Does using "Thicker" Oil Make Engines last Longer?
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Originally Posted By: stenerson
I didn't get consumption from M1. Getting it from PP though. But in
all fairness it might be that I'm now using much lighter oil than the M1 15w50 I used?
That *could* be the reason.
When I have run PP (in the Corolla I've run Amsoil, Castrol, Mobil 1, PP and QS syns) the engine consumed Mobil 1 quite a bit more. And this is over a few oil changes and different times of the engines life.
Pretty well the same situation in other vehicles I've used it in.
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
Some engines do use more than others but all engines DO use oil.
Take care, Bill
I didn't get consumption from M1. Getting it from PP though. But in
all fairness it might be that I'm now using much lighter oil than the M1 15w50 I used?
That *could* be the reason.
When I have run PP (in the Corolla I've run Amsoil, Castrol, Mobil 1, PP and QS syns) the engine consumed Mobil 1 quite a bit more. And this is over a few oil changes and different times of the engines life.
Pretty well the same situation in other vehicles I've used it in.
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
Some engines do use more than others but all engines DO use oil.
Take care, Bill
Patman
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
I agree, when I first got my Corvette I thought it didn't consume much oil at all because the level on the dipstick never changed, it always showed full. Then after one oil change I decided to measure exactly how much came out and was shocked to find that I was actually a quart low! Pretty pathetic dipstick if you ask me! From that moment on I decided to never trust the dipstick again, I just measure how much oil comes out of my cars when I change it, and that's how I figure out how much oil to top it up with on the next interval.
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
I agree, when I first got my Corvette I thought it didn't consume much oil at all because the level on the dipstick never changed, it always showed full. Then after one oil change I decided to measure exactly how much came out and was shocked to find that I was actually a quart low! Pretty pathetic dipstick if you ask me! From that moment on I decided to never trust the dipstick again, I just measure how much oil comes out of my cars when I change it, and that's how I figure out how much oil to top it up with on the next interval.
Sorry, but that's a hard one to digest.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Sorry, but that's a hard one to digest.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
Again, ALL engines use oil. They have to.
Go learn how an internal combustion engine works.
So you measure the amount of oil comes out of your engine? What do you use to get to the .xxxxx number?
People using words like "nary" and .xxxxx numbers are not being factual.
Your engine does use oil. It may be VERY little but it is more than a few drops or such. Esp over a multi-thousand OCI.
Sorry. Calling it as I see it.
We will agree to disagree...
Bill
PS: agree that today's engines are MUCH more consistent with manufacturing.
Sorry, but that's a hard one to digest.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
Again, ALL engines use oil. They have to.
Go learn how an internal combustion engine works.
So you measure the amount of oil comes out of your engine? What do you use to get to the .xxxxx number?
People using words like "nary" and .xxxxx numbers are not being factual.
Your engine does use oil. It may be VERY little but it is more than a few drops or such. Esp over a multi-thousand OCI.
Sorry. Calling it as I see it.
We will agree to disagree...
Bill
PS: agree that today's engines are MUCH more consistent with manufacturing.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: stenerson
I didn't get consumption from M1. Getting it from PP though. But in
all fairness it might be that I'm now using much lighter oil than the M1 15w50 I used?
That *could* be the reason.
When I have run PP (in the Corolla I've run Amsoil, Castrol, Mobil 1, PP and QS syns) the engine consumed Mobil 1 quite a bit more. And this is over a few oil changes and different times of the engines life.
Pretty well the same situation in other vehicles I've used it in.
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
Some engines do use more than others but all engines DO use oil.
Take care, Bill
Bill:
While I agree with your premise, I think how one defines the reasonable bounds of consumption versus the lack thereof is a topic in itself.
For example with my own engines, the Expedition consumed 1L of M1 5w20 as per the dipstick. It was down to the "add" mark at 8,000Km IIRC and so I added 1L to bring it back to the "full" mark.
My run of M1 TDT 5w40, the oil level never came off the "full" mark. Do I think the engine used NO oil? Of course not! Just that the amount it DID consume was inconsequential, since it had no observable affect on the level left in the pan, and that it was significantly less consumption than with the 5w20.
Oftentimes, people with similar results as to my TDT run would say that their engine didn't consume a "drop" of oil. Is that accurate? Of course not! But the engine did not consume a quantity of significance over their OCI, which, if it is a stark departure from their results with another grade or brand, could be considered significant to the individual.
