Thinner Oil provides better Oil Seal

[Emanuel]

I browsing on this forum and I found this article: Thinner oil provides better oil seal where an User called autoreign said this:

Quote:

The article seem suggest that the oil flow on the piston rings pack is more likely to flow through the gap on each piston ring to get to the top ring. Hence, lower viscosity oil, being able to flow better, will provide a thicker oil film at bottom of the Top ring,

Do you really think that a thinner viscosity oil could make a better seal in the piston rings? I thought that a higher viscosity oil would be better for sealing because the general recommendation when a engine starts to use oil is to switch to a higher viscosity oil and in fact I have noticed 37% more oil consumption in my car with 15w40 than with 20w50 (maybe the oil viscosity isn't the one increasing my consumption but other factors) I really don't want to talk about my car's oil consumption in this post, what I would like to know if you have noticed lower oil consumption with thinner oils. Or if there is another factor in oil selection that can lower oil consumption like HTHS, VI, base oil quality, NOACK, etc.

 

[TheKracken]

My 281k mile sienna doesn't use any oil when I ran it on 0w20. I switched to a heavier oil this last change and it doesn't use much oil either but it is noticeably more sluggish and oil temps are hotter. I plan to switch back soon.

 

[Silk]

Oil burning is caused by oil being pumped up the ring lands, and needs worn ring grooves to pump more oil, a thicker oil would help here. Blocked drain holes, gummed rings will burn oil too. Those on this site will say thinner oil will stop oil burning - I have <span style="font-style: italic">never</span> seen a thinner oil reduce oil consumption, but thicker usually will. If it's the same car you've been talking about, you cooked it and the rings have lost tension.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Silk

Those on this site will say thinner oil will stop oil burning - I have never seen a thinner oil reduce oil consumption, but thicker usually will.

Yeah, it's funny how the need to justify the OEM's push for thinner oils includes reduced oil consumption (and improved wear) as the "reason"...thinner just HAS to be better, because it's the U.S. Which market stated that 1qt/1,000 miles was acceptable oil consumption ?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I have owned 4Toyota’s with 1gr fe since the 0w20 became the thing in the USA, I am well aware of the broader viscosity ranges recommended outside the USA. I think about trying an hdeo 5w30from time to time but the 0w20has never been consumed and never gave me a evidence based reason to not use it.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Silk

If it's the same car you've been talking about, you cooked it and the rings have lost tension.

The engine was overhauled 35k miles ago with new pistons, rings, gaskets, seals and bearings. It overheated pretty bad 12k miles ago, it burned 1.5 qt every 1k miles before the overheat and after the overheat 2.5 qt every 1k miles. My guess is that the cylinders arent perfectly round because of the wear. Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Originally Posted By: Silk

If it's the same car you've been talking about, you cooked it and the rings have lost tension.

The engine was overhauled 35k miles ago with new pistons, rings, gaskets, seals and bearings. It overheated pretty bad 12k miles ago, it burned 1.5 qt every 1k miles before the overheat and after the overheat 2.5 qt every 1k miles. My guess is that the cylinders arent perfectly round because of the wear. Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

Emanuel I think its time to drive a newer car under your oil can so to speak.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Originally Posted By: Silk

If it's the same car you've been talking about, you cooked it and the rings have lost tension.

The engine was overhauled 35k miles ago with new pistons, rings, gaskets, seals and bearings. It overheated pretty bad 12k miles ago, it burned 1.5 qt every 1k miles before the overheat and after the overheat 2.5 qt every 1k miles. My guess is that the cylinders arent perfectly round because of the wear. Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

Emanuel I think its time to drive a newer car under you oil can so to speak.

I live in Venezuela, we have 1200% accumulated inflation from the start of the year until now

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

By cooked I mean overheated - I doubt apart from a seizure anything has happened to new pistons in 35,000km.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Originally Posted By: Silk

If it's the same car you've been talking about, you cooked it and the rings have lost tension.

The engine was overhauled 35k miles ago with new pistons, rings, gaskets, seals and bearings. It overheated pretty bad 12k miles ago, it burned 1.5 qt every 1k miles before the overheat and after the overheat 2.5 qt every 1k miles. My guess is that the cylinders arent perfectly round because of the wear. Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

Emanuel I think its time to drive a newer car under you oil can so to speak.

I live in Venezuela, we have 1200% accumulated inflation from the start of the year until now

In your situation I would simply run a hdeo for now, fuel,quality etc may be questionable and it is best to use traditional ways of preservation for longevity. That means a heavy duty engine oil changes more frequently with a focus on preventing overheats, and other damaging events.. I would spend more 9n your cooling system than lubrication until you have a more stable socio economic situation.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr

In your situation I would simply run a hdeo for now, fuel,quality etc may be questionable and it is best to use traditional ways of preservation for longevity. That means a heavy duty engine oil changes more frequently with a focus on preventing overheats, and other damaging events.. I would spend more 9n your cooling system than lubrication until you have a more stable socio economic situation.

The overheat was caused because of a faulty radiator cap, I have the cooling system in optimal condition now. So should I keep changing the oil every 3k miles or should I extend the interval?

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Silk

Originally Posted By: Emanuel

Do you think that 35lk miles old rings could be cooked up?

By cooked I mean overheated - I doubt apart from a seizure anything has happened to new pistons in 35,000km.

35k miles = 50k km

 

[Emanuel]

Engine oil price has increased 2700% from March until now, so don't want to waste oil but I don't want to neglect the engine neither. Do you think that a 4k miles interval would be safe? Or could I change the oil every 5k miles?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The interval is very dependent on your service conditions, fuel quality and engines mechanical condition. I run 5w20in a Ford F-150 4.6v8 in dusty oilfiledmservice with a lot of idling, rough roads and minimal usa fuel standards. It has 100k. it and is running clean and strong and does not consume a noticableamou t between oil changes. I run this on 5k mile or 6month intervals. I think this is a safe distance and time for any modern fuel injected engine with a modern engine oil.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I don’t know what engine family or make you have but I really would lean to a (5w30or 10w30 mixed fleet hdeo for combine potential availability and detergency if you have to extend for unforeseen circumstances.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr

I don’t know what engine family or make you have but I really would lean to a (5w30or 10w30 mixed fleet hdeo for combine potential availability and detergency if you have to extend for unforeseen circumstances.

A Toyota 7AFE engine, the fuel has a high sulphur concentration but I'm using a HDEO so that should help.

 

[Silk]

20W-50 is recommended for those here...or the 4A FE I had in my Levin anyway, so don't worry about the 20W-50.

 

[Panzerman]

I don't know but a guy I know personally had a 2005 Ford F150 with a 4.6 in it spec'd for 5w20. He did his own maintenance, old timer and used 20w50 Havoline in it. It was a company truck that had tons of idling on it and it just got retired at 385,000 miles because the front end was falling off and the company said it would cost too much to fix. He bought it for $500 and plans on using it for a farm truck. Curious to see how long it goes but say alot for oil viscosity and what Ford says in thier manual.

 

[Rolla07]

2.5 qts per 1k miles? Id go at least 10k miles before a full change. Your ad pack will always be fresh. Put on a good filter and keep going. Id also go to a thicker oil and a high mileage one as well. That might help slow the consumption and save you money on topping up.

 

[Emanuel]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07

2.5 qts per 1k miles? Id go at least 10k miles before a full change. Your ad pack will always be fresh. Put on a good filter and keep going. Id also go to a thicker oil and a high mileage one as well. That might help slow the consumption and save you money on topping up.

1.1 qts every thousand miles