Prius V oil burner

[zstand]

Okay, I am back with a follow up question regarding my wife's oil burning 2012 Prius V. I kept track and it has consumed 7.5 quarts in the last 10k miles. I am using Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 0w20 and a Fram Ultra filter.

I normally change the oil & filter every 10k, But I have added enough oil to have almost filled the sump twice. I have a good filter on that should last 20K, so why not just keep adding oil, then change the oil and filter at 20K? Is that going to hurt anything? I will possibly send the oil off the Blackstone when I do this but I don't think it will be worn out due to all the makeup oil.

Car runs fine otherwise, but a quart every 1200 miles is disappointing.

 

[spasm3]

Why not try a 5w30? It that does not help a 5w 40 or 10w 40?

My son had a saturn that used a quart every 400 miles. There was a point that i quit changing it and just changed the filter twice a year.

 

[PimTac]

Have you had anyone look at it or had any work done on it like the pcv valve for example?

 

[nthach]

Argh, I'm not at all a fan of long OCIs on Toyotas. They have small sumps(compared to a German car) and a "dumb" OLM that trips every 5K.

If it was me, shorten the OCIs to 5K, start doing MMO treatments about 500 miles out from an OCI and use an oil that has better cleaning qualities. Doing a few Kreen or BG 109 EPR cleaning cycles before draining the oil(NOT when you drive it, run the car in maintenance mode with Kreen or 109 for 15-20 minutes and change the oil) for the next 2-3 OCIs won't hurt. The goal is to clean up the varnish and sludge in the ring packs but eventually the low-tension rings will succumb to wear. Prii and oil consumption aren't unheard of at higher mileages.

 

[StevieC]

If he's replacing 7.5 quarts in 10K miles it's like a frequent change. I would just change the filter and keep topping off or have the problem in the engine fixed if the vehicle is worth it.

Check the PCV valve first though if that hasn't been done already but judging by the amount of oil it's drinking I would say it's likely worn components of the engine.

 

[The Critic]

Just keep adding oil. At your mileage, you will be due for a headgasket job soon anyway. I just had the headgasket failure on my 2011 at 185k. When the headgasket issue bites you, you can either install a low-mileage engine from a 2015 (which has the revised rings) or "rebuild" your engine with a new short block from Toyota.

 

[Chris142]

So much for a clean air vehicle with All that oil burning.

 

[dave1251]

Just keep adding oil no reason for a change and change your oil filter annually.

 

[dave1251]

I'll add try using a 40 grade it may help with the consumption nothing fancy just the cheapest API SM/SN off of the shelf.

 

[Linctex]

Try a heavier grade of oil.

Changing the filter once a year is plenty - no need to change oil that gets refreshed so often

 

[gathermewool]

I wouldn't ever change the oil.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by The Critic
Just keep adding oil. At your mileage, you will be due for a headgasket job soon anyway. I just had the headgasket failure on my 2011 at 185k. When the headgasket issue bites you, you can either install a low-mileage engine from a 2015 (which has the revised rings) or "rebuild" your engine with a new short block from Toyota.
Non-serviceable block? Or is different because of the rings?

 

[Gokhan]

This is an issue with the pistons and piston rings, not the valve-stem oil seals. Thicker oil will probably increase the oil consumption.

Toyota T-SB-0169-16
November 16, 2016
2ZR-FXE Engine Oil Consumption Repair Procedure

"Some 2010 - 2014 model year Prius PHV, Prius V, and Prius vehicles equipped with the 2ZZ-FXE engine may exhibit engine oil consumption. Both the piston and piston ring assembly have been changed to reduce the potential for oil consumption. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition."

Basically, you need an engine rebuild with redesigned pistons and piston rings.

According to a Consumer Reports survey, European cars that require thick oil are the highest-oil-consuming cars.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by Gokhan
This is an issue with the pistons and piston rings, not the valve-stem oil seals. Thicker oil will probably increase the oil consumption.

...

According to a Consumer Reports survey, European cars that require thick oil are the highest-oil-consuming cars.


Are you self-connecting these two things? I'm not sure the two intrinsically align.

It might be safer to say that engines designed for operations at higher load and higher speed are the highest consuming cars.

Not sure that thick oil requirement is specifically the cause or case.

 

[Gokhan]

Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by Gokhan
This is an issue with the pistons and piston rings, not the valve-stem oil seals. Thicker oil will probably increase the oil consumption.

...

According to a Consumer Reports survey, European cars that require thick oil are the highest-oil-consuming cars.
Are you self-connecting these two things? I'm not sure the two intrinsically align.

It might be safer to say that engines designed for operations at higher load and higher speed are the highest consuming cars.

Not sure that thick oil requirement is specifically the cause or case.

I don't think so either. It's a design problem though. No well-designed engine should consume oil. As Consumer Reports says, "Excessive oil consumption isn't normal. Automakers say adding oil between scheduled changes is acceptable. It's not."

 

[WagonWheel]

Originally Posted by Chris142
So much for a clean air vehicle with All that oil burning.


Pretty much why I don't consider hybrids. You have all the issues with an ICE plus all the joys of HEV maintenance.