I think a lot of it has to do with the language used; somebody MAKING a statement that is ridiculous, whilst fully understanding that their engine consumes SOME oil by design but that the consumption during the "not a drop" run was simply insignificant is completely different from somebody making the same statement and actually believing it. Which is what I think you are touching on.
Unfortunately, without clarification from the poster, we really don't know what side of the fence they stand on with the statement made. This is why I think it is important to differentiate insignificant consumption from signification consumption, allowing for the fact that by design, SOME oil will be used through the duration of the run and that the quantity simply defines the level of significance and should be included when the statement is made. Which, thankfully, seems to be a rule that most on here DO follow.
Originally Posted By: stenerson
I didn't get consumption from M1. Getting it from PP though. But in
all fairness it might be that I'm now using much lighter oil than the M1 15w50 I used?
That *could* be the reason.
When I have run PP (in the Corolla I've run Amsoil, Castrol, Mobil 1, PP and QS syns) the engine consumed Mobil 1 quite a bit more. And this is over a few oil changes and different times of the engines life.
Pretty well the same situation in other vehicles I've used it in.
When I hear that people run Mobil 1 and don't use a "drop" (which is impossible since the DESIGN of a engine REQUIRES some lube to be used) over thousands of miles I think their engines have dipsticks that are not very accurate or something else is replacing the level of oil that IS being consumed.
Some engines do use more than others but all engines DO use oil.
Take care, Bill
Bill:
While I agree with your premise, I think how one defines the reasonable bounds of consumption versus the lack thereof is a topic in itself.
For example with my own engines, the Expedition consumed 1L of M1 5w20 as per the dipstick. It was down to the "add" mark at 8,000Km IIRC and so I added 1L to bring it back to the "full" mark.
My run of M1 TDT 5w40, the oil level never came off the "full" mark. Do I think the engine used NO oil? Of course not! Just that the amount it DID consume was inconsequential, since it had no observable affect on the level left in the pan, and that it was significantly less consumption than with the 5w20.
Oftentimes, people with similar results as to my TDT run would say that their engine didn't consume a "drop" of oil. Is that accurate? Of course not! But the engine did not consume a quantity of significance over their OCI, which, if it is a stark departure from their results with another grade or brand, could be considered significant to the individual.
I think a lot of it has to do with the language used; somebody MAKING a statement that is ridiculous, whilst fully understanding that their engine consumes SOME oil by design but that the consumption during the "not a drop" run was simply insignificant is completely different from somebody making the same statement and actually believing it. Which is what I think you are touching on.
Unfortunately, without clarification from the poster, we really don't know what side of the fence they stand on with the statement made. This is why I think it is important to differentiate insignificant consumption from signification consumption, allowing for the fact that by design, SOME oil will be used through the duration of the run and that the quantity simply defines the level of significance and should be included when the statement is made. Which, thankfully, seems to be a rule that most on here DO follow.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Sorry, but that's a hard one to digest.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
Again, ALL engines use oil. They have to.
Go learn how an internal combustion engine works.
So you measure the amount of oil comes out of your engine? What do you use to get to the .xxxxx number?
People using words like "nary" and .xxxxx numbers are not being factual.
Your engine does use oil. It may be VERY little but it is more than a few drops or such. Esp over a multi-thousand OCI.
Sorry. Calling it as I see it.
We will agree to disagree...
Bill
PS: agree that today's engines are MUCH more consistent with manufacturing.
You chuck that truth spear, semantic warrior!
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Sorry, but that's a hard one to digest.
A dipstick is pretty simple, and it is very hard to imagine how it could be very "wrong" unless it's an error by the person reading it. All engines do NOT use a measurable amount of oil.
6.1 liter 425 hp motor here, this fill includes an entire day of drag racing, more than 15 passes. Nary a drop of consumption.
And it's the same story on Mobil 1. If you put 7 quarts in you get 6.99997 quarts back!
Also, modern engines are not automatically "tight". Modern DESIGNS can be very tight stock, but most of the the big V-8's are still loose as always, nothing new here. Just better, more consistent manufacture.
Again, ALL engines use oil. They have to.
Go learn how an internal combustion engine works.
So you measure the amount of oil comes out of your engine? What do you use to get to the .xxxxx number?
People using words like "nary" and .xxxxx numbers are not being factual.
Your engine does use oil. It may be VERY little but it is more than a few drops or such. Esp over a multi-thousand OCI.
Sorry. Calling it as I see it.
We will agree to disagree...
Bill
PS: agree that today's engines are MUCH more consistent with manufacturing.
You chuck that truth spear, semantic warrior!
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