Reining in an oil burning engine?

[gray rider]

I have no noticeable oil leaks. Currently burning a quart of 0w20 approximately every 1500 miles.
Can oil consumption be reduced by changing from 0w20 to 10w30?
Is the oil substitution ok in a 200 series engine?

Can a faulty PVC valve cause excessive oil burning?

Thanks.

 

[fjc-man]

How many miles? How do the sparkplugs look? All the same?

 

[gray rider]

Sounds like a great question on the plugs....unfortunately the miles on the engine are a mystery. Here is the tread regarding that:

Salvage Motor Question

The 2014 200 that I recently bought may have a salvaged motor installed. (It has a heat tab installed on it) Anyone have insight regarding this topic? Thanks!

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[gray rider]

*Thread

 

[bloc]

PCV valve has been a source of oil consumption multiple times on this board. Genuine Toyota part is less than $10 last time I checked, might as well throw one in. And I’d recommend using that over parts-store.

Also it’s plastic, don’t over-tighten the new one.

Beyond that, you can absolutely switch out to a thicker oil without harm to the engine, it is actually recommended in large parts of the world with this engine. Many of us run 5w-30 and even some 0w-30 with reports of quieter valve train.

 

[gray rider]

Good info. I'm on it....

 

[gasman4u]

+1 on the pcv valve needing to be changed. As beaten to death before, the 3ur-fe is usually super easy on oil.

On the oil forum, people have had some luck after a couple runs of Valvoline restore and protect in reducing consumption. This hasn’t worked for everyone, but has worked for enough people imo to say give it a shot. Just be ready to change your filter early in the oil life cycle (assuming there’s a lot of carbon build up/sludge this stuff will be cleaning).

I’m not saying the valvoline will definitely cure your ills, but imo it couldn’t hurt. And it also comes in 5w30. HTH

 

[gray rider]

@gasman: Is the "Oil Forum" Bob is the oil guy?

 

[gray rider]

Is this the link?:

Valvoline Restore & Protect

I think it's just a guidance than some hard requirement of 4 oil changes. My car was burning a quart every 1K miles and it took just two VRP oil changes of 5K each and it seems to have completely stopped at 156K miles. I could probably switch to another oil at this point till I notice the oil...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[gasman4u]

Is this the link?:

Valvoline Restore & Protect

I think it's just a guidance than some hard requirement of 4 oil changes. My car was burning a quart every 1K miles and it took just two VRP oil changes of 5K each and it seems to have completely stopped at 156K miles. I could probably switch to another oil at this point till I notice the oil...

bobistheoilguy.com

That’s a good start. Just be ready for a deep dive into a lot of good info, but intermittent bullsh*t and voodoo.

VRP is good oil. IMHO it’s where I’d start (pcv first) to (hopefully) rein in your neglected engine burning oil.

 

[anavant]

Hello All... I found this thread as I was looking for answers regarding my 2017 with 95,000 miles. Oil burning has been an issue in this truck. I have no visable leaks yet had to add three quarts last week... 500 miles shy of the needed oil change. Im running full synthetic as well. After some recomendation in this thread I may switch to 5w-30.

Regarding the PVC valve... with 95,000 on the engine, should I still replace it?

thanks !

 

[bloc]

Hello All... I found this thread as I was looking for answers regarding my 2017 with 95,000 miles. Oil burning has been an issue in this truck. I have no visable leaks yet had to add three quarts last week... 500 miles shy of the needed oil change. Im running full synthetic as well. After some recomendation in this thread I may switch to 5w-30.

Regarding the PVC valve... with 95,000 on the engine, should I still replace it?

thanks !

Definitely do the PCV, and seek out a Genuine Toyota one. Very cheap and easy to change.

Beyond that when you say 500 short.. what oil change interval are you using? The 10k quoted in the book as an option is asking for trouble.

 

[anavant]

Definitely do the PCV, and seek out a Genuine Toyota one. Very cheap and easy to change.

Beyond that when you say 500 short.. what oil change interval are you using? The 10k quoted in the book as an option is asking for trouble.

I have been changing it every 5,000. So when I added oil I was 500 short on 5,000 miles

 

[gasman4u]

I have been changing it every 5,000. So when I added oil I was 500 short on 5,000 miles

97k is early to be burning that much oil in 4500 miles imo. Give the valvoline restore and protect a couple runs while staying on top of your oil filter being changed during your runs of it. Pcv should hopefully help too. Follow up with what you do and results.

 

[anavant]

97k is early to be burning that much oil in 4500 miles imo. Give the valvoline restore and protect a couple runs while staying on top of your oil filter being changed during your runs of it. Pcv should hopefully help too. Follow up with what you do and results.

And you recomend the 5W-30 ? Im in NJ...

 

[gasman4u]

And you recomend the 5W-30 ? Im in NJ...

You’ll have to be the one who makes that call.

With that said - this time of year, I’d have zero hesitations in running that wt. Winter, I’d have some 0w30,0Wxx in your crankcase. I’m likely an outlier though. HTH.

 

[bloc]

Personally I’d put the PCV in and see if it helps before resorting to a restoration oil. Those typically have “seal swellers” to address leaks and those work by.. well.. swelling rubber compounds exposed to the oil. That reduces their density and therefore durometer (aka hardness), increasing wear rate.

Now if you can find an oil that doesn’t have the seal swellers, I don’t see any issue with that.

 

[gasman4u]

Personally I’d put the PCV in and see if it helps before resorting to a restoration oil. Those typically have “seal swellers” to address leaks and those work by.. well.. swelling rubber compounds exposed to the oil. That reduces their density and therefore durometer (aka hardness), increasing wear rate.

Now if you can find an oil that doesn’t have the seal swellers, I don’t see any issue with that.

R&p doesn’t have these additives