Oil consumption - avoid changing from MaxLife?

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My 07 Civic has what I consider to be excessive oil consumption. It's always burned oil, not always this much, but it seems to have leveled off after increasing pretty linearly to 1 qt per 2000 miles. At least, I hope it's leveled off. After posting about this issue in the past I decided to switch to Valvoline MaxLife just to see what would happen. I used it as the top-up oil for my last OCI (so probably added 2 quarts of it over 5800-6000 miles) and then filled up with it this time. I'm just 1000 miles into my current OCI but the consumption seems to be with the trend (just added 1/2 quart last week). On the one hand people say that changing brands can cause consumption and it's best to stick with one for a while and see if it improves. On the other hand it's consumed oil over multiple brands and I think this is too much consumption to be caused by a particular oil anyway.

Throwing a wrench into my plans is that the O'Reilly's oil change special this month comes with a Wix filter which makes me want to buy some oil on sale. The Castrol GTX SynBlend looks like a pretty good deal given the sale and I'm tempted to go get some. Now, I'm going to do this regardless because I can always use the GTX in my wife's car (which doesn't have consumption issues, but I'm wondering if I should even bother getting another fill of MaxLife or just get a mini-stash of GTX SynBlend with a few filters and use it in my car too. I could also take this opportunity to try switching from 5w-20 to 5w-30 and see if it helps but GTX SynBlend looks to be a pretty thick oil within its grade in the first place so I don't know.

Is there really any chance at all that the MaxLife could help with consumption if I keep running it, given it hasn't helped already?
 
Maxlife might help some with consumption, but it isn't going to stop all of it. According to most car manufacturers the rule of consumption is anything beyond 1qt/1000mi is unreasonable. I would continue to run the proper grade of oil and top it off every so often and be checking for leaks and blue smoke.

How many miles are on it?
 
You shouldn't be having consumption like that on a 07. Are you still under the powertrain warranty? Have you ever had it checked out? A high mileage oil might help with the consumption, but it won't get rid of it.
 
Have you checked your PCV valve? Do you know whats causing the consumption? Power and MPG's ok?
 
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
You shouldn't be having consumption like that on a 07. Are you still under the powertrain warranty? Have you ever had it checked out? A high mileage oil might help with the consumption, but it won't get rid of it.


+1, I would have this problem checked out. This is not an engine that is synonymous with oil consumption (owned '07 civic and Accord and had ZERO consumption). You can try all of the tricks in the book but they will not FIX the problem. I would also recommend getting your engine looked at and see if you can find the problem.

If you want to just keep going on topping off. Then go for it, get the deals on oil.
 
You have no cause for concern at any oil consumption more than 800-1000 miles/Qt.It has only been in recent years that tolerances have been able to reduce consumption to present levels. In addition, volatility is less that the old SC-SD oils. Keep in mind that the oil film on the cylinder walls must lubricate the top compression rings. Further,a certain amount must pass the valve stem seals to prevent the valve stem from galling in the guides. One Qt. per 2000 miles? [censored]!!FWIW--Oldtommy
 
Originally Posted By: mcrn
Have you checked your PCV valve? Do you know whats causing the consumption? Power and MPG's ok?


+1 Check the PCV, and even spark plugs to see if they are oil-fouled.

You may have gotten the one head that barely passed a Q?A test, and be seeing the effects. Get it checked out, or buy more oil. Either one.

Most cars dont use a drop, something is going on.
 
Originally Posted By: 2oldtommy
You have no cause for concern at any oil consumption more than 800-1000 miles/Qt.It has only been in recent years that tolerances have been able to reduce consumption to present levels. In addition, volatility is less that the old SC-SD oils. Keep in mind that the oil film on the cylinder walls must lubricate the top compression rings. Further,a certain amount must pass the valve stem seals to prevent the valve stem from galling in the guides. One Qt. per 2000 miles? [censored]!!FWIW--Oldtommy


Disagree with that. Some Civics have had engine block failures, there is a TSB and extended warranty on it. Not many cars are affected, but this one could be, I think its one of the model years. Other than those suffering from this, Hondas don't usually burn much oil (unless you have a VTEC). My 05 doesn't use any measurable amount and I'm at 210k miles. I'd be getting that checked out - if nothing else to see if there is a block problem that might be covered.
 
