My car is using up oil at an alarming rate. I have to put a gallon of oil almost every month. I have done some research on my car, and apparently it does have a very high rate of oil consumption. I have found suggestions such as using a 'heavier' oil in order to decrease burn rate. Is this advisable? What weight oil (and brand) should I use in my car?
My car has 60000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Hi there. You are right that this engine does have a history of high oil consumption. This is caused by the design of the engine and the turbo. With that being said, you adding a little more I would consider to be typical. Without knowing the amount of miles you are driving I cannot say for sure, but there are some parts that can be checked to make sure that they are functioning correctly. I typically start by checking the operation of the crankcase ventilation system. Most of the time, it becomes dirty with oil sludge and begins to malfunction causing it to draw in oil. I will usually remove these parts and clean them out prior to replacing anything.
As for changing to a heavier oil, don’t do it. Your engine was designed to run most efficiently with the recommended oil weight and type. A heavier oil can keep things like the variable valve timing from working correctly and can cause premature engine wear. If this is something that you plan on having looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office and inspect the oil consumption issue with your vehicle.
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