So the Prius has joyfully made it to 175k with no real problems and for any vehicle to make it this far without any serious issues is impressive to say the least. Recently (last 15K) the car has begun to burn a little oil, about 1/4 quart every 3k so its not much. I have tried a few different types of synthetics and blends to try and find one that may help curb the problem if it's even possible. I know this isn't a big problem but I was curious if anyone else with this amount of mileage (and more) have had the same issue and if you were able to correct it. I have replaced the plugs (NGK) and the PCV valve. I do all the maintenance so adding a little oil every now and them isn't a big deal for me.
Do a search for "oil control rings". For example: One for the Experts - Only (Oil usage) | PriusChat Seems to be common.
A good rule of thumb is thus: you cannot pour ANYTHING into an engine to fix a problem... with the lone exception of stop-leak in your coolant system... and that's a risky proposition in itself. Some engine additives may appear to fix a problem, but their effect is often temporary. Don't fool yourself into thinking there's a cheap fix to a worn engine.
Maestro- not really trying to fix the worn engine. I didn't word my post this way but I really just was curious of anyone had any experience in a Prius with a similar problem that found a certain oil was less likely to burn off in this particular engine. I know back in the older days when cars started burning oil people would go to a thicker oil, I know this will not fly with the Prius or just about any other modern engine. I have used the (all 5w-30's) M1 AFE, Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline High mileage and right now I have the QS Defy in it. I may try the M1 high mileage at the next oil change. I know this is not a "problem" and it is pretty normal for an engine with 175k on the dial.
If you are using only 1/4 qt per 3000 miles, that's actually pretty good compared to other Prius' with that many miles. Your car will use more oil if you drive at a higher speed. Do you drive on the highway/expressway more often now than you did previously? That would explain why the oil consumption increased. My '05 is using a quart every 4000 miles after 187K miles. I drive at 70 mph or faster about 80% of the time.
Really that's nothing, sounds about normal for a mid-life engine, just make sure you top off regularly and it will probably keep running for a good while yet. Agreed. If you do your own maintenance then checking the oil and maybe topping off every few k-miles is nothing. Don't bother with snake oil treatments like "Lucas" etc, all they do is thicken your oil. I'd prefer to just go up a grade (if I wanted a heavier oil) than to waste money on that stuff. Another user tried "Restore" and got an engine check light within about 50 miles (clogged screen in VVT), so forget about stuff like that also. The best option in my opinion is just to use a reasonable priced oil and keep on feeding it. I highly recommend trying Valvoline Maxlife, in either the regular "cherry flavored" or the nextgen "lime flavored" varieties. (ok just joking about the flavors, those are the color of the bottles ). BTW. What sort of annual mileage do you do, and what is your current oil change interval.
The oil changes have been every 5k. Up until about 120k all of the oil changes were done at the dealer because of a tire plan we had that replaced the tires for free once they were worn out as long as we had them rotated every 5k at the dealer. That gave us 2 extra sets of tires. The dealer was on the was on the way home from work so it wasn't an inconvenience. The annual mileage up until this year was about 25k, but my wife's cancer diagnosis and multiple surgeries threw that out. I have entertained trying out the Castrol 0w-30 "German formula". It's called a 0w but from what i have read on BITOG it is actually closer to 3.6w, and most people over there seem to really like it. It is considerably more expensive and that plays into the decision. One of these days we plan on purchasing a NEW Prius and this one will become my daily driver so I can park my truck. I definitely need to try out the Maxlife again.
...you can try Mobil 1 High Mileage forumla which has maximum additives and formulation to reduce oil consumption
Mike, As other posters have said that is probably normal for the miles on your engine. My Ema is burning about a quart every 2,000 - 2,500 miles. I would be ecstatic at 1/4 quart, lol. Then again Ema has 319,000 miles on her now. I was the user who tried "Restore" and as I said in that post it didn't help but it didn't do any damage other than the check engine light coming on within a 10-20 miles. I cleared it with my scangauge and it hasn't been back. I am running Pennzoil high mileage 5W-30 currently and it seems no better or worse than other high mileage oils. I may switch and try a heavier oil this coming summer but haven't decided yet. It would certainly hurt MPG's but may help some with the burn. Hopefully it will just keep burning at the same rate over the next year or so and I can get to 400,000. That's my goal ... for now, lol. Happy driving, Chris
Hi Mike, When I saw this thread I was curious about what type/brand of oil you were using during the normal lifetime of the car. From what I've read, apparently Toyota did the service and most likely they never put synthetic in the car, is that correct? Prayers, best wishes to you and the wife to get well.
Thank you GSW, I am pretty confident the Dealer used conventional because the OC and tire rotations were $39. Also there is a fair amount of varnish (though not sludge) visible through the oil fill whole. A while back I had to change out the oil pan because someone over tightened the oil drain plug and stripped the threads of the pan. The pan was coated in varnish as well as the oil pickup screen. My wife only has one more surgery to endure...on Christmas Eve of all days. Thankfully it is outpatient and she will be in limited pain. Prayers and well wishes graciously accepted.
