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[POLL] Excessive Oil Usage

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by arescec, Dec 27, 2016.

?
  1. Yes [less than 100k miles]

    8 vote(s)
    10.1%
  2. Yes [more than 100k miles]

    22 vote(s)
    27.8%
  3. Yes [more than 200k miles]

    7 vote(s)
    8.9%
  4. No [less than 100k miles]

    29 vote(s)
    36.7%
  5. No [more than 100k miles]

    13 vote(s)
    16.5%
  6. No [more than 200k miles]

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. GardenWeasel

    GardenWeasel Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2009
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    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    113,000+ miles and doesn't use oil. Oil changes always around 10,000 miles. Bought it new. Babied it then and still do when driving. If I could rid the car of the the dash rattle!
     
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  2. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    NE
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    mine started around 125k ... I use about 1qt in about 5k. Up to about 100k .. it did not use very much in 10k. Now past 160k
     
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I've used nothing but Toyo 0W20, no consumption so far, which is only around 64,000 kms though. Still, considering 2nd gen spec was 5W30, seems worth a try, if you've got some consumption, or just thinking about engine longevity.
     
    #23 Mendel Leisk, Dec 27, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2016
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  4. arescec

    arescec Active Member

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    Location:
    Croatia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Too bad that i couldnt make a more detailed questionaire but it seems that ih you have a 100k+ car there is about 50% chance it is burning oil. I wonder what happens after 200k, 100% chance?
     
  5. MissMetal

    MissMetal New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2016
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    Location:
    Ashburn, VA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    a 2010 started inbetween 80k and 85k miles, when suddenly it was out of oil one day. The warning message only lasted a second. I got the oil changed hoping it was a fluke with just the previous oil change, but alas, it is burning oil like crazy. I have to add oil every 600 miles or so.

    It sucks. It sucks that Toyota says this is acceptable still. It sucks so much that I am leaving the brand, despite their amazingly priced tech packages.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Touring
    Was there any signs of oil leakage? I'm just wondering if that was due to an oil change place not torquing the drain bolt, something like that. That does suck btw.
     
  7. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    That is unfortunate. How often were you checking the oil level in between oil changes? How many miles on it now? Have you tried increasing oil viscosity or any other methods to slow oil consumption?
     
  8. arescec

    arescec Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Croatia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Any info on fixing oil consumption and costs? There is a $400 rebuild kit floating around, I guess it shouldnt be more expensive to do a rebuild than on any other gas car - so about $300 in my country, or a lot of elbow grease and info from toyota tech website...
     
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  9. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Prime Plus
    Have you tried anything to date? If consumption is at a quart every 5kmiles, that's not too bad. Keeping an eye on the dipstick is best and add as needed. Do not let the dash light tell you it is low. Consumption will definitely increase then.

    Try going up on the viscosity and see the benefit. There are other things to try as well. IMO, it is too early and consumption rate is not severe enough for a rebuild. And that is probably the kit price, where the labor is what will get you. At that point a low mileage salvage engine would be better.
     
  10. arescec

    arescec Active Member

    Joined:
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    Croatia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Labor is pretty cheap at $20 an hour in here so not really that much a problem. I don't YET have a problem but thing is I bought this car to last (last car was 1.9TDI Passat with 160k miles that burned 0 oil after 18 years). It's not a good sign if a 6 year old expensive car shows some of the main problem of some crappy cars and I have to think what I will do in future about it. If it cant do 200k without engine rebuild it's not a car I can reccomend, and I was a strong proponent of Prius as my older posts show.
     
  11. Barefoot

    Barefoot Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2010
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    Location:
    Lusby MD
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    120K, change oil and filter every 5K, Mobil 1 0W-20. Doesn't burn a drop.
     
  12. lsun22

    lsun22 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
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    Location:
    sacramento
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    2010 bought new. head gasket replacement at 30k, otherwise no issues. dealer serviced every 5k, added 0w20 mobil 1 synthetic as needed. started burning 1qt/1000mi at 80k. now up to 1qt/500mi at 95k. failed the oil consumption test, did a teardown, found unusual wear in the cylinder blocks. extended warranty changed out the short block and associated parts. total warranty coverage paid ~$5400, half labor half parts.
     
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    That's pretty catastrophic. What kind of use does the car get? How often was the oil changed? Any other factors you can think of?
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  14. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2004
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    Location:
    Nashua, NH
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    My 2010 V-ATP had 115K miles when I traded it in July. It had no oil loss between changes.
     
  15. lsun22

    lsun22 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
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    Location:
    sacramento
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    dealer serviced every 5k so oil changes every 10k. just regular communing/highway driving in nor cal.
     
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  16. heyphillip

    heyphillip Member

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    Maple Shade NJ
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    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    This is the exact reason I never liked this every 10,000 mile oil change bullshit from Toyota.I just turned in a 2014 Prius 3 that was leased and I was doing the every 10,000 mile oil change up until the car got 37,000 miles on it I noticed it started to burn a little oil at 9300 mile before the last 10,000 mile oil change.
     
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  17. heyphillip

    heyphillip Member

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    Location:
    Maple Shade NJ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Do you see any difference in the performance like gas mileage or does it use oil still.Just curious because I might start using the same weight of oil
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  18. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I have not seen any decline in mpg with thicker oil. Going to a thicker weight has slowed oil consumption some as well. I have also cleaned the egr system and intake manifold and improved mpg by doing so, or getting it back to where it used to be, which for our 2010 Prius II is 49 mpg (146 k miles owned since mile 14).

    One thing I have found that slows oil consumption is to take 5 mph off of traveling speed. Limits out here run 65 mph where I would go 70-75 mph. Now I go 65-70 mph and stay with the flow.
     
  19. heyphillip

    heyphillip Member

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    Location:
    Maple Shade NJ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I hear that Z MAX slows oil burning as well don't know if true or not I've only heard this from one guy who swears by it He uses it in his 2009 Mustang GT 500 Shelby that has 197,000 miles on it
     
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  20. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I have not tried that. What I have been experimenting with is made by BG Products:

    EPR (added to oil prior to draining and let the engine run for 10 or so minutes):
    IMG_0092.JPG IMG_0093.JPG
    I have used this on our Prius and our 98 4Runner with 258 k miles and each time I have done it, the oil has come out jet black. So carbon deposits are being removed:).

    This oil change for the Prius I added MOA ( supposed to stabilize the oil and increase basicity to resist the acidic environment the oil is subjected to better):

    IMG_0084.JPG IMG_0085.JPG

    This was added with Mobil 1 5W-30.

    The next oil change will be with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full synthetic 5W-30. This is made from a natural gas base rather than crude. Curious to see if the deposit formation is less or if this has an effect. Also will be adding the Extended Life MOA: IMG_0088.JPG IMG_0089.JPG

    I also use their 44K for fuel system cleaning:
    IMG_0086.JPG IMG_0087.JPG
    If you try anything, keep us posted(y)
     
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