Another oil burning Prius :(

I've never been completely sold on the 0W-20 oil. Any problems with switching over to 5W-30 oil while the car is still fairly new (in the 2nd year?) I drive in a lot of hot areas, and at interstate speeds. I'm not concerned if the thicker oil makes me lose a couple of mpg. I'm more concerned with possibly reducing long-term engine wear. Thanks.

 

I have used 5w-30 for over 35k miles now and no drop in mpg or performance. I have been able to drop my oil consumption from a quart every 4500 miles to less than a quart between oil changes. But I have done several things.

Thicker oil didn't hurt anything for me here in the Bay Area climate.

 

Thank you Raytheeagle. 20 viscosity when I'm driving in 106 degree weather just doesn't sit well with me. Now, some would suggest or argue that I just change the factory recommended 0W-20 oil more often. That's good advice, and I do, usually every 5K. But 30 weight just sounds a bit better when I'm driving through the very hot areas of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California in the dead of summer.

 

I use 5w 30 SAE Castrol Full Synthetic High Milage. I first discovered my oil burning just after I changed my oil a month ago. About only 1 quart of oil came out since my last 5k oil change back in January. That's a hell of a lot of oil lost that I now check my dip stick on every gas fill up. I drive on the hwy most of the time from home to work. By the way, "Full Synthetic" oil is really not Synthetic oil at all since its a Group III basestock oil. AMSoil is group IV basestock oil that is 100% true synthetic while Group I, II, III are petroleum based "crude oil".

 

I understand because I'm much the same way with my vehicles.

But the truth is despite our efforts, clockwork oil changes, allowing for warm up times, gentle accelerations...all the "love" in terms of operation and maintenance we can provide as owners....wear happens.
There are numerous torque producing, explosion producing actions happening in every vehicle on the road. Any machine capable of being turned on, and taking several passengers or cargo weight- 60 miles per hour down a freeway? Is going to suffer deterioration over time.

Is that going to make you, I or anyone feel better when or if their vehicle starts burning oil? Probably not. But I think it helps do look at it from the perspective of inevitable and "normal".

I've owned older vehicles in the past, with various age related issues. And once you get past the OMG! My vehicle is doing this stage. As long as it is NOT a safety issue? There is some "fun" in seeing how many miles you can continue to get, as the vehicles age. What little tweaks in operation and maintenance you can add to continue to get more life out of the engine.

I had a great early 1990's Honda Accord, with 130,000+ miles on it, that burned some oil. I determined the apparent rate, I monitored closely, I invested into extra quarts at home to add as necessary. This resulted in my having to add some oil, every 4-6 weeks. It became eventually just a "normal' part of using the vehicle.

I easily balanced the cost of adding a minimal amount of oil periodically against what probably would of been prohibitive engine repair or replacement. And adding the oil easily made the most sense.

I eventually traded that Accord in, on a new vehicle. But I'm honestly convinced the engine was still solid. I probably could of gone another 130,000 miles easily, just adding oil occasionally.

We all want our engines to NEVER burn a noticeable amount of oil. But they all do. And as they age, that rate increases. Well IMO, to anthropomorphize? It's just like getting older. One day you wake up and find you can't do something you use to be able to do.
Often with vehicle engines? That means drive as far, using the same amount of oil.

As owners? We need to balance...safety first, and then cost and damage to the environment, against giving up on the vehicle, when it starts to show symptoms of age or deterioration, that will probably happen to most vehicles in X amount of time.

1/2 a quart of oil needed every 2,500 miles, would easily be within my personal tolerance as acceptable for continued operation.
And as noted by others? This rate may be able to be reduced by simply trying a heavier weight oil OR some of the miracle additives on most shelves.

At this point? I commiserate with the disappointment of the discovery. We all hope our vehicles are going to go 250,000 miles before showing a puff of smoke. But...again wear happens.
You bought this vehicle used with 82,000 miles on it. So no way of knowing how it was really maintained or operated for those miles.

My advice? Add the oil, and make getting more miles out of the vehicle....fun.
If head gaskets blow, or other more severe symptoms manifest? Decisions about those things can be made at that time. But at this point? You could have many, many more miles possible, with nothing but some additional monitoring and care needed.

PS.
I change the parameters of this type of maintenance decision in relationship to SAFETY.
If something is becoming worn, or needs replacement that relates directly to the safety of operation? Then it's fix ASAP.

 

Our Hondas always seemed to consume a little oil, anywhere between a cup and three between oil changes, depending on age. I thought it was normal.

 

That's what I was trying to lead the OP to do in so much as changing their perspective.
I commiserate.
We all want maximum efficiency and perfection....or most of us do.
Even with my example, my old Honda Accord, I was disappointed when I first discovered the reality. But once I realized the engine was running fine, and wasn't going to fail immediately or any time soon?
Then it just became a matter of keeping a few spare quarts at home, one in the trunk, and monitoring more aggressively.
In my specific case the usage rate never significantly increased. I eventually came to think of it as "normal".
It became a great excuse...to show my old honda more Auto Owner "love" in terms of closer monitoring.
It was kind of fun. I'd get excited when I saw my needed Oil Weight on sale at the store.

It's not deterioration, so much I think as rate of deterioration.
With Oil Burning, I think there is a rate of deterioration that IS acceptable.

 

The super thin synthetic does seem to be a reasonable concern with a high mileage engine. It seems reasonable to move to something thicker as wear from age becomes apparent. Fortunately, the burning of oil won't be as bad as with traditional vehicles, simply because the system in Prius was designed to burn fuel thoroughly and cleanse as much as possible.

 

You caught it before a dash light told you and you check it frequently .

Welcome to the club.

 

Some guys I know lease a new vehicle every 3 or 4 years. They never worry about long-term problems or their car ever burning oil. But they also have a permanent car payment for their entire life. To each his own. (I buy, and I keep a car 10 years, Max. I don't wish to deal with any serious engine trouble down the line.)

 

Aww, man. I'm bummed to hear. I hope this was resolved with the Gen.IV/Prime! I'll keep an eye on my partners 2010 with 93,000 miles. As far as I know, no oil burn yet.. But I may switch to 5w-20 or 5w-30 on it's next oil change. I would expect a "little" burn, but like Aaron said, nothing like a half a quart or more over 1,500 miles. Keep us posted after you change the oil!

 

One of the reasons I get rid of cars at around 60K and give to my children. Then I trade those at 99K at the dealer.
Probably won't be doing that very much as I am severely retired at this point in time.
These type engines on the Honda and Prius are designed to run as free of friction as possible and do not have tight pistons and rings like the old days. Had a Honda wear out at 14K. So 100K for Prius type engine is very good.
Just part of the beast. If I had it to do over again I would have a 1948 PU truck as a work vehicle and one Prius for the road.
As I get older I see the value of a vehicle that might accommodate a wheel chair and lift. A 1948 PU would do that with a winch in the truck bed.

 

So just a roll of the dice.

 

No you did NOT. Unless maybe you put water in the crankcase instead of oil.
The engine BROKE because one or more parts failed; it did not "wear out".

 

If our 2012 Prius v ever starts to use oil, it will be the first vehicle we've owned that has done that since the 1970's including five that went to far over 110,000 miles before we sold them.

 

Exactly...that's why I was so surprised when our 2010 started consuming oil. We have *never* had another vehicle noticeably burn oil (Mazda/Hyundai). Frankly, there are too many people rationalizing this around here.

Though we have never owned one, I've read that some Subaru vehicles are 'notorious' for oil burn. Does anyone have experience with this?