synthetic oil in oil-burner engine

[Jd1101]

I read that full Synthetic is not the best for engines that burn oil but I also read that once you go synthetic you cannot go back…

We have a 2013 Equinox that burns through a Qt of 5W-30 a week. We have been using Castrol Edge Full Synthetic but I read in one of these forums that it may be better to use a 10w-30 or even a 10w-40 synthetic blend because they are heavier and may burn slower. I care little about the burn speed and more about engine safety. I guess this is common problem with the older Equinox engines. Does anyone know if a heavier weight will be better for engine life and can we actually go back to a synthetic blend if we have been using synthetic all along? Also, we live in upstate NY. So it gets 90-100 degree F in summer and below 0F in the winter. Thanks for your help.

 

[wlk]

You can go back and forth with no problems. If burning run Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 to clean the rings and hopefully resolve the burning. It will work just fine for your climate year round.

 

[Astro14]

A quart a week!!? How many miles is that?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

We have a 2013 Equinox that burns through a Qt of 5W-30 a week. We have been using Castrol Edge Full Synthetic but I read in one of these forums that it may be better to use a 10w-30 or even a 10w-40 synthetic blend because they are heavier and may burn slower. I care little about the burn speed and more about engine safety. I guess this is common problem with the older Equinox engines. Does anyone know if a heavier weight will be better for engine life and can we actually go back to a synthetic blend if we have been using synthetic all along? Also, we live in upstate NY. So it gets 90-100 degree F in summer and below 0F in the winter. Thanks for your help.

LOL just like the Myth once you go to HM oil you can't go back or once you have gone to French Fries you can't go back to Baked Potatoes.

 

[Astro14]

At that level of consumption (which is about 1QT/250 miles for the average driver) I would not care about anything but cost.

Who cares what you put in it? It’s going to be gone in a couple of weeks.

This is a car that may be on its last legs - what have you done to troubleshoot the consumption? Is it leaking? Is the PCV clear?

If you’ve done all that, then, you have crazy oil consumption. Your cat is already done, fouled with oil, and your spark plugs are not far behind.

So, yeah, find the cheapest stuff you can, look for sales, and pour it in.

Synthetic by itself won’t help, but a slightly higher viscosity (that’s the second number - the first number refers to winter performance) might. So, look for a 10W40 or 15W40 on sale in the summer, because it will be among the least expensive you can find, and then whatever 5WXX you can find in the winter.

 

[Wireman1987]

We have a 2013 Equinox that burns through a Qt of 5W-30 a week. We have been using Castrol Edge Full Synthetic but I read in one of these forums that it may be better to use a 10w-30 or even a 10w-40 synthetic blend because they are heavier and may burn slower. I care little about the burn speed and more about engine safety. I guess this is common problem with the older Equinox engines. Does anyone know if a heavier weight will be better for engine life and can we actually go back to a synthetic blend if we have been using synthetic all along? Also, we live in upstate NY. So it gets 90-100 degree F in summer and below 0F in the winter. Thanks for your help.

1 quart per week run the cheapest you could find and possibly consider trading in or selling the vehicle. stick with the 5W30

 

[hardheaded]

I would make the jump to 10w40 and maybe add a little Lucas oil stabilizer once. At thie point what's the difference ?

 

[Jd1101]

You can go back and forth with no problems. If burning run Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30 to clean the rings and hopefully resolve the burning. It will work just fine for your climate year round.

Thank you.

 

[Jd1101]

1 quart per week run the cheapest you could find and possibly consider trading in or selling the vehicle. stick with the 5W30

Oh he is planning on getting a new(er) car next year. Just putting money away to avoid having to finance

 

[Jd1101]

A quart a week!!? How many miles is that?

About 750

 

[Jd1101]

A quart a week!!? How many miles is that?

At that level of consumption (which is about 1QT/250 miles for the average driver) I would not care about anything but cost.

Who cares what you put in it? It’s going to be gone in a couple of weeks.

This is a car that may be on its last legs - what have you done to troubleshoot the consumption? Is it leaking? Is the PCV clear?

