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Bad Oil Consumption

Z

zoidberg

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G'day,

Oil consumption is known in the 5.7L V8's but everywhere i look there isn't anything mentioned about the V6's.

I have owned mine for about 4 months and it now has 120,000 on the clock and keep regular tabs on the oil level, twice the warning light has come on while braking. It takes just 4000km's for the oil level to go from FULL to ADD The car is parked on a white driveway both at home and at work so its easy to see if its leaking, which it isn't so there's only one place it can go that i know of....out the back!

Has anybody heard of the ecotec engines consuming oil? or has anybody had this problem?

Thanks heaps,

Rob
 

MaNiac_VP

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Ahh.... doing 120,000 kms in 4 months would burn through oil in any 6.

I'd hate to be your engine!

That's 30,000 km a month

1,000 km a day poor thing is probably running oil hot, try a higher grade oil.

etc.
 
P

Phil

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Umm I don't think he is doing that many k's per month but has only owned the car for 4 months and now it has 120k on the clock. You would have to be doing some serious driving to do 120k in 4 months... hehe..

As for the oil consumption as MaNiac_VP said, you could try a different grade oil. What oil are you using at this moment?..

One thing to look at. Is the engine making alot of engine ratteling sounds on first startup in the the mornings when it cold?.. If so then the rings may need replacing and possibly pistons.

I am not a mechanic so I wold ask the question maybe at Holden or your local mechanic you can trust.

With the GENIII oil usage it was do to undersized pistons and rings deliberatly installed to increase fuel economy this would cause the engine to have piston slap when cold. The revised pistons and rings are larger and therefore give a tighter fit in the engine bore. In most cases it fixed the oil consumption but increased full usage...

If I find anything more I will post it..

Best of Luck
Phil
 
Z

zoidberg

Guest
Thanks for replying guys

When the engine gets a bit low on oil there is a tap sound for a couple of seconds, i guess thats because there is less oil resulting in a greater time for the engine to pick up oil pressure but when the sump is full there is no irregular noises at all.

As for the grade of oil, i am using Shell Helix Plus (the blue stuff) with a grade of 15W-50. The manual says that an oil of 20W-50 should be used but when i asked the local shell bloke he said that a difference that small wouldn't matter and that the Shell Helix Plus is a very good oil.

Could that small difference really make that much difference....4000km's from FULL to ADD?

thanks again guys

Rob
 

fergi

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hi
regarding your 15 /50 oil i would suggest that this is the reason you are using a bit of oil, 4000 k,s to top up oil is not a great deal but i was reading somwhere that 20/50 is the prefered oil and 15/50 WILL USE slightly more oil.its a bit thin,go to a good quality 20/50 and i think that will cure your problem,,,though the oil you are using is still a good quality oil
cheers fergi
 
P

Phil

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It is not always the viscosity of the oil but can be the brand, believe it or not..

Of course the guy from Shell is going to say the oil is good, he is selling it.. hehe..
In general the shell oils are good. I wouldnt think that it would make a full dipstick of difference but oil is a cheap alternative to try.

Is your car blowing lots of smoke?... sometimes if the oil is going over the top of the piston to the top of the engine thats where your losing it and it could need new rings.

I would try some Mobil XHP oil its about $16 for 5ltrs (price may vary state to state)..

CHeers
Phil
 
Z

zoidberg

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It only blows smoke when overtaking, so, under harder accelertion but thats it
 

235rwkw

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That motor has had a hard time !! prob lack of oil changes.

if it blowa under acceleration it the rings. if when you idle for a long time and take off in a cloud its the valve stem seals.

That motor needs a rebuild, or one from the wreckers, or sell it and buy another.
it only going to get worse, loose performance an clog up with carbon.

the oil your using is ok, you can slow the usage by yusing thicker oil. but that will only delay things.

where did you get it from ?
 
Z

zoidberg

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i bought the car used from a dealer but the 3 month warantee has passed plus i had a problem wit the brakes (rotors weren't machined and were pretty bad) and they wouldn't do anything about it so i sort of gave the used car manager a piece of my mind
 

MaNiac_VP

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If you own a VT and its blowing smoke then you have really bad luck!

I'd force the dealer to take the car back!

ECOTEC engines are bloody bulletproof, and if its blowing smoke anytime (overtaking, coasting etc) no matter how hard your driving, then I'd say you have a serious problem with a worn out engine or its been extremely poooorly maintained.

Either way, its only gonna be downhill from here and changing oils won't help much at all I'm afraid .
 
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