Silly clarifying question first:
Do the little circles on the the oil dipstick still correlate to the amount of oil?
I have a 2007 Chevy Avalanche (5.3L FlexFuel) that consumes oil. According to the dealership its 2.0 qts per 3000 miles is acceptable and there is no concern. It appears to accelerate consumption as the miles increase from the initial oil change (ie. at 1000 miles oil levels are ok; at 1500 miles, 4 of 5 circles were covered by oil; awaiting 3000 miles).
Anyone have any thoughts on if this should be a concern? I have read other forums and some say to change the PCV? Should I just get a new car?
A quart of oil every 1500 miles is nothing to worry about…Today, that is considered to be at the high end of the normal range…But do you know for sure exactly how much oil you are using? How far can you drive before the bottom mark on the dipstick is exposed? Your Owners Manual should explain what the marks mean…
Checking your PCV valve is never a bad idea. And replacing it once in a while will cost you all of a few bucks.
But its not clear what you’re describing or if you even have an oil consumption problem. “It appears to accelerate consumption as the miles increase from the initial oil change” I have no idea what you mean by initial oil change. Did you just buy this car and only had the oil changed once? Or are you just giving mileage intervals after any oil change?
Anyway, figure the dipstick range (the hash marks & circles) covers about a quart. You have said that you are down less than 1/4 quart in 1500 miles. You don’t have anything to worry about. (If you’re thinking each circle is a quart then you’re way off).
And yes, manufacturers will tell you that a quart per 1500 miles is “normal.” So you’re down a lot less than that.
A clogged PCV valve can contribute to oil usage, however your usage is perfactly normal. Youo can test the PCV valve by simply removing it and shaking it. If it rattles, it’s good.
It’s simply a small “valve” loose inside a metal “valvebody” such that ir allows presure to pass in one direction and not the other. It allows pressure from the crankcase & under the valve cover to be drawn into the intake and consumed without allowing any backfire to ignite the gasses in those spaces. That’s its sole purpose in life.
"“It appears to accelerate consumption as the miles increase from the initial oil change”
What this means is with new oil the engine doesn’t consume any oil for the first 1000 miles.
Then as the oil gets sheared or diluted and viscosity drops it consumes more and more oil.
All the PCV passages should be checked, not just the valve.
You can also try a different brand/better oil, such as a full-synthetic. Some oils just seem to agree better with different engines. Personally I’d try Valvoline Synpower or Mobil1 full-synthetic at the next oil change.