stem seal could be the culprit as well. I've seen engines chug a quart in 750 miles with loose guides and never had any smoke. This will show up on the plugs.
Spark plug deposits might tell an accurate story on your oil consumption....... if you have a particular cylinder causing the issue.
Better yet, get some cheap Champion or NGK copper plugs, put some 0w-20 in there and let it slug a quart or two. It might help you with a diagnosis.
Keep us posted with your results, I'm very interested since it seems more and more of my customers are having oil consumption issues.
Good Luck!

 

[MSCH]

If anyone has a problem with gathering data to help other people, they are free to click past this thread. It may very well be that there is no benefit to this plan, but it is entertaining to try.

This is not about money. This is not about the car. I’m in a position to run a test and that’s what I’m doing.

I didn't realize it was a test.. my bad. I wont bother reading anymore.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Assuming you've eliminated a PCV or blow-by issue, I personally wouldn't use an expensive oil. I might get some 5W-40 Syntech or Supertec and see what happens (had a Subaru EJ255 burning a quart every 750 mi and Rotella 15w-40 slowed it considerably). I tore it down @84,000 miles, rings were clean as a whistle. I got some new rings, did some cleaning and a light hone and then performed a high load, low RPM break in with conventional 30W for 100 miles, then switched back to 5w-40 and was down to a quart every 4000 miles. Clearly a case of improper break in.
Rings are THE most important part of break-in and it needs to happen fast..... in the first 50-100 miles and done properly when dealing with low tension rings. Brief, full throttle acceleration at LOW RPM (with a brief cool down cruise in between) is considered a good break in practice. The cylinder pressure forces the rings into the walls to seat them fast without glazing.
Don't forget an intake valve guide or stem seal could be the culprit as well. I've seen engines chug a quart in 750 miles with loose guides and never had any smoke. This will show up on the plugs.
Spark plug deposits might tell an accurate story on your oil consumption....... if you have a particular cylinder causing the issue.
Better yet, get some cheap Champion or NGK copper plugs, put some 0w-20 in there and let it slug a quart or two. It might help you with a diagnosis.
Keep us posted with your results, I'm very interested since it seems more and more of my customers are having oil consumption issues.
Good Luck!

As I noted, the PCV was replaced. It could be intake valve guide or stem seal, and I have some Seafoam spray-in intake treatment I may test out if the piston soak/HPL oil test fails. I am focused on treating rings right now so that if any reduction in consumption occurs, I’ll have a good idea it was the rings. Given the particles in the filter, I suspect they may be de-coking. We’ll see.

Unfortunately I don’t know the history of the car for its first 60k mi. I have some service records but don’t know how it was broken in. I’m also a fan of hard break-in and after warming up did a good onramp run for my brand new Tacoma when I bought it. This newer vehicle is why I already have the 0w30 oil stash. I’m just using some of the oil in the old CR-V that I had already purchased for my other vehicle.

I replaced the plugs 5/14/21 at about 170k with NGK iridium. Here’s a pic of one of the old plugs. As far as I recall, they all looked like this, I didn’t note much variation.

 

[Cujet]

I am focused on treating rings right now so that if any reduction in consumption occurs, I’ll have a good idea it was the rings. Given the particles in the filter, I suspect they may be de-coking. We’ll see.

A great many Honda engines used low tension rings and even small levels of wear resulted in oil consumption. I wish you well in your quest to improve things, but I suspect the rings will need to be replaced if you want to eliminate the problem. The only way to prevent those rings from failing early was to use, well, that's a subject for another day.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

A great many Honda engines used low tension rings and even small levels of wear resulted in oil consumption. I wish you well in your quest to improve things, but I suspect the rings will need to be replaced if you want to eliminate the problem. The only way to prevent those rings from failing early was to use, well, that's a subject for another day.

Thanks. Yeah, you are probably right. I’d say at that point the car is not worth putting that much into.

However, if I can show a reduction in consumption, say from 1500 mi/qt to 2500 mi/qt, I think that’s still interesting and worthwhile.

 

[bullwinkle]

Only danger of even a quart/2500 is eventual cat plugging/poisoning failure is kind of inevitable. Then it’s time for the rod and hammer… Following, Mrs. Bullwinkle would like a M/T CRV to replace her tiring xB, which means an older one.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Only danger of even a quart/2500 is eventual cat plugging/poisoning failure is kind of inevitable. Then it’s time for the rod and hammer… Following, Mrs. Bullwinkle would like a M/T CRV to replace her tiring xB, which means an older one.

Yeah, but then again replacing a cat is cheaper/less work than digging into the engine.

I love these old CR-Vs. They need to bring back a more utilitarian no-nonsense little SUV like this.

 

[Marcozi]

Research Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Basically you add some to the oil and let the engine idel for 30-60 minutes. Then change the oil and filter using cheap 20W50 oil and a good filter. Run the engine again for 16 minutes. Change the oil and filter using cheap 20W50 oil and a good filter, again. Repeat until the oil comes out of the engine relatively clean. Drain the engine and refill wit the appropriate oil and a new filter.

DMSO, when heated, becomes a very strong cleaner. The process above the DMSO dissolves the varnish and other contaminants. It also frees up gunked up oil control rings.