What are you saying is BS, exactly?

In all my prior experience, "full" meant "full" on the dipstick. With mod V8's, apparently "full" is halfway up the stick if that is where 6 quarts puts it and this is strange to me.

Also, in my history of owning about 40 cars and trucks and changing my own oil most all of 41 years, the stated oil capacity in the manual has never been totally exact. In general, the leftover oil in the engine (sitting in little valleys, etc) made it so I would have to put in a bit *less* oil than the stated capacity. And that would put it up to the "full" mark.

George

 

Another odd difference with our dipsticks is that from the Add to the Full marks is 2 quarts, not one like most any other vehicle.

 

Truck spec's in my Sig.
My XP also uses oil, has since I bought it with 52k miles, eight years ago. It used about 1qt every 1k miles at the very first, I have no idea what the lady I bought it from was using for oil, she used a Dealer for service.
I was somewhat alarmed at the time, but let the buyer beware...
When I began using Mobil 1 it improved to 1qt every 2k miles.
It stayed that way to about 110k miles, then started using more - back to 1qt every 1.5k miles.

I changed to Mobil 1 Extended Mileage 10-40w at about 125k miles, oil use stayed about the same to the present (166k).
In the last 8 years we have towed a TT, a boat and gone on long trips without a trailer. Currently it is used locally more often, less for hauling/long trips.

The truck does not smoke at startup, I looked again last week to double check.
No Codes or CEL since I've owned it.
It passes the tough CA Smog tests with ease, the exhaust is exceptionally clean according to their machine (same shop each time).
The truck runs strong on 87 octane gas.
There is a small amount of oil residue on the 11 y/o exhaust tip, noticeable but not dripping. Just run your finger over it when cold and you get a film of oil.

I don't know of any steps I can take to improve the oil consumption that would be worth the minimal price of the oil it uses.
I just wonder where it's going if the exhaust is clean and no smoke is ever visible to me.

 

Just a thought - I have heard that with catalytic converters, if you are burning a little oil, it won't show as easy, since the converter is helping - well convert it. On my 2001 4.6 when I let it sit a week or so, when I first start it up a large cloud of smoke.

I use a quart every 1500 - 2000 miles, I add one quart to top off, go another 2 and then get it changed. Almost all highway. Didn't buy it until 59,000 miles. I use the 5W30 also, nothing I ca prove, but seems like that slows down the burn rate a little from 5W20, as others have said.

Anyway - hope this helps for perspective.

Mike

 

If there's no signs of leaks or spots on your driveway, the only place the oil can be going is out the exhaust. The amount you're burning is small enough so that you're not going to see smoke or oily build-up in the exhaust. It's possible you have a minuscule leak at the intake gasket where oil is drawn into the intake and the piston rings are just fine and dandy. Only a compression (or leakdown) test can make that determination.

 

Thank you for the replies. That helps me understand this situation a little better.
Not much leaks from this truck, pretty dry underneath.
The gas mileage has never varied much either, still 12-16 mixed (maybe 17 when my wife drives on a trip), 10mpg towing - using math, not the trip computer.
I've been using injector cleaner additive for the last 20k miles, a bottle every 5 tanks or so, hoping to clean some of the carbon buildup.
It might even help the Cat's too, they are expensive in CA.

It's been a very reliable vehicle and has always got me out and back.
I'll keep doing what I'm doing, the truck is an old friend by now.