adding 1qt oil every 2k miles. change oil?

[dabble]

Hi,

I drive a 1995 Camry that runs great. I add 1qt oil every 2000 miles and drive about 6k miles a year. I change the oil about once a year. I change the filter every few months (cheap Fram filters).

I don't know whether I'm burning oil or leaking it or both.

(It used to be that I knew for sure I was leaking oil. Then I did a few AutoRx cycles and had to replace a distributor gasket and then a front gasket and I think that the leaking is a lot less.)

Do I need to actually drain oil out of pan? If so, how often?

All the best!

 

[rjacket]

Um, you say you change the oil once a year but you are asking if you need to drain oil out of pan? Please explain.

Which oil are you using (brand and weight)?

You might want to use a synthetic high mileage oil and a better filter.

 

[barlowc]

Short of getting things fixed... maybe add a half quart every 1K and change at 6K. Use any reasonable decent filter for the whole OCI.

 

[Bluestream]

If you are adding oil every 2K and driving 6K per year, you could in theory have a perpetual oil change going. Since the car is 15 years old, this would not be much of an issue. I would still change it every once in a while, but each qt you ad is replenishing the additives.

Changing filters more than once per year is a waste.

 

[dabble]

Sorry. I meant that I was having the oil changed once a year.

I've been using Advanced dino SJ 20w50. The 20w50 is the recommendation of my mechanic because of oil losses over time. BITOG's oil course doesn't like that recommendation. Advanced just the cheapest SJ. I think the oil course prefers SM. So now that I've taken the oil course I'm thinking of changing to 5w30 SM. I think that 5w30 SJ was the Toyota recommendation.

 

[Colt45ws]

The Sx stuff is superceding. So SN serves where SM and all previous classifications are specified including SJ.
If you are losing that much oil, it should be pretty obvious. Blue smoke on heavy throttle take off? Oil on the ground where it is parked? Its going somewhere.

 

[dabble]

Hi,

I'm not finding residue on the bumper or in the tailpipe. I don't see oil on the ground.

 

[Bayman]

Originally Posted By: dabble
Hi,

I drive a 1995 Camry that runs great. I add 1qt oil every 2000 miles and drive about 6k miles a year. I change the oil about once a year. I change the filter every few months (cheap Fram filters).

I don't know whether I'm burning oil or leaking it or both.

(It used to be that I knew for sure I was leaking oil. Then I did a few AutoRx cycles and had to replace a distributor gasket and then a front gasket and I think that the leaking is a lot less.)

Do I need to actually drain oil out of pan? If so, how often?

All the best!


Check your PCV, meaning clean it out or change it.

Might also try a Piston Soak.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Changing filters more than once per year is a waste.


Even for a cheap FRAM? I thought you could only rely on those to go 3000 miles.

 

[hpichris]

fram is never worth it.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Changing filters more than once per year is a waste.


Even for a cheap FRAM? I thought you could only rely on those to go 3000 miles.


Even a Fram can go one year. Fram are widely used, just not loved here due to the cardboard end caps. The filter elemnt is just fine IMO. A 1995 car is worthy of a Fram, although you can get a better filter for a bit more money.

 

[hpichris]

a few bucks more and you have a Wix

 

[bodeh6]

You should try some High Mileage like Castrol, Valvoline, or Pennzoil HM and a Wix or Purolator filter.

 

[hpichris]

Cardboard end caps should bother everybody.

 

[mechtech2]

Once a year [like you are doing] is just fine with your additional perpetual oil change.
works out well!

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: rjacket
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Changing filters more than once per year is a waste.


Even for a cheap FRAM? I thought you could only rely on those to go 3000 miles.


Even a Fram can go one year. Fram are widely used, just not loved here due to the cardboard end caps. The filter elemnt is just fine IMO. A 1995 car is worthy of a Fram, although you can get a better filter for a bit more money.


Don't the cheap Fram's lack a bypass valve? Even on their own website they say it is for 5000 miles. How does that line up with your advice that they can go one year?

 

[Colt45ws]

They have a bypass if it is specced. Not all designs require a bypass in the filter; same as not all require an ADBV. Fram filters will have it if the spec calls for it. Just like everyone else.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
They have a bypass if it is specced. Not all designs require a bypass in the filter; same as not all require an ADBV. Fram filters will have it if the spec calls for it. Just like everyone else.


Sometimes a filter fits more than one application from different manufacturers. In that case how would it satisfy all the different manufacturer requirements? That's why I go with OE for oil filters.

Here are a couple of examples to back up what I mean:

http://www.framcatalog.com/PartDetailWindow.aspx?b=F&pn=PH2

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/compatibility-chart/B000AS3D3S/ref=au_pf_dp_chart

Note the Motorcraft filter has 874 "fitments"!

 

[OilGuy2]

Originally Posted By: dabble
Hi,

I drive a 1995 Camry that runs great. I add 1qt oil every 2000 miles and drive about 6k miles a year. I change the oil about once a year. I change the filter every few months (cheap Fram filters).

I don't know whether I'm burning oil or leaking it or both.

(It used to be that I knew for sure I was leaking oil. Then I did a few AutoRx cycles and had to replace a distributor gasket and then a front gasket and I think that the leaking is a lot less.)

Do I need to actually drain oil out of pan? If so, how often?

All the best!


I had a 22 year old Camry (1987) that I used as a daily driver. Typically I would use a decent filter such as Purolator but I found that there is nothing wrong with Super Tech at Walmart if you can find the ones made by Champion...they look like Mobil 1 filters on the end cap.

Changing oil is totally unnecessary in your current situation. I'm sure you've noticed that when you pull the dipstick, it constantly looks like the oil has 2000 miles on it and is pretty clean.

I suspect that the majority of your oil usage is due to blow by through the valve guides and to a lesser degree, through the piston rings if your mileage is high. You may also have some seepage from the oil pan gasket...they shrink after many years and the bolts are probably loose. Tightening them in a sequence might stop the seepage but it is likely that the oil pan gasket would require replacement. The other common source of seepage is the valve cover gasket. Same situation: shrinks with age, tightening gently may help or it may require replacement. I cannot emphasize enough that such tightening be done gently because the gaskets do no require great force to get a seal. Think "hand tight" like when you hold a socket wrench over the socket and not from the handle. No arm strength is needed here...its just a process of snugging it up a bit.

You might try Sams Club's "Certified" oil which can be had in 5w30, 10W-30 and 10W-40 weights at $26.54 for 12 quart bottles. Its pure Dino but it will cost you very little per quart and its what got my Camry to 22 years without any smoke.

Eventually, the Camry needed a lot of body work to pass inspection so I sold it to a young fellow that was working at a body shop where he could fix it in his free time.

 

[uart]

Hi dabble. I recommend using an OEM filter (or something of at least equal quality) and changing both the oil and filter once per year. I'd also recommend that you use a high mileage conventional oil like maxlife or similar.

I don't like the idea of completely foregoing oil changes just because the engine uses a quart every 2000 miles. You may be continually replenishing additives but you're not removing some contaminants and they could build up. So drain it once per year and surely at just once a year you can splash out on a decent filter and oil.