Challenge: Guessing mileage based on oil color

If you need to use an additive then I would suggest Chevron Techron. However if you do not notice engine misfire then the additive probably is unnecessary.

I would say that your engine is far from the point where it would emit visible emissions, or not pass an emissions test.

 

That's been my experience with cars that used oil in the past. I always noticed the consumption to get worse when driving at fast freeway speeds compared with around town. I think however that the amount to which this matters depends on the exact manner in which the engine is using oil.

 

If you do the maths, then in 2000 miles you're probably using about what, 45 gallons of gas? So one qt in 45 gal is somewhere around a 200:1 mix, so you're not quite at a two stroke mixture yet. But that (two stroke like ratios) is the territory that you really want to avoid in my opinion.

I still think it's a valid to manage consumption to some extent with choice of oil viscosity. Old engines have bigger clearances anyway, so why not. I don't mean going overboard and using 20W50 or anything, but if it were mine I'd stick with 5W30 (perhaps 0W30 for winter) and if I was worried about extra wear at start up in winter (due to slower oil circulation) then I'd add 1/2 a can of LubroMoly MoS2 each change.