I have no idea how to respond to that !
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+1
Those are the key questions.
I wonder if we will get a response to those questions.
CorollaGuy1 has the correct answer.
Also, there is no amber warning light for low oil level in this car. Perhaps the dashboard has suffered so much sun exposure in its twenty years that the red warning light has faded a little bit and looks more orange. There is only a red low pressure warning light.
This car takes only 3.5-4 quarts when empty, with filter change. So yeah the other speculation that the fifth quart being added will nearly immediately disappear is likely correct, too.
Leaks will contribute to the oil loss, but no where near the rate of the burning inside the cylinders.
Summary: The piston rings need to be replaced, and probably the rod bearings too. But this job is only worth it if the O.P. is experienced enough to do it himself. Iâve done it, using the link provided by CorollaGuy1, along with a YouTube video of someone performing that linked procedure.
+1 to @sestivers!
I would not imagine 20-years old econobox to have oil level indicator light, so engine was routinely used with oil so low it may be considered not present
most likely engine is shot and itâs time to move on
ownerâs maintenance procedures are very unorthodox, I side with @VOLVO_V70, as Iâm not sure what can be added here
Way to much discussion going on here!
Plan A: Stop the oil consumption
Not practical.
Plan B: Put a fork in it!
Iâd go with plan B. Put a fork in it. Itâs done. Too old. Lots of miles. Itâs been a wonderful car. Now itâs over. Say, âGood-bye.â
While itâs still running, temporarily, use it as transportation to and from looking at replacement vehicle candidates. If youâre really lucky itâll run long enough to sell for a couple of bucks or drive under its own âpowerâ to the salvage yard.
CSA
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First, do not overfill the oil. It can damage the engine. A little overfill like maybe a half quart would probably be OK but it would be better to not go over. You may be adding up to three quarts too much and that can be a problem.
When there is too much oil, the crankshaft hits the oil and causes it to whip up. That is an oil/air mix that does not lubricate as well as oil without air mixed in it. It also slings oil up the cylinder walls and that can be too much for the oil control rings to control, thus you end up burning oil.
In the future, add oil one quart at a time and check the dipstick after each addition. Stop when the oil level is between the max and the low mark. You do not need to add oil all the way to the max.
Be sure to check the oil level every time you gas up. In the long run, you should use less oil if you do this and your engine will last the longest. You could have quite a bit of life left in this engine yet if you take care of it. Remember to change the oil every 5000 miles or 6 months, which ever comes first.
One last thing, consider using 10w30 oil unless you are in a very cold area. The use 10w30 in the summer and 5w30 in the winter.
I donât see the benefit in doing that?
Once the engine gets up to operating temperature, both oils are 30 weight.
Tester
Interesting point. Are both oils the âsameâ 30 weight at operating temp? Sort of a Bob is the Oil Guy question. But if theyâre identical, it would seem 10w30 serves no purpose. Just use the 5w. I have a gut feeling the 10w is a little thicker (more viscous) than the 5w at operating temp, even though both are supposed to be equivalent to 30w at temp. Not arguing against your point. More of a question / pondering on my end.
5W30 oil has viscosity of a 5 weight oil down to 0 degrees.
10W30 oil has a viscosity of a 10 weight oil down to 0 degrees.
W after the first weight of the oil designates its WINTER weight.
Tester
Right, W = cold weight, right? Once up to operating temp (180 degrees plus), they both act similar to a straight 30 weight, supposedly. So whatâs the purpose of the 10w30 anymore? Sorry, not really pertinent to the original topic.
True that, but the 5w30 has more of those viscosity improvers that can cause the oil to break down at a slightly lower temperature. That is the only benefit that I see. I try to use the oil with the least viscosity spread that is allowed for my vehicles.
As far as the original poster and his question, he needs to check his oil more often and only fill it to the âfullâ mark! Then he can get a handle on how bad the oil consumption really is.
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Some older engines require 10W30 oil because of larger clearances between engine components.
Tester
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He continues driving after the oil pressure light comes on. At this point, the only help for him is another engine.
I read through it, but wasnât clear if it was the oil pressure or oil level light. Not that driving after either one comes on is ideal. Still, Iâd personally want to get a handle on how much oil is actually being consumed (not including the 4 quarts over the fill line) before condemning the engine. Iâm an optimist today. But I suspect youâre correct.
I suppose so. Iâve always been curious about the claimed âtighter tolerancesâ of todayâs engines, considering piston slap and light knocking seem to be more common on later model engines than on older engines. Also considering looser tolerances generally equate to more HP, or so Iâve been told. Would be interesting to see the specs side by side on an old 302 vs a modern 5.0, for example.
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I just looked up the owners manual for this vehicle. It does not have an oil level light, at least not the US version and it only hold 3.7 quarts of oil. So @ebc1680_159666, you really need to be more careful about the oil. BTW, 10w30 is the recommended oil down to 0 degrees F. If your local temperatures go below that, then you need 5w30.
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start planning for the next car . . .
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If 5 quarts was gone the engine would be seized up . If you are waiting until the oil light comes on its a wonder it is still running at all .
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His engine holds 3.7 quarts, when the low oil pressure light comes on, he dumps 5 quarts in.
Thereâs probably 1 to 2 quarts in his engine when he adds 5 more.