I switched from the Castrol High Mileage 5W-30 to the Castrol High Mileage 5W-20. Now it may be all psychological, but with the 5W-20 the engine feels more responsive when accelerating. How it does with the oil consumption is another story. No leaks, no smoke from exhaust, still wondering where the oil is going?

 

Has the weather gotten much cooler compared to your last oil change when you added the 5W-30?

 

My 2001 showed same thing. It was leaking a bit before I made the switch to high milage. I haven't found a leak since then, but I do smell a very mild "burnt" smell here and there. I'm guessing the engine is burning a little bit of oil, as I'm losing about 1/2 a quart per 3500 miles. I figure that that isn't a terrible amount of oil being lost on a vehicle with 130,000 miles. Any way to convince engine to stop eating oil though?

 

1/2 quart per 3,500 miles and you want it to use less?

 

I'm wiTh you on that
My 01 sport trac is doing The same thing and it is the left valve cover leaking

 

You won't notice most oil smoke if your rig still has catalytic converters.

 

Not that I agree with the numbers, but the "Factory Word" on oil consumption was a while ago that using one quart in 750 miles was acceptable consumption. {note: this was over 25 years ago, so the exact number may be off} More than that, they'd take a look, as in top off the oil, and tell you don't do a thing {DO NOT CHECK} and drive for 500 miles and come back.
To use 1/2 quart in 3500 miles is almost near to using 1 quart in 7000 miles, assuming the consumption would increase a bit as the oil got more wear and normal breakdown. That is excellent oil control, in my opinion. If you don't consume some oil, you are not getting lubricant to some places where it is necessary.
Unexpected consumption can be caused by two things that come to mind: 1) short trips causing condensation to form, thus raising the apparent level in the sump until a longer trip where it all is evaporated and the oil level drops quickly and 2) oil vaporization where the hot underside of the piston turns the oil to vapor which is then fed through the PCV and burned without leaving any apparent blue smoke. Some oils vaporize at lower temperatures than others, FWIW, and highway trips will get the engine hotter all around than short trips.
tom

 

No and I mean really no. We are having an unseasonabley warm fall here in the northeast.

I haven't checked the level yet since I changed it, but just to reiterate, I was using about half a quart to almost a quart every 2000 miles when using Ford Motorcraft Synthetic 5W-20. The oil change before this one was with Castrol High Milage 5w-30 and only used just about half a quart at the oil change interval which is every 4000 miles. The dip stick showed I was still in the safe zone. So something is going on using the Castol High Milage oil. I like the 5W-20 better, this is the viscosity of oil you are suppose to use number one, and I think the engine is more responsive with the lighter oil.

My trips are not short my any means. I work 20 miles from home and other trips are almost as long. I am starting to think like tomw says, just normal use of oil.

I don't think the high milage oil is hurting anything and it may really be helpful, don't honestly know yet. Will keep a check on the oil consumption.