Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #90141 is a reply to message #90138] |
Sun, 27 June 2010 13:43   |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
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Gary,
All just my opinion...
I think on our engines in stock installations that one quart per thousand miles should be normal consumption. Depending on operating conditions, such as a lot of engine idle time, stop and go driving, short run periods and hard usage (such as hill climbing in hot weather) I would think one quart per 500 miles would be normal.
As for changing to synthetic -- if my GMC had been running the same type/brand oil for years, I might be hesitant to change (just because I am deliberate) -- but I would read the MobilOne Q&A's on oil consumption if I was considering the change. Perhaps you might even submit a question specific to the GMC...
Here is one response...
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Solutions_Engines_Burn_Oil.aspx
Dennis Sexton
73 GMC
Germantown, TN
USA
-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Bovee <gcbgold@digitalpath.net>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Sun, Jun 27, 2010 1:08 pm
Subject: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil
What is the consensus of the group that an engine is consuming too much oil
o use systhetic oil? A quart to X number of miles.
Gary Bovee
ed Bluff, CA
8 Royale
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #90160 is a reply to message #90138] |
Sun, 27 June 2010 16:05 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
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I am not a fan of synthetic oils. I use 1 quart of Rotella 15w40 per 6000 miles in my GMC. My engine only has around 90,000 miles over 34 years. It has never been touched inside other than when I pulled the intake to block the crossovers.
I saw an air cooled airplane engine that was using synthetic oil. It was so bad inside that they ended up replacing the cylinders and pistons. New airplane parts (especially cylinders) are not cheap.
It is my opinion that a synthetic will buy you nothing over using an oil similar to what GM intended to be used. Why take the risk.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #90168 is a reply to message #90138] |
Sun, 27 June 2010 17:05 |
Blondiee
Messages: 20
Registered: November 2009
Location: Round Rock, Texas
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I typically change over to synthetic the first oil change and then change the filter every 1000 miles until the first oil change at 5000 miles. I had excellent results with mobil1 until Castroil started Syntec. The change to Syntec (15 years ago) netted me an additional 12 lbs of oil pressure at the time and I haven't looked back.
My synthetic conversion happened when working on an older scout (30 years ago). I had a situation that required my squeezing my bare arm between the transmission and cross member. Normally a painful branding experience. It was only warm. Sequentially I started touching other violent surfaces containing gear oil. All only warm.
Two drawbacks noted in the last 40 years- 1. That synthetic stuff will let you run seriously low on water without warning, if you drip a few drops when parked- you will drip four.
That original filter changing is because the cleaning detergents in Synthetic are sever.
Cheers, Frank
Round Rock Texas
77' ELII 26-3 TZE167V100020
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #90171 is a reply to message #90138] |
Sun, 27 June 2010 17:47 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
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i changed to Moble 1 as soon as i got my coach home. i found that i was burning a qt. every 200 t0 300 miles. i changed back to dino oil because of the cost difference. i have since jumped through all the hoops trying to find the problem with no success.
so my experience has said that using synthetic won't change your oil consumption but you may never have to change oil again if you use it!!
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #90208 is a reply to message #90138] |
Sun, 27 June 2010 21:10 |
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Matt Colie
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Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
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| Gary Bovee wrote on Sun, 27 June 2010 14:08 |
What is the consensus of the group that an engine is consuming too much oil to use synthetic oil? A quart to X number of miles.
Gary Bovee
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Gary,
This is probably going to be one of the stranger answers because there is really no answer to the question as phrased.
There is nothing wrong with regular oils that have adequate anti-wear additives - Except. . . .
A - They are prone to acidification from the mixture of combustion by-produces and moisture common in blow-by. For this reason, they have a limited installed service life between 6 and 12 months even (particularly) in low hour use applications.
B - They all break down and become useless at temperatures over 305*F.
As to A...If you are going to reliably change out the lube oil on a regular basis, there will be little to gain from a synthetic.
As to B ....Your GMC motorhome has an oil cooling system. If the engine internals should get to 305*F, you have much bigger problems than the fact that the oil it going bad real fast.
I have heard but never witness the hard deposits in engines that ran Mobil1 and Ken Burton has mentioned. I do believe him, but can not personally substantiate the case.
You do not state you current lube oil consumption. This makes providing a solid value a little difficult. Someone else got to the crux of the issue in a prior post and that is: If you are going to be adding six or more quarts of oil in the course of a year (the outside lube oil service interval), why burn the expensive stuff?
Yes, I have seen cases of oil consumption improving with the change to synthetics, but I have also seen cases where it made little or no difference.
