Oil Consumption and Additives??

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, I have been using oil lately, especially after using Wallyworld brand Straight 40 Diesel oil.

I am leaking some, but it seems I am burning oil too now, not sure why, maybe rings.

I was thinking of using "Wynns Engine Oil Treatment", but it s got ethol alcohol in it, should I use this stuff in my old engine, or am I asking for trouble, if it starts breaking up crud etc.........Fred

[Niel Hoback]

I haven't tried a lot of different products but, Marvel Mystery Oil did make a difference for me.

I have a lot of Bon-Ami left over if you want some.

[Don Coatney]

Fred;

How much oil are you burning? One quart in 1000 miles? One quart in 500 miles? How far have you driven your engine with this burning oil problem?

[55 Fargo]

Don, it seems like 1 quart i about 200 miles, I don't see a bunch of blue smoke out the tail pipe, but I do get the odd puff of blue smoke.

Since I put in the Wallywrold oil, it seems worse.

I think I am going to use Castrol 20W 50 oil, nice and thick.............Fred

[Don Coatney]

Don, it seems like 1 quart i about 200 miles, .............Fred

How many quarts have you had to add in the last month? How many quarts between oil changes? What is the cost of a quart of the oil you are using? What is the cost of this oil additive that wont do anything but cost more money?

[Suddensix]

Hi all, I have been using oil lately, especially after using Wallyworld brand Straight 40 Diesel oil.

I am leaking some, but it seems I am burning oil too now, not sure why, maybe rings.

I was thinking of using "Wynns Engine Oil Treatment", but it s got ethol alcohol in it, should I use this stuff in my old engine, or am I asking for trouble, if it starts breaking up crud etc.........Fred

Hi Fred,

I had the same problem with my 218 and tried all sorts of "mechanic in a can" wizardry. The bottom line is over the winter I pulled the motor and installed new rings amongst other things. Problem solved no more smoke, no more leaks. I agree with Don additives just don't work.

Gary in Toronto

[Captain Neon]

I drip a little oil and have to add a qt. every 500 miles or so. No big deal. No blue smoke. Since you are considering a rebuild, any ways just keep adding the oil as needed until you can do the rebuild. I wouldn't worry too much as long as it stays in the safe zone between gasoline fill-ups.

[dirty dan]

What oil are you guys running in the 218?

Found an unopened quart of Pennzoil straight 30 under the seat in mine. (It was marked with a price of $1.09) I assumed that's what they had been running in it.

[RobertKB]

I run 20W50 in mine and also add a can of STP for good measure. Sure works for me and my for you.

[40phil41]

I also run 20W50. Works for me in my tired engine.

Phil

[Guest rockabillybassman]

I run Castrol 20-50 plus a litre of Moreys Oil Stabilizer (which I think is very similar to Lucas Oil Stabiler).

[david lazarus]

I run Castrol 20-50 plus a litre of Moreys Oil Stabilizer (which I think is very similar to Lucas Oil Stabiler).

How's it all going, engine still good after it's "recon" ??

No Beach Hop for you??

I'm skipping this year...got tired of tripping over all those Ponies last year !!

[55 Fargo]

Hi Fred,

I had the same problem with my 218 and tried all sorts of "mechanic in a can" wizardry. The bottom line is over the winter I pulled the motor and installed new rings amongst other things. Problem solved no more smoke, no more leaks. I agree with Don additives just don't work.

Gary in Toronto

At this point I can afford many litres (quarts) of oil, a valve and ring job, or a complete overhaul is a little more, on a budget here, at the moment, I am awre of the proper fix.

I am with some of the other guys, gonna try 20 w 50, as the motor has miles, but also has decent compression 100lbs across the board, and 40 lbs of oil pressure at an idle.................Fred ps I live in wholesale city Winnipeg Gary, don't spend big like Torontonians...................LOL

[55 Fargo]

It is leaking pretty darn good, so am sure mostly leakin than drinkin........Fred

[dirty dan]

I run Castrol 20-50 plus a litre of Moreys Oil Stabilizer (which I think is very similar to Lucas Oil Stabiler).

Good info Rock & Phil. I'll be giving it a try when I start putting things back together. I run castrol in all my engines now. It's good stuff.

BTW, my OP gauge shows 40 psi at an idle now. Me thinks when I start back up I'll place after market gauges on the engine to compare to the dash gauges.

Got my brother headed over here today. I'll let him drive her around the block a couple of times.

Tomorrow, she starts coming apart.

[Lou Earle]

Just remember for some reason if you constantly run these engines 55-60 for sustained time even a new engine will burn a quart every 300 miles.

Old Tom McCall even mentioned this in a popular mechanics article on the 49/50 station wagon he took from NY to Fla.

You mention 100 lbs across board so if your burning a quart every 200 and running 55-60 a lot that might be normal.

If I run 60/65 with no overdrive in mine it burns oil - about a quart every 300 just like Tom said in the 50's

Lou

[Guest rockabillybassman]

Just remember for some reason if you constantly run these engines 55-60 for sustained time even a new engine will burn a quart every 300 miles.

Old Tom McCall even mentioned this in a popular mechanics article on the 49/50 station wagon he took from NY to Fla.

You mention 100 lbs across board so if your burning a quart every 200 and running 55-60 a lot that might be normal.

