02 Protege oil consumption

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
2
Location
MD
I have an 02 Mazda Protege with 228k miles.
Recently it has started to consume oil. It has been about 1/4 qt for about 500 miles for the past few months. Body is rusted, so I am just trying to keep it alive at this point.

Manual calls for using 5w30. But I was wondering if I should switch to a higher weight since it is older and has started to consume oil.

Other info..
- automatic, so it is not revving anywhere near redline
- putting about 27k per year on it
- Live in Maryland
- OCI has been about every 4000 miles with whatever is the least expensive full synthetic that Advance Auto has
- Replaced radiator and water pump in January
- not sure about what the daily drive is like, it is actually my daughter's car. She does seem to drive a lot in the Baltimore/DC corridor. So most likely lots of stop and go.
- I use seafoam through the brake line every 30k miles. But I have NOT used it in the crankcase
- use a bottle of techron in the gas tank every oil change

So, any advice on easy solutions to reducing the oil consumption and increasing the life of the engine?
 
Id go to a high mileage oil, start with 5w30 HM and move up if needed to heavier. At this point it owes you nothing.. Oh and 1st..change the pcv valve too
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Switch to a cheap HM, like Maxlife, bet your consumption drops. It's worked in the beaters I've used it in.


I'd call [censored] on this, but.....


On a chance, because I was dumping way too much oil into my Neon (1qt/1000-1200miles), I switched to Maxlife 5w30 Blend. And wouldn't you know that I'm 1300 miles in and the oil level hasn't dropped a bit. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. Pretty early in the test though, so we'll see what happens as time goes on.
 
Try a 5W-30 HM, You can get a 5qt Jug of Supertech from walmart.com or store on sale for $10. I would be ok with a 10W-30 grade also.
 
If it's not leaking, it's burning it and the cat is cleaning up the result, so you don't see smoke. The cat won't last doing that. Most common burn problem is valve seals.
 
Originally Posted By: racer12306
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Switch to a cheap HM, like Maxlife, bet your consumption drops. It's worked in the beaters I've used it in.


I'd call [censored] on this, but.....


On a chance, because I was dumping way too much oil into my Neon (1qt/1000-1200miles), I switched to Maxlife 5w30 Blend. And wouldn't you know that I'm 1300 miles in and the oil level hasn't dropped a bit. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. Pretty early in the test though, so we'll see what happens as time goes on.


Good to know that Maxlife is working for you. I'm trying 10W-30 supertech HM on a honda accord that is burning 1 qt/ 700 miles. I can't wait to check the dipstick after a few hundred miles.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
If it's not leaking, it's burning it and the cat is cleaning up the result, so you don't see smoke. The cat won't last doing that. Most common burn problem is valve seals.


Definantly burning. I don't have any spotting in the driveway. CAT probably been toast for awhile. I have an extender on the O2 sensor so I don't get a CEL.

I am going to try some seafoam in the crankcase and run it for < 100 miles before the next change and then switch to a conventional 5w30.
 
Maxlife dropped my consumption from 1qt/300 miles down to 1qt/1200 miles before I even started experimenting with viscosity. My consumption is now negligible. So I call shenanigans on HM doubters
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Maxlife dropped my consumption from 1qt/300 miles down to 1qt/1200 miles before I even started experimenting with viscosity. My consumption is now negligible. So I call shenanigans on HM doubters
grin.gif



What vehicle was this and your engine mileage? Are your valve seals bad or worn-stuck rings
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Maxlife dropped my consumption from 1qt/300 miles down to 1qt/1200 miles before I even started experimenting with viscosity. My consumption is now negligible. So I call shenanigans on HM doubters
grin.gif



Did you get good results from the first Maxlife fill/OCI, because I've heard it takes a few OCI before you get full results.
 
Originally Posted By: smetzger
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
If it's not leaking, it's burning it and the cat is cleaning up the result, so you don't see smoke. The cat won't last doing that. Most common burn problem is valve seals.


Definantly burning. I don't have any spotting in the driveway. CAT probably been toast for awhile. I have an extender on the O2 sensor so I don't get a CEL.

I am going to try some seafoam in the crankcase and run it for < 100 miles before the next change and then switch to a conventional 5w30.


I think you mean to switch to 5W30 HM, your running conventional 5W-30 now....
 
Originally Posted By: Anwar2016
Try a 5W-30 HM, You can get a 5qt Jug of Supertech from walmart.com or store on sale for $10. I would be ok with a 10W-30 grade also.


+1 considering where you live 10w would be fine. Considering the age of the vehicle. You could even do a 10w-40 HM
 
My Protege5 is a 2003 and the factory manual calls for 10W30

Mine uses oil too, mostly leaking. It might take 2k miles to lose the first quart. By the end of a 4-5k OCI, it's losing a quart in 1k miles.

It's probably a combination of leaking and some burning as I'm no stranger to the rev limiter
smile.gif
 
Give it 2 changes with Valvoline Maxlife and see what happens. With that many miles I wouldn't hesitate to move up to 10w30, but 5w shouldn't hurt it - I'd change oils first and then move up a grade if necessary. If I observed a car of that age and mileage coming to my shop using a quart every 2,000 mi. I wouldn't be too worried.
 
Originally Posted By: Anwar2016
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Maxlife dropped my consumption from 1qt/300 miles down to 1qt/1200 miles before I even started experimenting with viscosity. My consumption is now negligible. So I call shenanigans on HM doubters
grin.gif



Did you get good results from the first Maxlife fill/OCI, because I've heard it takes a few OCI before you get full results.


It was a Duratec Taurus (3.0 DOHC) that was old-lady-owned for 15 years. Only had 36k miles. My consumption fell by 75% immediately upon switching.
 
I merely topped off with a quart of MaxLife(and changed the pcv valve) on the Accord and no more measurable consumption until I sold it about 80k miles later.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
I merely topped off with a quart of MaxLife(and changed the pcv valve) on the Accord and no more measurable consumption until I sold it about 80k miles later.


That's a long OCI
13.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top