Priuv V using oil, advice needed

[zstand]

We bought my wife's 2013 Prius V new and have always done 10k changes with Toyota 0w20 and OEM filters.

It now has 150k on it and I have been adding a quart of oil every 1800-2000 miles.

I have just purchased jugs and jugs of PP & PPHM 0W20 cheap and will start using it in the car.

I would like some BITOG opinions on how to handle the oil use of this car.

Here are some thoughts I have had:

-continue using 10k oci despite all of the makeup oil

-use fram ultra filter and go 20k oci assuming all of the makeup oil will keep oil strong.

-switch to pyb to save money (I actually bought PP cheaper than pyb so this is kinda out)

-go to a heavier oil and hope usage drops

-do some sort of engine clean hoping oil use is dirty ring related.

I look forward to advice on this.

 

[Chris142]

Try 5w20,then 10w30.

 

[Warstud]

Try Pennzoil Conventional...(PYB) 5w20

 

[macarose]

Before you switch oils, definitely replace the PCV valve and check all the hoses for clogging. Then, start watching your oil consumption at your next oil change. If it doesn't decrease, then try another oil.

There are high mileage synthetic oils that may be beneficial. 5W-20 has been a suitable replacement for a lot of Prius owners who don't want to go with a 0W-20. There is also a bit of a difference between European vs. North American oil weights with many models due to our CAFE requirements. However I am not 100% sure if that's the case with the Prius V.

Good luck!

 

[zstand]

Great idea on the pcv. I will change that for sure!

 

[CR94]

That's apparently a common complaint, although I haven't experienced it. (In fact, mine consumes amazingly little oil, so far.) There was a TSB for rebuilding the engine with improved rings by a dealer, IF you could prove you had the problem. The rate of consumption you report is not bad enough to qualify. The tendency may be aggravated by high-VII Japanese oils. At about what mileage did the high consumption begin? Gradually or abruptly?

Most of the suggestions above are unlikely to help significantly.

 

[JAG]

As said, change the PCV valve and clean the inside of the hoses, if needed. If you want to go all out, pay the $72/gallon for Valvoline Premium Blue Restore. An alternative is to put some BG EPR in the oil, either according to instructions or a much lesser amount and drive around with it during some errands right before an oil change. You could also use Yamalube Ring Free fuel additive which is supposed to clean the rings.

 

[JLTD]

If it's not the PCV, and not the 0w-20, I would go ahead with a 20k OCI - you're adding 10 quarts during that time.....

 

[zstand]

It seemed to come on suddenly at around 125k. I do not remember every adding oil up to 100k mark.

 

[DuckRyder]

I'll bet you lunch the PCV is fine.

I'm going to suggest something very un-BITOG like.

Just put oil in it when it needs it.

 

[Rmay635703]

I would clean your intake and pcv, further install a catch can. I also would make sure you let the car warm up and idle a bit before shutdown or you may develop on start knocking
Priuschat has extensive discussion on this topic


Moving up to a heavier grade of oil helps consumption
further you can use a heavier top off oil if you want instead, I used old SAE 40 SJ rated oil for top off and it stopped me from needing a second topoff before OCI

If you just add oil and don't clean anything, don't change anything and don't add a catch can
you can expect a blown head gasket in your future, roll of the dice when but usually under 100,000 miles away, most Gen IIIs blow the gasket before 200k

Good Luck

 

[pandus13]

Couple of steps:
Find a free weekend
take your spouse (see ya kids)
drive to TN smokies (the speed limit or a bit over please)
drive up the mountains
stop, take the pictures
drive a bit more
stop, find clean hotel, make you and wife happy-happy
sleep (clean mountain air)
drive back down the mountains, to IL ((the speed limit or a bit over please))

get some 10W40 or 10W50 on sale, use to make up or until you "feel" the car does not turn freely anymore.

but probably the magic mix will be 3 quarts 10W20or 0W20 and 1.2-1.3 quarts of 10W40-10W50.

I think i remember from the prius V forums, something about cleaning something else beside PVC, because of cooked oil...

 

[SatinSilver]

Maybe carbon buildup in the EGR valve.

http://carspecmn.com/2010-toyota-pr...401-cold-soak-rattle-noise-final-update/

 

[Cujet]

It's likely to be piston ring wear. The Prius engine has series of well known issues with the low tension piston rings wearing enough to consume oil. It's also well known that ultra thin oils can double the rate of ring and cylinder wear under certain conditions. Unfortunately, the conditions required for ring and cylinder wear (generally towards the top) may be present in the Prius, as ring wear is maximized at startup, some tests show this is the case, even when the engine is warm. That very thin layer of oil is in fact a dynamic layer and kept in place by operation. This may be why engines in continuous use (such as stationary engines and long haul drivers) last a very long time, whereas engines in intermittent use tend to wear out more quickly.

There is some speculation that the prius engine itself lasts longer on more viscous oil. And that oil consumption is increased with high speed highway driving. This thread may be of interest:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3067928/Re:_'09_Toyota_Prius_with_465,

In any case, what you are experiencing is common with higher mileage Prius. I'd suggest a 5W-30 full synthetic as a first step. There have been a good number of high miles, oil consuming Prius kept alive with more viscous oil.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Maybe carbon buildup in the EGR valve. ...
... and in the EGR cooler (heat exchanger), EGR passages in the intake manifold, and EGR pipe (from valve to intake manifold). EGR clogging is rumored to be a cause of the head gasket failures others have mentioned above.

 

[Gokhan]

Skip 5W-30 and try 5W-40. If the consumption is caused by valve-stem oil seals, thick oil will help dramatically.

In any case, use cheaper oil so that you save money.

Stick with a synthetic and 10,000-mile OCI so that you save money in oil changes.

Use the following -- an excellent choice for oil burners (HTHSV = 4.2 cP, KV100 = 15.4 cSt) in any climate and gasoline-engine-certified, including LSPI protection (SN PLUS):

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Chevron-Delo-400-XSP-Synthetic-5W40-Motor-Oil-1-gal/20896087

 

[Cujet]

The post above is not wrong. In fact Prius owners have been known to put 20W-50 in their oil consuming engines with good results. A quality 5W-40 synthetic will reduce the typical Prius oil consumption considerably.

 

[zstand]

Man this is more serious than I thought. I was hoping I could just keeping adding cheap oil and still get 300,000 miles out of it. Sounds like I may need to rethink this. Another weird thing is that my wife reports her mpg's have gone down significantly (5-8 mpg or so).

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by Cujet
It's likely to be piston ring wear. The Prius engine has series of well known issues with the low tension piston rings wearing enough to consume oil. It's also well known that ultra thin oils can double the rate of ring and cylinder wear under certain conditions. ..l.
Why do you feel the issue is ring wear, when conventional wisdom seems to be that it's carbon-fouled rings and ring grooves (similar to the oil-consumption problems of circa 2007 4-cylinder Camrys, et al.)?

 

[zstand]

Unfortunately I have just stocked up on 25+ jugs of 0w20. I am a little nervous to even use it in my 2017 previous that currently uses no oil. Thinking maybe I should move to a heavier weight in that before the problem start. Unless of course they have fixed the ring problem by 2017.