Any luck slowing oil burning with a stop leak (lucas, blue devil, bars, etc.)

Well it’s not known to be the valve seals that are the problem so don’t try that one. If you do find something that frees up the oil ring let us know. I burn just over a quart in 5000 miles and would like to reduce that.

 

Valve seal products would probably work by swelling rubber? Analogous to opiates: once you start on those you're kinda hooked. Stop using it and the seals shrink back with a vengeance?

And per above, maybe it's just gummed up piston rings? Consider a soak with some sort of solvent: pour it in through the spark plug holes, let it sit overnight (or longer), turn the engine over a few times by hand (ratchet on the crankshaft nut, accessed through passenger side wheel well). Baste out any that's still above the pistons, reinstall spark plugs, run the engine a few minutes, then drain/refill the oil and see how it goes.

 

I would not use the oil in a car you just put solvent into the cylinders overnight for a soak. The solvents are basically trying to get to the oil pan. I would change the oil first.

 

Losing oil means you have a PROBLEM.
Find the cause and get it fixed.
Otherwise you will end up spending a lot more - for an engine rebuild if you are lucky.

-Graeme-
2004 Prius with >190,000 miles.
Sent ?.

 

I wouldn't use the liquid moly only because it is black oil. No way to tell if if is dirty. Either way it is a synthetic so it will burn just as fast as anything.

Best bet is to use a high mileage oil in conventional or blended but not full synthetic. 5w-30 or 10w-30.

That will help, but even then the manual states its normal to burn up to 1 liter per 900 miles, which is basically 4 quarts every oil change.

 

Maybe losing a lot of oil equals a problem? It's not uncommon for engines to consume a minor to moderate amount of oil.

Yeah but it's absurd to consider that normal. An engine burning oil at that rate is not long for this world. I think their lawyers wrote that in, never seen a similar statement from Honda, for one. I really think that statement should be promininently featured, their sales brochures.

The acceptable consumption rate stated in 3rd gen Owner's Manual is actually more than you said btw:



Interesting too: they seem to have stopped making that statement, in the 4th gen Owner's Manual. Unless I missed it??

 

The 2nd gen engine is a dinosaur and its tolerances I'm sure were not originally designed for constant cycling. It makes do because its a toyota, but with an old engine design starting up hundreds of times a day yeah it should be burning oil. I've not experienced much over a quart between oil changes myself.

 

"Burning" oil is not the same as a "leak".

The only thing I would recommend at 1 QT per thousand miles is start using a "high mileage" oil.
And consider that it might be about time for a new car.

Those who are using a quart per 5000 miles should ..........not mess with it.

 

Toyota mechanics tried to use some kind of additive to slow down the increased oil consumption on my Gen 2 with 232k miles.

Result: only the wallet size decreased.

Now they are proposing a new attempt with new additives.. we'll see..

 

Have they Branded one "Snake Oil" yet?

 

Increasing oil usage is a sign of WEAR......which is relentless and never stops.

There is a point where you will be putting more into it than you do right now........or it will stop completely.

I said "start thinking about a new one"; I did not say PANIC and go off the deep end.

 

I’ve been burning about a qt every 800-1000 miles for a while now.

I’m about to do this engine cleaning..

...as well as put a can of sea foam spray through the throttle plate, some MMO in the tank for a few fills.. and a bunch of other stuff. Check out the thread I just started. I’m going to post pictures along the way. There’s a great video there about oil rings gettimg clogged.

The above video gives me some hope.. fingers crossed! I’d love to get another 100,000 miles! We’re at just about 200,000 now.

 

This is why we’re burning oil.. gotta find a way to unclog the holes in the oil piston ring.

The first video using Totally Awesome Cleaner with oil while idling for 3 cycles, then put MMO in with the oil change for a 1,000 or 2 miles seems like a good effort. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to do a piston soak with MMO through the spark plug holes. That seems a little more labor intensive, so I’m gonna go the Totally Awesome route first.

 

This video using Totaly Awesome Cleaner is different. Check it out if you can. The other method you describe, I would use 4 oz of Marvel Mystery Oil in each to soak piston rather than paint thinner. Let them soak for 8 hrs, suck out and then do it again for another 8. I’m going to do the method in the video first though.. basically it’s 1 20 oz bottle of Totally Awesome and 1 qt of oil.. let idle for 10 min (I would crank heat or a/c to keep the engine going... DO NOT DRIVE). Empty it through the oil drain. Repeat 2 more times with fresh bottle of Awesome and Oil. Then change filter and oil add Marvel Mystery Oil with this final change. The idling should move the cleaner through everything pretty good. I’m a little concerned about only having 1 qt of oil in there, but that should be plenty if it’s only idling for 10 min or so.

 

Back in the 1960 there was a very thick additive that was added to oil to slow oil burning.
We used to call it Honey Oil" as it was so thick, but I can't recall the actual product name.

Leaking oil is certainly different from burning oil and if no leaks, there could be a valve seal or piston ring wear issue.

1 quart every 1000 miles, some manufacturers may say is normal.
OP wishes to increase to one quart every 1500 miles by using an additive?

What the cost analysis - additive cost plus quarts of oil added before fill oil & filter change?
Personally, I would avoid the additive and just add oil.
FWIW Mobil 1 synthetic typically goes on sale for 5 qt container for under $30 dollars including sales tax.

Good luck in your decision.

 

I use stp stop leak every 2000 miles or so. Keeps my oil burning to about a half quart every 2k miles.