First, I'm amazed at all the 'What oil and oil filter do you use' threads. Secondly, how can many oil change DIY'ers claim that their vehicle doesn't burn any oil in-between changes? I drive an 08' Ranger 3 Liter with 88,000 miles, and my wife drives an O7' Edge 3.5 Liter with 100,000 miles. Both vehicles burn a little oil after 3,000/3,500 miles, and many owners claim to travel 5,000 miles, or more between changes. Anyway, this is regardless of the oil and filter used, and I frequent the Quick Lubes. Both vehicles get Conventional or Semi-Synthethic 5W-20. Also, my oil change interval is 5,000 miles. We both travel mainly highway, and I do check the oil periodically to make sure it isn't down. I'm not a fan of topping it off since the manual indicates it is OK between the hash marks and I prefer a full drain and filter change vs adding clean oil to the 'old'. So, are the claims of 'not burning a drop' unwarranted or not? Interested in the replies, and thanks in advance.

 

If during the OCI an engine begins to to use some oil, when it previously hasn't, its usually because the oil has sheared back to a lower viscosity, perhaps because the engine design is mechanically & temperature tough on the lube, or it has evaporated some of the lighter base oil ends because of high rpm, or hot running, or a combonation of both. Some oil recipies are more tolerant of shear & high temps, so just shrug off those stresses, others bow to the stress & we begin to see consumption after a period of time as the oil begins to break down.

Topping off to keep the remaining oil level between the hash marks can help replenish the oils ad pack & help it do its thing to protect the engine from chemical wear by boosting the base number, or from shearing below spec, which might begin to cause some mechanical wear because the oil film is too thin to take the load & keep the moving metal parts seperated.

Topping up also boosts the detergent/dispersant ad pack, to help the oil to continue cleaning & keeping sludge particles in suspension so the filter can take them out rather than have them settle out in the engine & begin to build deposits. Thus topping off between OCI's to keep the oil level between the hash marks is a good idea.

So, if we go to, say PQIA & look up the VOA tests on different oils & choose an oil recipe with a low NOACK % evaporation figure, that has a high flash point, with a higher HT/HS figure, we might be able to tweak things some & cut consumption over a severe service OCI, as all oil recipies aren't the same, nor perform the same in different engines & drive cycles.

I'm in that mode right now, trying to find a recipe that my 94 Taurus 3.8L pushrod & 2000 Dodge Neon 2.0L OHC won't use so much of, after both, which had never used any oil between changes, suddenly began to consume after using the 5W-30 SN Havoline recipe. Right now it looks like Valvolene MaxLife higher mileage semi-syn 5W-30 is going to be the winner, as the Taurus hasn't used any this year & the Neon consumption is down by 2/3 over its 6 month severe service short tripping OCI. So the Neon is about to get another 5W-30 semi-syn high mileage MaxLife OCI & we'll see how it does over the winter.
Some thoughts for pondering.

 

If mine burns much, it doesn't tell on itself on the dipstick. At just under 48,000 miles my 2012 5.0 has had 5 oil changes. I went 5000 miles on the factory fill and have gone 10,000 miles per change since then. I use 5w20 Mobil1 full synthetic and a Purolator filter. I change the oil myself and fill it with the recommended amount (7+ qts...as I sit here I forget the exact amount) and then I let it sit overnight and check the dipstick to verify the level. To say it burns none would be hard to do, but not enough to be anywhere other than at the full mark on the dipstick. I do a good bit of freeway driving and seldom travel over 75mph because above that speed the fuel mileage tanks. Most times (....well...actually all the time) I run about 72-73 and on the cruise control. In the trucks 47,000 it's averaged 19.1mpg.

 

I appreciate both responses, and the second one actually helps more. My point of the thread was that I disagree with some responses in other threads that an engine of 5 or 10 years with 50-100k miles doesn't burn 'a drop'. I am not worried about a 1/2 quart in 5,000 miles, esp. with the many variables involved. That being said, I have used various brands of semi-synthetic or dino 5W20 in both my 08' Ranger and 07' Edge, and I haven't seen any difference in performance, loss between changes, or MPG. My Ranger hit 88,900 miles today, and the Edge is around 101,000 miles.

Edit: David, you have the generation of F150 I'd love - a 5.0 Liter F150. Also, you seem to have the same style of driving that I endure. Honestly, I don't know my recommended vehicle's OCI intervals. I try to change the Ranger around 5000-5,500 miles, and that is every 2 months for me since I have a 4 day 82 mile roundtrip mostly highway commute. The wife's Edge is oil-changed about every 4500-5,000 miles since that is about every three months and my wife does more mixed driving.

 

its hard to really know if you burn oil by just checking the level of the oil since as the miles between changes accumalate, unburnt fuel mixes with the oil.

 

In modern fuel injected engines the amount of fuel in the oil is negligible. At least it has been in samples I've sent to Blackstone. Less than one half of one percent after 10,000 miles.

 

Some good points being discussed. I am curious as to what Blackstone would say about my sample, but at the cost to analyze, I might as well just pay the cost of another oil change. I rarely pay full price, so I can get the oil changed for under $30, and I don't have to worry about disposing of it myself.