If you’ve done all that, then, you have crazy oil consumption. Your cat is already done, fouled with oil, and your spark plugs are not far behind.

So, yeah, find the cheapest stuff you can, look for sales, and pour it in.

Synthetic by itself won’t help, but a slightly higher viscosity (that’s the second number - the first number refers to winter performance) might. So, look for a 10W40 or 15W40 on sale in the summer, because it will be among the least expensive you can find, and then whatever 5WXX you can find in the winter.

we live in a rural area so he drives 40 miles one way to work so 80 miles 5 days a week for work and then school/social driving is another 1-200 miles. He goes through a 5qt bottle in 5-6 weeks depending on his driving and the weather (it seems)

 

[Jd1101]

LOL just like the Myth once you go to HM oil you can't go back or once you have gone to French Fries you can't go back to Baked Potatoes.

I always wondered if it was a commercial myth kind of like your dog needs to eat the amount of food listed on the back of the bag, with no regard for age or energy level.

 

[Jd1101]

At that level of consumption (which is about 1QT/250 miles for the average driver) I would not care about anything but cost.

Who cares what you put in it? It’s going to be gone in a couple of weeks.

This is a car that may be on its last legs - what have you done to troubleshoot the consumption? Is it leaking? Is the PCV clear?

If you’ve done all that, then, you have crazy oil consumption. Your cat is already done, fouled with oil, and your spark plugs are not far behind.

So, yeah, find the cheapest stuff you can, look for sales, and pour it in.

Synthetic by itself won’t help, but a slightly higher viscosity (that’s the second number - the first number refers to winter performance) might. So, look for a 10W40 or 15W40 on sale in the summer, because it will be among the least expensive you can find, and then whatever 5WXX you can find in the winter.

It only have 80,000 miles and yea our mechanic has done all the maintaining and checks on the engine. He bought it used at 60,000 miles. And I want to get as much life out of it as possible so he can finish school and get to work without having to take out a loan until he has a secure job.

 

[JavierH19]

I would make the jump to 10w40 and maybe add a little Lucas oil stabilizer once. At thie point what's the difference ?

Just use 20w-50 from the get go.

 

[Elkins45]

Buy the cheapest five gallon bucket of 15w-40 you can find at Walmart or Tractor Supply.

 

[JohnnyG]

I read that full Synthetic is not the best for engines that burn oil but I also read that once you go synthetic you cannot go back…

We have a 2013 Equinox that burns through a Qt of 5W-30 a week. We have been using Castrol Edge Full Synthetic but I read in one of these forums that it may be better to use a 10w-30 or even a 10w-40 synthetic blend because they are heavier and may burn slower. I care little about the burn speed and more about engine safety. I guess this is common problem with the older Equinox engines. Does anyone know if a heavier weight will be better for engine life and can we actually go back to a synthetic blend if we have been using synthetic all along? Also, we live in upstate NY. So it gets 90-100 degree F in summer and below 0F in the winter. Thanks for your help.

Heavier weight oil will make very little difference on your consumption.
You don't tell us how many miles are on that engine, or if it has been run without oil, etc.
I'd make some changes to whatever circumstances brought you to this point.

 

[gfh77665]

A perfect candidate for Restore engine additive.

https://www.restoreusa.com/

Or Rislone Engine Repair.

https://rislone.com/products/rislone-high-mileage-ring-seal-smoke-repair/

Can't hurt, very well might help.

 

[Jd1101]

Heavier weight oil will make very little difference on your consumption.
You don't tell us how many miles are on that engine, or if it has been run without oil, etc.
I'd make some changes to whatever circumstances brought you to this point.

80000. He bought it with just under 60K so not sure what they did before he had taken possession

 

[BrendanC]

i’d invest in a BG 109 EPR bottle from amazon and run it at 2.5k rpm for 30-45 minutes to see if you can get it to stop.

 

[Elkins45]

It might be worth trying a piston soak as well. It did wonders for all three of my oil burners.