Originally Posted By: kohnen
That's not my point. Engines today can easily go 300,000 miles if they're well maintained, but they still seem to end up burning oil as they get older.
I'm wondering if, by keeping the oil clean enough, it is possible to effectively prevent wear between the pistons and the cylinders so that the engine won't start to consume oil.
Regular, conscientious maintenance is the answer.
The 2010 Fusion in my signature just rolled over 215,000 miles, and I just did an oil/filter change on Saturday, and replaced the plugs Sunday.
Despite the fact that the engine has 215,000 miles on it, it burns consumes no noticeable oil, either through burning or leaking.
I don't do anything magical or excessive:
- I change the oil, myself, every 7,500 miles
- I use a good, quality oil, from a trusted manufacturer, that's within spec for my car and climate
- I use a good, quality oil filter from a trusted manufacturer
- When I'm changing the oil, I inspect the engine, drivetrain, etc.. for leaks, as well as damage or signs of wear or fatigue.
- I regularly inspect the car's brakes, tires, etc.. for wear
- I 'listen' to my car. If it feels like it's running rough, I set time aside to investigate. If it starts squeaking or making odd sounds, I find out where they're coming from and fix what's causing it.
Regarding the last point, above. The reason I changed my plugs this past Sunday was because I've started noticing my fuel economy dropping, and I could feel the car idling slightly rough at times. With new plugs installed, it's running nice and smooth now.
I fully plan on keeping my car until at least 350,000 miles, and I expect that with the above steps, I can get it there.
What kills a car quickly is ignoring problems, getting lazy on maintenance, etc..