Oil Consumption Update

[The Critic]

'96 Saturn SL2 Auto

As of today, 100,450 miles on the vehicle, 4,352 miles on oil (Valvoline Maxlife 5W30 SM + Purolator Premium Plus Oil Filter)

99,000 miles: 1/2 qt low, added 12 oz of Quaker State 10W30 SL

100,450 miles: 1/2 qt low

Since the oil addition, I've done approximately 500 miles of highway driving. But notice, the oil consumption is now twice the previous rate. I'm not sure if I did any sustained (200+ mi) highway driving during the first 3k miles, but I'm surprised by the rapid increase in oil consumption since the 3k mark.

Someone help me ??? Any explanation for this behavior?

 

[jonny-b]

You should try Auto-Rx first www.auto-rx.com together with mineral oil(both clean and rinse). I guess you have checked for leaks?

 

[ThirdeYe]

Saturns are also notorious for burning oil, even if they're relatively well maintained.

 

[Blue99]

Critic, many have reported that consumption tends to increase in the later 1/2 of an OCI, when the oxidation rate of a conventional oil is increasing due to depletion of the oxidation additives.

Some oil/engine combinations generate more usage, so monitor carefully to determine the best oil for your application.

 

[Dad2leia]

After having had a Saturn SL2 - 1991, I agree with ThirdYe's statement. They do, in fact, use oil, more if you drive them hard, less if you go easy on them.

If you are going through too much of the oil in the viscosity that you are using, go to the next higher grade. Trust me, their engines can take a lot.

 

[otis24]

I was using a half to three-fourths of a quart in my Grand Caravan in about 1200 miles using Hav and MC. I switched to Penn Platinum and consuption went to about a half quart in 4000 miles. I am using 5w30 although the van is spec'd for 5w20.

 

[skate1968]

FYI
I remember reading somewhere on that a Saturn's oil consumption can often be greatly improved by a 'Piston Soak' type cleaning. You might want to look into this/ search on the Saturn forums.

http://www.saturnspot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=300157&sid=d483227ff7c8b3f364beb5952d1f00b5

 

[skate1968]

Quote:

---

...but I'm surprised by the rapid increase in oil consumption since the 3k mark.

Someone help me ??? Any explanation for this behavior?

---

If a car has blowby then unburned fuel mixes with the oil. The oil no longer lubricates properly because it's dilluted with the unburned fuel-- thus more blowby. See thread 'Oil burns after prolonged use'

http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/s...part=2&vc=1

 

[kgb007stb]

Gotta love those Saturns, mine consume ~ ½ qt per 5k miles I have the 2002 and 2001 models both on M1 synthetics, and I thought that I had it bad. Basically, even mentioned once on this site Saturns had faulty oil rings so no matter what you do they will consume oil. I will be experimenting with different oils, one has PP and the other has Amsoil HD just to see if anything will happen. If my consumption will ever go up, I’ll be dumping synthetics and go with DINOs. One uses a 3oz Auto-RX maintenance dose, the other uses 10% concentration of LC and still the same consumption numbers. Considering how cheap I got the cars I can live with my consumption numbers, lately I have been commuting between LA and the Sac area so when I push my cars o the I-5 they do consume a bit more. I’ve learned to live with it, I just can’t imagine someone owning these cars and not checking the oil level for say 1 year. Maybe that’s why the cars are so cheap, people just do not want to be under the hood all the time checking their oil level.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I had a friend with a Saturn blow his engine before by forgetting to refill it with oil