At this point, I am hoping that you either have enough information to make a decision on your own or reform the question.
In my own service bay, I have lots of synthetics, I have at least as much conventional lubricants and a small collection of magic snake oil for special service.
Good Luck
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Synthetic Oil [message #90280 is a reply to message #90218] |
Mon, 28 June 2010 11:15 |
Carleton Douglas[1]
Messages: 174
Registered: March 2006
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You should try to find out why it is burning all that oil. The rings
could be in upside down and that will cause it to burn oil. The other
thing to check is the PVC valve. Check the value seals, way to much
oil for 25,000 mile engine.
On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 8:43 PM, Gary Bovee <gcbgold@digitalpath.net> wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions.
>
> I am currently using Mobil 1 synthetic and the oil consumption is 1 quart
> per 500 miles on a rebuilt engine that the PO installed less than 25,000
> miles ago. I was worried about getting hard deposits in the engine. I
> guess I can try switching over to regular oil with additives and see what
> happpens.
>
> Gary Bovee
> Red Bluff, CA
> 78 Royale
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
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--
Carleton Douglas
73 custom, by myself
Prescott, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Synthetic Oil [message #90289 is a reply to message #90280] |
Mon, 28 June 2010 12:30 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
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| Carleton Douglas[1 |
wrote on Mon, 28 June 2010 11:15]You should try to find out why it is burning all that oil. The rings
could be in upside down and that will cause it to burn oil. The other
thing to check is the PVC valve. Check the value seals, way to much
oil for 25,000 mile engine.
On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 8:43 PM, Gary Bovee <gcbgold@digitalpath.net> wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions.
>
> I am currently using Mobil 1 synthetic and the oil consumption is 1 quart
> per 500 miles on a rebuilt engine that the PO installed less than 25,000
> miles ago. I was worried about getting hard deposits in the engine. I
> guess I can try switching over to regular oil with additives and see what
> happpens.
>
> Gary Bovee
> Red Bluff, CA
> 78 Royale
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Carleton Douglas
73 custom, by myself
Prescott, AZ
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i have the exact same situation and did all that, valve seals, PCV valve, changed valve covers as mine were auto style. last thing is oil rings so i'll wait till it blows.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Synthetic Oil [message #90366 is a reply to message #90331] |
Mon, 28 June 2010 21:47 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
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| Larry wrote on Mon, 28 June 2010 18:53 |
| Gary Bovee wrote on Sun, 27 June 2010 22:43 |
Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions.
I am currently using Mobil 1 synthetic and the oil consumption is 1 quart
per 500 miles on a rebuilt engine that the PO installed less than 25,000
miles ago. I was worried about getting hard deposits in the engine. I
guess I can try switching over to regular oil with additives and see what
happpens.
Gary Bovee
Red Bluff, CA
78 Royale
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Any chance you have after market valve covers? The chrome covers and fabricated aluminum covers that are sold all over Ebay and hot rod shops usually do not have baffles in them, which leads to excessive oil consumption as the rocker arms splash oil on the PCV valve. What do you have for covers?
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changing to the correct covers didn't help my problem.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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| Re: [GMCnet] OIL CONSUMPTION [message #118060 is a reply to message #118032] |
Tue, 08 March 2011 16:02 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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| Gary Casey wrote on Tue, 08 March 2011 11:39 |
Just curious, what is in synthetic oil that prevents it from smoking when
burned? It is still a hydrocarbon, still made up of similar hydrogen and carbon
chains in similar ratios, similar in viscosity - it's just formulated by humans
constructing the chains instead of mother nature. I can't come up with a reason
why it won't smoke when burned.
Gary Casey
From: Ken Burton :
If you are running synthetic oil it will not smoke. If there are no obvious oil
leaks then it is time to start pulling spark plugs and see what they look like.
After that a compression test is probably next.
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I googled the subject and of course there is a lot of anecdotal opinion, but after you sift through it all, it seems that either dino or synthetic will smoke equally but possibly with a slightly different shade.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Oil Consumption Question Concerning Using Systhetic Oil [message #118065 is a reply to message #90138] |
Tue, 08 March 2011 16:35 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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I think more importantly IMHO is that you augment the current SM oil with ZDDP whether you are using Dino or Syn. It's hard to find other than SM in either without deeper than simple store shelf digging. It gets better.... Soon API will be going to API SN with less ZDDP yet. As Matt said, if you change it on say a 6 mo interval and don't cook the oil, the Dino should be OK. However, the Syn gives extra margin of protection in say an overheat situation where you have to drive off the road to safety, it might make the difference between having to do a motor or not. Just again IMHO.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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