Synthetic Oil w/Top Oil using Dino

[rjundi]

Hi,

we own a 96 Civic and use Mobil 1 5W30 oil. The OCI is about 6-7k miles after 6 months (Honda recommends 6months/7500 miles Normal). Anyway the car consumes oil were we have to add 2-3 qts/interval. I understand placing Synthetic Mobil 1 5W30 the first time topping. Is it necessary with the 2nd quart. I use Chevron Supreme since its cheap as dino fill. Mobil 1 is expensive at $4.49/QT vs $1.08/QT for Chevron Supreme. The entire oil change with Mobil 1 costs only $27 with a SuperTech filter.

Thanks

 

[Chris B.]

You will be ok but if were my car I would keep with M1 so you do not dilute the bennifets of the syn oil.

 

[Not the Autorx Frank]

mabey run an autorx treatment to reduce consumption?

 

[simpleguy_68]

Or maybe use the Supertech synthetic instead of Mobil 1? Seriously, if you're having to add 2-3 quarts you're in effect replacing half your oil. By the time you're finished, you're really running a blend. As such, I would believe that even the cheap Supertech would have no problems with 6-7k OCI under these circumstances (using ST as the refill).

At the very least, you could use the Supertech as the refill to the M1. While not as cheap as the Chevron, it is much cheaper than the M1. If you have a Big Lots! in your area, you could check there for the Havoline synthetic @ $1.99/qt.

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

2 to 3 quarts in 7500 miles is well within acceptable limits. Sure, you can add non-synthetic as a top off. Personally, I wouldn't, but your choice.

 

[Audi Junkie]

My car takes 6.5 quarts and what I do is add the (GC) that is leftover from q7 which accounts for most of the consumption. After that, I add some dino if needed, knowing that it will be changed soon. (within a month usually, 6 month oci) It seems you have EXCESSIVE consumption. I'd say just use some Hi-Mi oil that will help a lot. Mobil 1 is a waste if you are consuming. If you really want M1, I'd add some 15w-50 as topping oil. Some Delo 30 weight would clean it up internally.

 

[rjundi]

Thanks for the replies. What is defined as excessive consumption? A quart every 2k miles does not seem too bad given the motor has 160k miles on it. The car only holds 3.7 QTs.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I define excessive consumption as half of the capicity being used up during a normal oci. 2 quarts in 4000 miles in a 4q capicity is too much. Small engines should not use oil like big ones. I think you need a switch. Thin synthetic oil is overrated in many apps and might not be a good choice at all for consumption. GTX HM 10w-30 and/or 10w-40 or a 15w-40, imo. PS our 185,000 mile 1987 Audi I-5 uses almost no oil (2q) in 6000-8000 mile oci, currently Belgium Syntec 5w-40. Syntec 5w-50 would be worth a try.

[ April 07, 2004, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: Audi Junkie ]

 

[Steve S]

Run a high quality petro oil and run to the bank with the extra $$$. What benefits from syn oil.

 

[jthorner]

At your mileage I would switch to 10W-30 at least in the summer months.

Personally I think that a dino change ever 3 months is likely to serve you better than synthetic every 6 months given the high mileage on your motor. Synthetic doesn't do anything to rid your crankcase of contamination, and you are probably getting some blowby to go along with the oil consumption.

Cost wise it is cheaper (at least DIY) to change dino every three months than it is to change Mobil 1 every six months.

John

 

[Lubricious]

Now that outside temps are warmer, I'd like to see what your consumption rate would is using a HDD 15W-40, or M1 15W-50 if you must have synthetic.

 

[tec97]

quote:

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Originally posted by rjundi:
Thanks for the replies. What is defined as excessive consumption? A quart every 2k miles does not seem too bad given the motor has 160k miles on it. The car only holds 3.7 QTs.

---

Car manufacturers typically definte "excessive consupmtion" as more than 1 qt per 1000 miles -

 

[darkdan]

If I were you I'd go with a little thicker of an oil and try to get the consumption down.

I burned a lot of mobil1, but when I switched to AMSOIL my consumption disappeared. So try a different brand or two.

 

[2x]

Unless you have the Si version, I have a 99 Civic which is the same generation (5th) Civic as yours and from my experience and from what I have seen and read here and elsewhere, 2-3qt of makeup oil within 7500 miles is a lot. For some cars this may be fine, but not for this engine.

 

[rjundi]

After dumping in a quart of GC for $4.77 after 1500 miles I'm convinced to try a different oil. Would Castrol High Mileage hold up for a 5k OCI or is a blend more suited. The issue I have is that we drive the car about 2k/month, nearly all country backroads and highway. Little stop & go or short trips, the nearest place to stop is 3 miles away out here. Synthetic does not seem to make much sense. BTW we were using Havoline previously and got consumption of 1/QT per 2000 miles.

 

[jthorner]

How about Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 for your ~ 5,000 mile OCI? Is is usually $12.88/gallon at WalMart ($3.22/quart). The price is right and the thicker upper number might slow consumption a bit.

John

 

[ekpolk]

I think you've got excessive consumption on that engine, at least by my standards. I owned an 88 Civic for 10 years and ~150k miles, and used Mobil-1 exclusively after the first 2000 miles. Almost all changes were 5w-30 (I did experiment with 10w-30 M-1 during a couple summers), and my engine never consumed any oil. The only time I ever had to add was when it developed a leak because an oil change guy overtorqued the plug, breaking the threads. I drove that car hard in a hot southern climate, and never had a problem. How many miles on your engine? M-1 its whole life? Have you checked for leaks (the pan plug threads are a well-known Civic weakness)? To me, your results seem off unless you have a very high mileage engine.