SUV Starting To Use Oil

[Alex_V]

Originally Posted By: RHALL
I use Seafoam I’m my gas every couple months. How do you put it in the intake?


Find a vacuum hose or port that leads into the intake manifold - just preferably not the PCV hose. With the engine running and (assuming it's an electronic throttle body, not cable-actuated to where you can do this under the hood) take one of those vacuum lines, with an extra length of small hose if necessary, and put it in the bottle or another small container of Seafoam while an assistant revs the engine a bit to keep it from dying. If you've ever used carb. cleaner in a carbureted engine, the effect will be similar - more combustible substance than necessary will try to flood out the engine and moderate use of throttle to bolster RPM's will be necessary. I'd run about half the 16 oz. can through it this way, giving the engine a minute to breath and stabilize between doses of an ounce or two. Do this outside as there will be a lot of white smoke come out, which is normal and may persist for a minute after you stop feeding the Seafoam.

At least, that's my technique and I've yet to blow one up doing it that way.

 

[RHALL]

Originally Posted By: bmod305
200k on the clock and using 1 quart every 5k. What are you worried about? Keep using whatever you have been using.

Just my two cents,

Dave

You’re probably right, but my 5.3 liter equipped 2004 Z71 has 260k miles, and doesn’t use oil. I know they’re 2 different engines, so I’m probably expecting too much.

 

[RHALL]

Originally Posted By: Alex_V
Originally Posted By: RHALL
I use Seafoam I’m my gas every couple months. How do you put it in the intake?


Find a vacuum hose or port that leads into the intake manifold - just preferably not the PCV hose. With the engine running and (assuming it's an electronic throttle body, not cable-actuated to where you can do this under the hood) take one of those vacuum lines, with an extra length of small hose if necessary, and put it in the bottle or another small container of Seafoam while an assistant revs the engine a bit to keep it from dying. If you've ever used carb. cleaner in a carbureted engine, the effect will be similar - more combustible substance than necessary will try to flood out the engine and moderate use of throttle to bolster RPM's will be necessary. I'd run about half the 16 oz. can through it this way, giving the engine a minute to breath and stabilize between doses of an ounce or two. Do this outside as there will be a lot of white smoke come out, which is normal and may persist for a minute after you stop feeding the Seafoam.

At least, that's my technique and I've yet to blow one up doing it that way.

My grandfather did that in the past with carburetors using Marvel Mistery Oil, and they do smoke badly, but he swore by it.

 

[rubberchicken]

1 quart of 5w30 every 5k miles ? I would say that is perfectly fine; keep doing what you are doing.

 

[ATex7239]

I wouldn't even be worried about it, if I were you. I'd replace the PCV, if that didn't work, I'd just keep it topped off and move on about life...

Our Buick has lost about a quart every OCI since we bought it. I just buy 7 quarts instead of 6 at oil change time, check it once a week, and add as needed.

Just consider it refreshing the additives

 

[B320i]

Beginning to use oil? Sounds a bit like coking in the piston rings beginning to become an issue on your vehicle. Traditional wisdom has held that running a cheap conventional oil (maybe diesel oil) on short change intervals (perhaps with an additive, but I'm not sure how effective they are) can be a good way to help clean up an engine. We discussed it some time ago here.

And just to add to the discussion a tad, try to look for an oil with low NOACK; as this will be partly to blame for oil consumption in the first place. Oils with low viscosity spreads seem to be a good place to start.

 

[RoGuE]

Originally Posted By: RHALL
Originally Posted By: bmod305
200k on the clock and using 1 quart every 5k. What are you worried about? Keep using whatever you have been using.

Just my two cents,

Dave

You’re probably right, but my 5.3 liter equipped 2004 Z71 has 260k miles, and doesn’t use oil. I know they’re 2 different engines, so I’m probably expecting too much.


A quart per 5k miles doesn't sound that bad. You're lucky with your Z71, my dad's 5.3L 02 Suburban with 155k miles uses a quart every 2k miles, though he only drives about 2k miles a year now.

 

[camrydriver111]

I would move to a 10W30 like PYB or a high mileage 10W30.

 

[jj51702]

ok

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: Alex_V
Originally Posted By: RHALL
I use Seafoam I’m my gas every couple months. How do you put it in the intake?


Find a vacuum hose or port that leads into the intake manifold - just preferably not the PCV hose. With the engine running and (assuming it's an electronic throttle body, not cable-actuated to where you can do this under the hood) take one of those vacuum lines, with an extra length of small hose if necessary, and put it in the bottle or another small container of Seafoam while an assistant revs the engine a bit to keep it from dying. If you've ever used carb. cleaner in a carbureted engine, the effect will be similar - more combustible substance than necessary will try to flood out the engine and moderate use of throttle to bolster RPM's will be necessary. I'd run about half the 16 oz. can through it this way, giving the engine a minute to breath and stabilize between doses of an ounce or two. Do this outside as there will be a lot of white smoke come out, which is normal and may persist for a minute after you stop feeding the Seafoam.

At least, that's my technique and I've yet to blow one up doing it that way.

Subaru makes a handy "tool" that I have used for introducing their liquid intake cleaners into my FXT's engine through a vacuum line.
It was shown as out of stock in most places I looked, but I finally got one from a dealer in Colorado.
I sent in a question about the tool to Subaru of America and they told me they had never heard of the thing and I'd better ask my dealer about it!

 

[4WD]

10w30 High Mileage likeValvoline Maxlife semi synthetic

 

[BAJA_05]

Friend of mine whos Explorer started consuming oil at the 200 thousand mile mark jumped to a 10W30 for his Colagne 4.0L. & it stopped consumption back down to nothing between 5000 mile OCI intervals. YES I know its a different motor then your 4.2L -- but heck -- why not give it a shot for acouple OCI intervals. Maybe a high mileage 5W30 might do the trick also after acouple OCI intervals? Like stated before though, make sure you changed out the PCV valve.

 

[Arctic388]

would you consider using Z-max in it and let me know if you have any change after 10k miles?

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Subaru makes a handy "tool" that I have used for introducing their liquid intake cleaners into my FXT's engine through a vacuum line.
It was shown as out of stock in most places I looked, but I finally got one from a dealer in Colorado.
I sent in a question about the tool to Subaru of America and they told me they had never heard of the thing and I'd better ask my dealer about it!


Toyota has a similar tool available on Amazon.

Link

Which can be used with the Subaru cleaning chemicals which is listed as a package in the above link for an extra $20.

 

[SatinSilver]

As mentioned, I'd replace the pcv valve with an oem unit and top off with Valvoline Maxlife 5w30.

 

[i6pwr]

1 qt at 200K isn't bad at all for that motor. My 2002 Envoy has the same motor and uses some oil with 263K miles. Sometimes its about 1qt in 5K miles, sometimes less.

I just recently switched to Rotella T6 5W-40 and it seems to like that oil. Overall the motor has been quiet, but with the T6 I like the fact it's a little thicker at temp.

I would use a can of BG44K in the fuel, mine has always felt better after it's bi-annual dose.

After that you could try what has been mentioned for more cleaning.

200K is nothing for that motor.