My last two cars were direct injection

I was seriously on the fence about my recent vehicle purchase (2015 Sedona) for this same reason. I've not owned a direct injection engine before so this will be a new experience. I was not aware the oil darkened so quickly, but it makes sense that much like a diesel engine, the soot generated would darken the oil quicker.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for oil consumption. Most port injected engines I've owned have consumed some amount of oil... My Chrysler I add about a quart in a 5k-7k OCI, my Nissan is about a quarter quart low in 10k, and my Odyssey drinks a quart every 3k or so. So it's rather all over the place. I can't imagine the new DI engine being too much worse than what I've experienced in PI engines, but I could be wrong!
 
Originally Posted by Danh
Originally Posted by miden851
my both 2.4l EarthDreams engines consume 1qt oil between 5K mile OCI


I also have two and neither does.


@Dahn; it is well documented online oil consumption on these engines; yet I still like the cars and there is nothing in my mind that both vehicles won't be able to reach 250K miles

also, my oil does not get darkened at all probably due to the fact that I add 1qt oil between OCI
 
Have a direct injected 2018 Tiguan with 63k miles. Does not burn a drop of oil over 10k miles oci and does not look that black even after 10k. It gets darker of course but somewhat transparent
 
My direct injected turbo Tucson uses no oil at all at 52,000 miles. I change it every 4K and does not look bad at all.
 
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
Originally Posted by Burt
Originally Posted by Danh


Are you sure your 2007 Lexus was direct-injected? It seems unlikely to me for two reasons: 1) 2007 was early in the DI adoption phase and Toyota is notoriously conservative about such things, 2) I believe when Toyota very recently adopted DI it used a hybrid port/DI system.


2007 was the first year of DI in the LS.

2006 was the first year of DI and port in the IS350 (but not the 250)


Learn something new every day. Thanks!
 
There are lots of posts here from owners of cars with DI engines who claim those engines don't consume any oil.
But this is BITOG, so those posts must be disregarded...
 
2014 Lexus GS 350, direct and port injected design. New to us with 72k. Just changed plugs. All had a tiny bit more soot on them than the typical textbook-looking plugs i normally see with Hondas and Toyotas. Intake tract wasn't too bad, some fresh black sticky mess in there but nothing worrisome. Plugs were very inconsistent in their wear. Oil is still light from the dealer but it has 7.5 quarts in it. Planning to change it to something I know soon, and go a touch heavier. 0-20 to be replaced with 5-30. It's a bit noisy on the top end.

I miss my 5 cyl 2.4 Volvos that were just consistent, reliable, and predictable.

M
 
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Roughly 2800 miles on 5-30 mobil 1 EP in the crankcase of my 2019 cx5 turbo DI. Engine was run 1 hour prior, I wiped the dipstick on my fingers and then them on white paper.

When I had plugs done at 40k miles per the manual, they looked very good. I could not tell you if they came from a port or DI engine. No excess anything on them, and wear was near nonexistent. If not for the warranty depending on by the book maintenance, I'd extend their service interval to far more than 40k.
 
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My '15 Canyon started using a noticeable amount of oil around 40,000. Can't think of anything to blame besides low tension rings and D.I.-related wear. That truck has led a very pampered life. Other than cylinder cooling in turbo applications, I fail to see the real advantages of D.I.
 
Originally Posted by WylieCoyote
My '15 Canyon started using a noticeable amount of oil around 40,000. Can't think of anything to blame besides low tension rings and D.I.-related wear. That truck has led a very pampered life. Other than cylinder cooling in turbo applications, I fail to see the real advantages of D.I.



Cylinder cooling allows more boost/timing/efficiency/power. DI also allows more even and complete combustion of the fuel, which again allows for more timing, more power, more efficiency. It's better, and has no tangible downsides if it's done correctly.
 
