When was the last time anyone saw a dip-stick fail?
When it’s not used.
You might try a diesel spec oil like the synthetic Rotella T6 5W40 and see what this does. I am not sure if this viscosity is what the car calls for but I know some who have had good luck freeing stuck rings/reducing oil consumption by using this oil. At this point I don’t think using the exact oil specified by the factory matters and you might actually clean out the rings with the extra detergents over time.
Running an engine this low on oil isn’t good. Check it often as everyone else here has suggested until you get a handle on the consumption. The reason the oil light comes on when turning is because the oil is low and sloshes to one side out of the way of the oil pickup and you are sucking air or an air/oil mix. Air is a poor lubricant.
^
My wife’s car spec’s 5W-40 oil and I bought a jug of the Rotella T6 on sale for a good price. I began having second thoughts because of the “diesel” designation even though it met the API spec’s in her owner’s manual, so I called the toll-free number on the container. The engineer I spoke with told me they don’t recommend the oil for cars with catalytic converters (virtually all gas engine vehicles) because of the phosphorus content. He wouldn’t tell me what the phosphorus content was.
I know a lot of folks use it in gasoline engines, but I ended up returning it on his advice.
@LewisCannon
Some european cars with gasoline engines use 5w40 and 0w40, so I’m not sure the oil would have been “wrong”
@db4690
The Rotella T6 had the viscosity and API designation called for in my owners manual.
I returned the oil only because the engineer at Shell recommended it not be used in a vehicle with a catalytic converter.
@LewisCannon
Many diesel powered vehicles have catalysts nowadays. However, they are oxidation catalysts . . . a little different than the 3-way cats used in gasoline powered vehicles
@db4690
Thanks for that info, I didn’t know some diesels had cats. There must be something about 3-way cats that causes them to be adversely affected by the phosphorus content of the Rotella T6, but I am curious as to what that might be.
But what about the guy with the Volvo that burns a quart every 900 miles or so and he just can not accept that fact and add oil as required?? Iv’e owned many cars that needed a quart every 1000 miles or so. No big deal…But if you never check the oil until the red light comes on, well then maybe you waited too long to correct the situation…
Diesel oil is formulated to guard against wear. That’s what the zinc and phosphorus additives are for…Gasoline engine oil is formulated to extend the life of the CAT as long as possible. If engine wear accelerates a little, then so be it…Emissions are more important…
Gasoline engine oil is formulated to extend the life of the CAT as long as possible. If engine wear accelerates a little, then so be it…Emissions are more important…
…@Caddyman: were you speaking tongue-in-cheek? It’s hard to tell from the post. No sarcasm indicated, but at the same time it’s hard to take the statement at face value.
Motor oil today is vastly different now than it was 20 years ago. I’m not conversant on the specifics of the chemical differences, but using a modern-day oil in your freshly rebuilt stock 1968 Chevy 327 is not good. You will be better off using a diesel oil, like 15W40 Delo, Rotella, Delvac, and the like. Your old-fashioned slipper camshafts will thank you. Or you can buy specially formulated oil for you older car. I see ads for it all the time in Hemmings.
Just as diesel fuel has been reformulated to ultra-low sulfur content over the last several years diesel oil has undergone some changes too.
Diesels and tailpipe emissions are coming under stricter standards now as well. Catalysts on diesels are an entirely different breed than those found on your late model family sedan. After all, you don’t need to check and add the exhaust fluid on your family car.
That is true. Some diesel spec oils do contain higher levels of zinc and phosphorous as anti-wear additives that can foul emissions systems components like catalysts and O2 sensors. This is worse if the engine is burning oil like this one. Otherwise the amount passing is minimal and I wouldn’t be concerned about using this oil. On the other hand, burning oil like this is never good for a cat.
You might try running a European spec oil as these are good oils and they have good detergents to fight sludge and coking of the rings. These are also very friendly to the emissions system components. I know some people who swear by the Liqui Moly oils but they are EXPENSIVE. The cheapest one you can get pretty much everywhere is the Mobil 1 0W40 Euro Spec. This is good stuff for the price and most auto parts stores run specials on this with a filter from time to time. If you have a filter, the 5 quart jug from Wal-Mart is hard to beat.
You might try running one of these oils for 3000 miles and see how it works out. Make sure to keep it topped off during the change. You may free up stuck rings and see a difference or nothing might change. Again, I wouldn’t be too picky about oil on an engine this neglected. If it called for a 5W30, going to a 40W shouldn’t hurt anything, especially with tolerances that are worn larger than ideal.