Originally Posted By: onebigunion
Originally Posted By: 2oldtommy
You have no cause for concern at any oil consumption more than 800-1000 miles/Qt.It has only been in recent years that tolerances have been able to reduce consumption to present levels. In addition, volatility is less that the old SC-SD oils. Keep in mind that the oil film on the cylinder walls must lubricate the top compression rings. Further,a certain amount must pass the valve stem seals to prevent the valve stem from galling in the guides. One Qt. per 2000 miles? [censored]!!FWIW--Oldtommy


Disagree with that. Some Civics have had engine block failures, there is a TSB and extended warranty on it. Not many cars are affected, but this one could be, I think its one of the model years. Other than those suffering from this, Hondas don't usually burn much oil (unless you have a VTEC). My 05 doesn't use any measurable amount and I'm at 210k miles. I'd be getting that checked out - if nothing else to see if there is a block problem that might be covered.


+1 I have to agree, most cars dont use a drop of anything primarily relating to oil and other fluids, except for gasoline.

OP, do you have disappearing coolant? Or only oil? I say again, start with PCV.. that is prime suspect in oil disappearance. And let us know if your car has disappearing coolant, that you can not see on the ground!
 
Maxlife isn't going to fix it as soon ad you put it in, whatever high mileage oil you use is going to need time to work. Use whatever high mileage oil you want, but stick with it for a couple of oil changes.

(As for my use of the word "fix" in the first sentence, I mean it as in having a noticable affect on oil consumption and not the it will litterally fix the problem)
 
I appreciate the responses but that's really not what I'm asking about. I'll answer the questions anyway.

70k miles but it's been getting this way for a while. Not under powertrain warranty and I never bothered taking it in when it was because the manufacturers don't consider it a problem at less than 1 qt per 1000 miles like Dominic said. PCV valve passed service manual test but I replaced it anyway. No change. No visible smoke. No oil fouled spark plugs (although a little evidence of oil burning can be seen on them I think, in their coloring). No leaks (certainly not any that would explain this level of loss). Compression is great and even across all cylinders.

This is one of the years covered by a block cracking warranty but that comes with coolant loss, not oil loss (and my coolant is fine).

Even if I get it "checked" I'm not going to have the engine torn into just to fix a little consumption, practically. Who would when the car runs fine and gets good mileage? I'm not sure what could be causing this (other than PCV) that wouldn't involve relatively invasive repairs. It does get a lot of engine braking and mid RPM cruising (up and down big hills) on my commute. That might play into it but it's not an excuse IMO.

I've lived with the car for 4.5 years now and while I don't like the oil consumption I'm done worrying about it. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should even try to stick with MaxLife for a while and see if it makes a difference, or commence with the "whatever's on sale" buying.
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should even try to stick with MaxLife for a while and see if it makes a difference, or commence with the "whatever's on sale" buying.


Put the best Oil you can find in there! Im thinking appropriate grade of Redline.

You want to be good to your car and have the oil sticking to the metal parts as best it can for a nice, slippery start-up meaning any good synthetic, right? So, if you can find it and have it shipped to your non-PO Box house.. Redline! if not.. Royal Purple! $8.49 a quart at Wally World. Cant beat that!
smile.gif
(And im being serious. Wouldnt you want a great oil in your car? For a multitude of reasons? Why EVER put a "what is on sale" oil in your car, unless you didnt care about it? And even then it would be Supertech SN..)
49.gif


It may even alleviate whatever PCV-related issue you have, since you have oil disappearing where it shouldnt.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
My 07 Civic has what I consider to be excessive oil consumption. It's always burned oil, not always this much, but it seems to have leveled off after increasing pretty linearly to 1 qt per 2000 miles.


Leseee, it's always used oil so I doubt any HM oil will make big difference, seals rarely are failing in a engine with less than 75-100K mi... If there is a improvement it would likely be because of the ticker oil... It's been stated here on BITOG that thicker oil will not improve oil consumption but I beg to differ... In the case of valve seals no it won't make much difference(this is generally where the HM additives work their magic), if the oil improves ring seal then yes it can make a noticeable difference, still be ecstatic if consumption improves by 500mi qt...
 
This just sounds crazy to me. I've never had to add oil to anything that wasn't leaking, and even then very little.

This really sounds nuts.
 
Yeah, well, I think I attract oil burners. That's the only conclusion I can come to. And my previous cars were purchased at too high mileage for me to have been the cause
smile.gif


I ended up stocking up on the GTX SynBlend so it looks like I will be ditching MaxLife for a while after my current fill.
 
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