QUESTION: Oil burning on a 5gen
 

Whats up everyone, my question is how much oil does the 5gen burn, I know the 5.5gen are known to burn oil but what about the 5gen? I got a 2001 AE and yesterday I changed my oil, I use Mobile 1 fully synthetic 10W30 with Mobile 1 oil filter. I just recently noticed that my max burns about 1.5q of oil about every 3k. I always change my oil about every 3k-4k. Is it normal for it to burn 1.5q every oil change? Any help would be great.

Thanks
Jerseyboy

VQ30DEK shouldn't really burn any oil, that is generally a VQ35 issue. Are you sure you aren't leaking somewhere?

mine is burning as well..i burn about the same between oil changes as well.

Hmm, I hadnt heard this. Im interested to see where this goes.

No not that I know of no leaks on my driveway where I park da Max.

ive had my rear main oil seal replaced, i replaced my VCs...no leaks before, no leaks after...so its burning.

Well if this is indeed the case I think you could switch to a thicker oil in order to reduce burn. I know the manual suggests the 5W30 but if you search around there are plenty of people who have done this and had positive outcome. Personally I use 20W50 but if you weren't comfortable with that there are 15W40 or 10W40. If you are in Georgia you wouldn't really have to worry until closer to the winter.

This page has the chart with acceptable outside temperature vs viscosity ranges

i run 10w 40 still burns...i dont like 20w50 because then i get smoke continually..so i burn 10w30/40

I'm running 10w30 but my next oil change I'm going to be running 10w40. Now my Max has a lot of highway mileage idk thinking about using Mobile 1 fully synthetic high mileage oil 10w30 in the spring and summer and 10w40 in the fall and winter.

That is pretty weird, the smoke should be a byproduct of oil burn, thicker oil should burn less so you should actually get more smoke with the 10w30 than the 40 or the 50. Above freezing I get no visible exhaust with any oil, 0W30 - 20W50. That could be some sort of clue actually though I can't think of what would cause that.

I'm very curious though, I still have some trepidation about running the 20W50. Probably not gonna run this first time up into high miles just so I can get a UOA sooner and make sure it isn't hosing anything. By feel and sound though my engine definitely runs better with that than the German Castrol 0W30. Not to mention it was leaking with the GC so I think I will not be going back to that unless I move up to the mountains permanently.


That sounds good except that is backwards, you would want to use the 10w40 in spring/summer because it is thicker. Essentially using a thicker oil in a hotter environment, the oil will thin out. If you use a thin oil in too hot of an environment it gets too thin and doesn't provide adequate protection and passes by the rings.

Thxs for the info ^^^