What's up everyone, my car has almost 109,000 miles on it and the past few oil changes have involved the guy telling me that the cars burning oil and it appears to be very dirty and I am to the tee with getting it changed every 3,000 miles. Is it time to start using synthetic or could it be something else?

Thanks!

 

I think that VTEC can burn a little oil. Getting a leak down test could also point to the problem.

 

why are you changing the oil every 3? is it free or something?
what oil? how much is being used?
no leaks at valve cover gaskets..oil pan etc

its at the full mark after a change,,or they only put in 4 and later tell you its using oil?

the engine should burn a little bit of oil between 7500 mile changes
it gets blown past the rings -thats normal

I would add 1/2 can seafoam to oil and drive 200 miles
change oil and filter with engine warm from 15 minute drive
that will clean the passages and get rid of most of your dirt issue

 

synth oil wont make problems go away..and makes some worse!
find the prob and fix it

 

Now you are going by some guy telling you its burning it? Have you checked it yourself to see if its low? Color doesnt mean its dirty and bad.

 

vtec can NOT burn oil. vtec just changes a cam lobe profile.

 

Oh yea, it just correlates with VTEC as high RPM/heavy load increases blow by. My bad.

 

Not at all, I checked it myself and I'm about 700 miles away from 3000 (my last oil change and my oil light just came on today so it's definitely low. Any suggestions on what to do today?

 

I'm at 109,000 miles, don't think its a good idea to go that long, the way I'm doing it is fine.

I am not that inexperienced to get fooled that way, of course I check the oil when their done...........

 

And you arent leaking it? Did you look at the bottom of the car to make sure?

If so, First thing i would do is a compression test.

 

If you're burning oil, you'd see some smoke out the exhaust.

 

i'm at 170K (many on this forum are more than that) and change my oil every 7,500 to 8,000, and thinking about stretching it to 10,000.

no offense, but you actually are a little inexperienced or have been duped one - changing the oil every 3,000 miles (when the book says 7,500 is fine) is overkill. you're needlessly consuming resources and wasting money by changing 2 times during my 1 interval.

 

what brand and weight oil are you using?

if you suspect your burning oil you might want to move up a grade in oil weight. you dont have any leaks right?

 

NOT a good plan!!!
the TL uses 5w 30 for best protection--to go to a 40 would inhibit oil flow thru the small passages
the few years with 5-20 printed on the filler cap--was only used to fool CAFE fuel standards of the time (no longer the standard)--the 30 is better for the engine life

its either leaking from the rear main and into the inspection cover so you wont see it ,
(remove small cover plate under trans/engine connection--it oil comes out--rear main seal is bad)
or its burning a normal amount- as internal combustion engines do--

109kmiles is ripe for a seafoam cleaning of oil system- restores flow and pressure, cleans grunge from rings and ring seats on piston so they move correctly
the oil control ring sludges up and you will blow oil past it

if it were my car (and I do this to my car)
I would install a new filter and drive at least 200 miles- up to 500, with 1/2 can seafoam in oil---watch the dipstick for sludge

 

Could be head gasket.

 

his tech didnt mention foamy oil- reported unusual amount consumed in 3kmiles
If I understood~

most head gasket leaks will cause severe prob and exhaust smoke or cross contamination of fluids oil and coolant
If the oil is going UP--thats a tell~

I think the problem is car driven gently, unknown quality oil used, and sludge buildup is occuring on the oil control rings
at 200kmiles the cylinder walls of fsttyms engine still had the honing/break in marks !! barely broken in at 200--109 is nothing,,,,
exception if car has been overheated- oil burning becomes a reality

Whats the part of the story we didnt get yet???
Oh yeah!! the waterpump quit and it was driven with temp in the red for 50 miles home
do you think that has anything to do with it?