Question about oil consumption & M1

[Mach5]

I've read some comments on this forum concerning oil consumption when using M1, and I actually have first hand experience with this. My '96 Cavalier daily driver with the 2.2L engine was on a diet of M1 from 15,000 miles until 142,000 miles. During that time the oil consumption varied, but probably averaged around 1 qt every 1000 miles. This consumption was essentially the same with 5W30 & 10W30.

Tired of the makeup oil expense, I switched to TropArtic last summer. At first the consumption dropped only slightly, but then it gradually improved. It got much better after I added 1/4 bottle of VSOT...to the point where the car now uses only 3/4 qt every 3000 miles.

My question has to do with why the car used M1. Does this have anything to do with the PAO chemistry? The TropArtic is a synthetic blend, but the synthetic component is a GpIII oil. I'm guessing that the VSOT helped clean up some piston rings, but I'm surprised that they needed cleaning considering the car had run M1 most of its life. I'm thinking about running synthetic in it again, but this time using a 100% GpIII synthetic like SynPower since I am leary of using a PAO oil in the car again.

By the way, my wife's 2001 Grand Caravan and my '89 GTA (171,000 miles) don't use any oil at all.

 

[Mach5]

The Grand Caravan and the GTA use M1, by the way.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Even though you never mentioned how long your OCIs are, I would stick with the Conoco family of oils.... ie... Trop Artic, Kendall and Motorcraft included.

Odds are, unless you move into a engine cleanup with Auto Rx, you won't likely improve on your one quart consumption in 3K - since you discontinued the M-1.

 

[Mach5]

Unfortunately, I thought about adding VSOT to the M1 after I had already switched. It seems like I shouldn't have to add anything to oil that costs as much as M1.

 

[Rodbuckler]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mach5:
I shouldn't have to add anything to oil that costs as much as Mobil 1.

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I've had to add conventional to Mobil 1 100% of the time because of noise, harshness, or oil consumption. I have blended conventional with Mobil 1 for over 15 years with no problems at all. The problems have all occurred when I have tried Mobil 1 as the sole oil in the crankcase in recent years. The Mobil 1 10w30 is the worst oil of our day.

I tried PP recently in my Ford Modular Motor (a 5W-20 engine), and it runs much better than with the Mobil 1 from a noise and harshness standpoint. But it too was leaving the crankcase at more than 1qt/1000miles. I lamentably added 3/4qt of Delo 400 SAE30 SL and the oil consumption has gone to almost nothing over the last 800miles.

Blends work, and blends with Type III synthetic seem to work as well as any oil in street engines. It must have something to do with the gradation of molecule sizes. 5K OCI is long enough. Mobil 1 has never made it past 4.5K in any of my engines anyway.

 

[427Z06]

Too bad you didn't try the VSOT with the M1. In any event, TropArtic synthetic blend is a good oil and should serve you well.

 

[Weasel]

quote:

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The Mobil 1 10w30 is the worst oil of our day.

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If it's really the worst oil, why would you blend it with anything at all? used oil analysis are generally acceptable.
I have used this oil without trouble, and it has kept my engines clean and smooth. I agree that there are likely better oils available for the price.