I don't treat my Syactiv DI engine any differently than any other engine I've tended in the past. I use M1 0W-20 EP HM and I run it 15,000 miles. The oil doesn't end up looking any different than what I've experienced from past engines that weren't DI. The chrome tailpipe tip basically stays black because I've given up on cleaning it with chrome polish. I always wondered how the engine manages to use so much less fuel yet still produce more soot. I guess time will tell if my maintenance habits hurt anything, but I'm not going to be a slave to my car.
 
Originally Posted by DBMaster
I don't treat my Syactiv DI engine any differently than any other engine I've tended in the past. I use M1 0W-20 EP HM and I run it 15,000 miles. The oil doesn't end up looking any different than what I've experienced from past engines that weren't DI. The chrome tailpipe tip basically stays black because I've given up on cleaning it with chrome polish. I always wondered how the engine manages to use so much less fuel yet still produce more soot. I guess time will tell if my maintenance habits hurt anything, but I'm not going to be a slave to my car.




May I ask what year it is and how many miles on it?
 
Originally Posted by Railrust
My last vehicles (2018 Silverado and 2007 Lexus LS460) were both direct injected. Both consumed oil; with the Lexus it took a while...really started consuming oil after 140,000 miles. With the Silverado, it was right away...usually a quart to a quart and a half between 5,000 mile intervals.

When I drained the oil on these babies at 5,000 miles, wow, did that oil look black and sometimes you could just smell that fuel. Had a catch can on the Silverado, nothing on the LS460 because the 460 had port injection as well...but the LS460 would track oil into the intake...you'd see oil just pooling in the runners and even tracking in the air snorkel leading to the the throttle body.



My 2016 5.3 Tahoe with direct injection burns zero oil in 5-6K miles. Never seen it black. Just a dark amber at 5-6K miles . I do not smell fuel when I check my oil. I do not have a catch can. I only use 0w20 Mobil 1 or 0w20 AC Delco. I have 88K miles.
 
Originally Posted by DBMaster
I don't treat my Syactiv DI engine any differently than any other engine I've tended in the past. I use M1 0W-20 EP HM and I run it 15,000 miles. The oil doesn't end up looking any different than what I've experienced from past engines that weren't DI. The chrome tailpipe tip basically stays black because I've given up on cleaning it with chrome polish. I always wondered how the engine manages to use so much less fuel yet still produce more soot. I guess time will tell if my maintenance habits hurt anything, but I'm not going to be a slave to my car.




May I ask what year it is and how many miles on it?


Sure. It's a 2012 with 116,000 miles on it.
 
So far our 2018 Equinox 1.5 turbo DI hasn't used any oil at 24,000 miles, and I change it between 4-5K. This vehicle mainly sees highway miles and not a lot of stop and go traffic.
 
Sure. It's a 2012 with 116,000 miles on it.

I should also add that until last year I was running my oil 30,000 miles using microGreen filters. My UOA results were acceptable with adequate TBN and insignificant fuel dilution. I've also been using 15,000 mile OCIs on my GF's 2011 Lexus IS250 (also DI) with the OEM cartridge filters. That vehicle also has over 100,000 miles.
 
There are lots of posts here from owners of cars with DI engines who claim those engines don't consume any oil.
But this is BITOG, so those posts must be disregarded...

haha. I was going to say the same thing. Lord knows my direct injection engine didn’t use any oil either, until I sold it and admitted it. Lol
 
haha. I was going to say the same thing. Lord knows my direct injection engine didn’t use any oil either, until I sold it and admitted it. Lol
I think, logically, we know that all vehicles must use a little. Putting aside leaks, piston rings can't possibly seal out all oil and all oils suffer a small amount of evaporation. That being said, my 2012 Mazda3 does not need to have make-up oil added between oil changes. That is not the same thing as "doesn't use a drop of oil" like folks on here often post. I do have to add about a half quart once during the OCI on my GF's Lexus. When I had my 1989 Honda Accord I had to add a half quart twice during the 10,000 mile OCIs I practiced. That engine had over 350,000 miles on it and probably could have used a set of valve stem seals. My 1972 Pontiac Catalina never needed make-up oil added, but I drove it back in the days of 3,000 mile OCIs with the conventional oil of the 1980s.
 
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