Oil Consumption Doubled After Preventative Care on 2010

The Seafoam may have caused more bad then good.

I have been running 0W-40 Mobil 1 oil and have had no issues. 40 weight and 50 weight oils are used in some parts of the world within the Prius motor.

 

One issue when cleaning out the "crud" on a high mileage/time engine is it cleans out the "crud" and exposes true wear that already exists. This in turn exposes looser tolerances. A "looser" motor burns more oil. This may not be your entire issue, but it did not help.

 

You said you cleaned the EGR Pipe, what about the EGR cooler?

 

like in, hmm, new mexico....

 

Try changing out pcv valve maybe see if that slows it down. More then likely you got bad rings causing blow-by. Classic symptoms of oil burning is oily exhust pipe and lots of bluish white smoke on take off. Thankfully mine has never burned any at 125k. I change my oil at 5k intervals. Try a can of engine restore if it helps you got bad rings. Save for another engine or rebuild if you can. You can also try pouring seafoam down the spark plug hole for soaking for 24hrs and see if it loosens up the buildup in the rings. Seafoam doesnt kill engines just removes the carbon.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yeah my first thought. At 155K miles, you really should get on a stem-to-stern EGR cleaning, that's everything from the cooler (connects to the exhaust manifold) to (and including) the intake manifold. Pay particular attention to the EGR passageways in the IM. And clean out the intake ports too.

That said, all of that will likely not do anything for oil consumption. Maybe try removing the spark plugs, pouring SeaFoam (or similar?) product into each cylinder, a few tablespoons per. Let it soak as long as possible, at least a day. You can also try turn the engine by hand, cranking clockwise with a wrench and socket on the (beltless) pulley at end of crankshaft, accessing through the passenger side wheel well.

If the seafoam goes through when you do the cranking, add a bit more, soak longer, crank a bit more.

When you give up, baste out what you can, reinstall spark plugs, start the engine, let it run till it shuts down, stop, and then change the oil I think? Or go for a spin and then change the oil? Or drive thus a few days and change the oil?

Just speculating: I don't think what you've done so far has accelerated the consumption, it's just piston rings, and the piston drain passages, started carbonning up, and the process accelerated.

When you're done with the intake cleaning, consider an oil catch can too. The gunk being dumped in by the PCV circuit, that could well be contributing to the piston ring carbon build-up. This is the yummy stuff I collected from mine, day before yesterday.

 

A new member in here lawyered up, people here didn’t take him seriously when he did that. There plenty of fatalistic people here.

 

You may have cleared anything that was blocking oil going pass the rings with sea foam so there could be bigger passages for oil to pass thru now.

What’s your oil change interval, choice of oil brand and filter brand?

 

I am not burning any oil, I started using thicker oil around 70k miles. I am at 115k miles now.

 

While I'm a very strong advocate for people doing their own maintenance...why would you thumbs down anyone who has their oil/filter changed by the Dealership every 5-6K miles on a 2010?

 

I always think of that emoticon as the "head scratcher".

Still, yeah: 5~6K miles is a sensible choice.

I'm even worse, but that's another story.

 

That's funny... I thought I was the only one!

 

almost 250,000 miles......everything has been cleaned.......Catch Can....... 10 w 40 Rotella T6 burns 1/3 quart in 4400 + miles....
I have the mobile 1 10,000 syn oil filter....top back off with whatever I have and drive for 1000 miles more then I change.

 

I thought it was a head scratcher too.....

EGR cooler clean and oil catch can if you live on free soil (they're not legal everywhere.)

I'd look at maybe switching to a high mileage blend and maybe clubbing up to a 5w30.

Your principle problem isn't oil consumption, but now you need to start worrying about things like your head gasket, catalytic converter, etc.
Since you live in Nebraska, the cat is a relatively small issues that might take years and tens of thousands of miles to develop.
The head gasket is another story!
That's why there are multiple repeats for the EGR cooler clean and oil catch can.

Speaking of oil consumption, you accurate is your estimation of your car's current burn rate?
Do you regularly check your car's oil level?
I'm thinking that the SeaFoam did not cause your problem (if there is a problem) because I'm skeptical of it removing enough carbon to accelerate your burn rate that dramatically.

Either way?
A 2q burn rate is a lot.
I'm thinking that at the rate you're going you're going to be needing a new motor......maybe in another 50-75 thousand miles.

That's why there's no class action for these cars.
Motor vehicles are designed to meet certain broad standards for safety and reliability.
Maybe my "Boomer" is showing here but I'm thinking that 10 years and/or 150,000 miles with no major repairs is within those standards, and with a little TLC you're probably going to be good for another 5 years/50,000 miles.

YMMV

 

150,000 miles is almost new to me.... I've gotten well over 300,00 on all my vehicles (with no major problems) and toyota previa has 430,000. Except my Prius v....motor ok but rest unreliable..and $$$ and hard to fix.