Acura Oil Burner - Need New Approach

[artbuc]

2010 MDX with 56k miles burning a quart of Pennzoil 5-20W every 3800-4000 miles. Have been changing oil at one qt low because I could not stand the idea of adding fresh to old oil. I have finally gotten over that idea. Here is my new approach. Have converted to Mobil 1 EP which should be good for 15k. Will add a qt at 4K and 8k and do a complete change at 12k. This way I will be using 7 qts in 12k instead of 15 qts. Anything wrong with this approach? Thanks.

PS I have not owned a vehicle that burned ANY oil since my 55 Chevy in 1967. Honda says a qt per 1k is normal, lol.

 

[CharBaby]

And by adding make up oil along the way , you could probably hit that 15000 OCI should you choose.

 

[Y_K]

That's what thin oil does well

 

[Eddie]

That oil consumption would make my unhappy. I think I would try a HM 0/5w20 or go up to a 5w30PP. Ed

 

[CharBaby]

Not that I am of the thinking that I can out smart the Honda engineers(or any others) however, I do prefer 5W30 even in the engines(cars in sig) that require 0W20/ 5W20. This alone my slow down the mild oil consumption in the MDX. Maybe even switching brands of oil. I'm not sure that Mobil 1 is the answer either but, give it a go. : )

Although our friends didn't notice any oil consumption in 5000 mile OCI when using 5W20, they use 5W30 in their HONDA PILOT 3.5 L V6 and seem to prefer it over the recommend 5W20. The engine seems to purr a bit better with nice throttle response in their opinion without any noticeable fuel economy penalty.

 

[CourierDriver]

Had that problem on my 2005 Buick, by reading some stuff, I changed out the PCV valve, 3 bucks and the oil usage stopped...it may help you too...PS, go to youtube on your model car, sometimes those PCV valves are really hidden deep and a pain.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Had that problem on my 2005 Buick, by reading some stuff, I changed out the PCV valve, 3 bucks and the oil usage stopped...it may help you too...PS, go to youtube on your model car, sometimes those PCV valves are really hidden deep and a pain in the butttttttttttttttttttt.


Replaced with OEM...no difference. PCV valves are undersized, imo, on this engine and I was hopeful for improvement but original was operating fine.

 

[Donald]

I guess it depends upon how much you want to put in to fix this. Your sure it's burning rather than dripping? If it we're my vehicle I would try and fix it mechanically rather than by changing oil viscosity.

Check the condition of the valve stem seals. Compression test. Some Kreen or Auto-Rx to clean oil control ring. Before an oil change do a piston soak overnight or longer then change oil. Pull the pistons and clean the rings.

 

[Astro14]

That's not an oil burner.

Just top it up every 4,000 miles and stop worrying.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I guess it depends upon how much you want to put in to fix this. Your sure it's burning rather than dripping? If it we're my vehicle I would try and fix it mechanically rather than by changing oil viscosity.

Check the condition of the valve stem seals. Compression test. Some Kreen or Auto-Rx to clean oil control ring. Before an oil change do a piston soak overnight or longer then change oil. Pull the pistons and clean the rings.


It is not dripping and I am not going to spend a cent on fixing any serious mechanical issue. My only question was adding to a Mobil 1 EP fill during a 12-15k OCI vs changing every time it gets a qt low.

 

[Ram01]

Try a 5w30 in that motor its not much heavier but enough to provide the protection you need and require

 

[LotI]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
That's not an oil burner.

Just top it up every 4,000 miles and stop worrying.

I agree. I wish my Accord would burn a little so I could top off once in a while.

Step up a grade to an A5/B5 rated oil. It's what a Honda does outside the US. No negatives unless you take a lot of short trips on a cold engine.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: LotI
Originally Posted By: Astro14
That's not an oil burner.

Just top it up every 4,000 miles and stop worrying.

I agree. I wish my Accord would burn a little so I could top off once in a while.

Step up a grade to an A5/B5 rated oil. It's what a Honda does outside the US. No negatives unless you take a lot of short trips on a cold engine.


I looked into this but unfortunately 90-95% is short trips on cold engine.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: artbuc
Have been changing oil at one qt low because I could not stand the idea of adding fresh to old oil.


?

A new Oil Neurosis to add to my collection.

Your "new approach" is approaching an old approach, which is my approach and the only approach I'd ever heard of until I became acquainted with the..er...alternatives that seem to be standard here.

Maybe its a US/UK difference?

That approach goes:-

Check oil (say weekly)

Below full mark?

Yes:Add oil to full mark, replace dipstick, and drive
No:Replace dipstick and drive

Repeat.

If you do it this way you're probably less likely to run low, but may only have a rather vague idea of how much oil you're using.

I suppose this is technically a bad thing, but psychologically it might be good for you.

 

[bigt61]

1 quart every 4k is fine. Your EP plan should work well. I'd top it off whenever it got 1/2 quart low.

 

[KitaCam]

Yes, being opposed to topping up sounds odd....and....
Missing from the plan.
....build a stash of on-sale syn so you don't worry about how much more you have to add.

Knowing the Camry would enter that territory of unquenchable thirst, knowing I want to keep the car running for as long as I could short of regularly needing major repairs, I bought 50 quarts of PP over 2 years @ $2/qt. That's more than enough to top up and smile my way down the road.

Adding oil is the cheapest "repair" for maintaining engines past 150k miles....my Toyo dealer will change my "byoo" for $20. Also cheap.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
That's not an oil burner.

Just top it up every 4,000 miles and stop worrying.


+1. My 07 MDX(similar) with 159k needs 1/2 quart in that time period too. It does fine on conventional 5w30 I dump into it.

 

[NormanBuntz]

If your MDX engine has the VCM feature, I would't like the oil consumption but I'd live with it. Much like your plan, I'd probably use a name brand synthetic but keep the OCI to 10K, using the Fram Ultra 7317. That is unless your OLM alerts you sooner than 10K.

 

[Olas]

Measurable oil consumption is a problem.

If Maxlife won't fix it, stem seal/rings/modified PCV will fix it.

 

[BrewCityR]

My TSX cooks/burns one quart every 2500-3000 miles.

I check weekly to make sure the sump is full or as close as possible.