If I run 60/65 with no overdrive in mine it burns oil - about a quart every 300 just like Tom said in the 50's

Lou

Wow, that's amazing. I suppose it makes sense. I remember my old man telling me that there's something wrong if your engine's not using a little oil. How quick we forget this with the efficiency of our modern engines!

[Suddensix]

At this point I can afford many litres (quarts) of oil, a valve and ring job, or a complete overhaul is a little more, on a budget here, at the moment, I am awre of the proper fix.

I am with some of the other guys, gonna try 20 w 50, as the motor has miles, but also has decent compression 100lbs across the board, and 40 lbs of oil pressure at an idle.................Fred ps I live in wholesale city Winnipeg Gary, don't spend big like Torontonians...................LOL

Hey Fred, heard on the news today that in two years Ontario will be a "have not" Province. Seems everyone is going west! My engine was same as yours good oil pressure and good compression plus it really ran well except for the smoke and leaks. When we took it apart the oil rings had simply lost their tension allowing oil to get by. I did a budget rebuild only replacing what was needed and so far so good. My vote for a 20w50 oil is Valvoline VR. Good luck. Gary

[Normspeed]

I'd sure try the 20w50 valvoline or castrol and not worry about it. I'd also go over the motor (and under) and snug up anything/everything from the oil pan bolts to the fuel pump, to slow down the leaks. You won't stop them but you can slow them down a bit.

If your oil pressure's ok, compression's ok, and you get it running in the temp range you like, just enjoy having a nice motor with some miles on it. You can always look at rebuilding some time down the road.

[Captain Neon]

Wow, that's amazing. I suppose it makes sense. I remember my old man telling me that there's something wrong if your engine's not using a little oil. How quick we forget this with the efficiency of our modern engines!

My brother told me the same thing about 4.0L Jeeps when I bought mine. Telling me to keep a quart of oil handy. I just laughed at him and told him that I've been in the habit of keeping a spare quart of oil in all my cars ever since I got my driver's licence in 1991. I've yet to use a quart of oil in my Neon, but the qt. of 5w30 is still in the trunk just in case.

[55 Fargo]

I did not realize that these engines used more oil then there comtemporary counterparts.

My oil consumption sounds like it would be more in the realm of normalcy, I do have a some good leaking going on from the valve covers and oil pan, no doubt the rear main as well, I am going to replace the valve cover gasket, and oil pan gaskets, the rest can wait for a rebuild someday, or a an engine swap.

I do have some minor smoking on de-celleration, I currenyl have Wally world brand oil staraight 40, this crap seems to smoke a little easier, I know it's also re-refined oil, making it used to begin with. I will never use it again, going to start Castrol 20 W 50 today.

I at one point had minor leaks from the trans and diff, as I had replaced there lube a few times, by completely draining the both and refilling on 2 occasions.

After a some miles and usage, they hardly leak at all, and yes they have lube in them, the seals must have been dry before............Fred

[55 Fargo]

I had a 1997 Neon Sport coupe, it never burnt oil either, I sold it in 2004, I put on aout 140000 miles on it at that point, it ran like a charm.

Edited at 10:02 AM, I just came off nightshift, have not slept since Tuesday night, I am looking after my kids during the day yesterday and today, so I am a little off here. I will not get to sleep until tonight.

[greg g]

Normal oil consumption, what is it??? My plymouth needed about 1 quart when we made our 1600 mile jaunt to Charlotte last fall. It does drip a bit from the valve covers, and the rear main ( I believe the rear mains were the weak link on these engines) My jeep cherokee with 105K uses no oil between changes, I use 5k for my change frequency. My wife's Subaru at 85K uses no oil between changes, My VW Jetta needs a quart about every 3K. My motorcylce needs a pint every 1500 miles. My Honda's never needed oil between changes. My Volvo turbo used a quart every 1500, and it had 184K on it.

[knuckleharley]

Did it use oil before you started using the China Outlet Mall crap? If it didn't,stop using it and go back to using the oil you were using before.

I can't explain it because it defies logic,but some engines will use a LOT of one brand oil,and not burn a drop of another brand oil. I had a 400 Pontiac once that would use a quart of Exxon gold 10w-40 oil in less than 90 miles,and when I switched to 10w-40 Havoline it would use a pint in 3500 miles.

I have a 350 Chevy engine right now that used 4 quarts of Mobile 1 5w-30 in less than 200 miles,but doesn't seem to burn a drop of the Mobile 15w-40 DX-1300 Diesel oil.

What makes this the most puzzling to me is I never saw any smoke with either engine,and I couldn't see where the oil leaked out. It just seemed to disappear.

[knuckleharley]

[quote name=....

I think I am going to use Castrol 20W 50 oil, nice and thick.............Fred[/quote]

Use either Shell Rotella 14w-40 diesel oil or Mobil DX-1300 14W-40 diesel oil,but ONLY use it if you have a modern engine with full-flow oil filter,or a rebuilt can clean inside older engine.

If you are using modern oil in a old car engine that is gummed up with older non-detergent oil,you need to drop the oil pan first and clean out all the sludge in the base pan and oil pickup tube,and then run several cans of engine flush though a hot engine and change the oil filter after each run. Once you get it cleaned out detergent oil should be ok to run.

If you don't want to do this,only run non-detergent oil in it. You can buy it by the case at your local NAPA store.