1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Burning 3.9qts every 1000 miles

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Fatmatt86, Dec 5, 2018.

  1. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    You REALLY should put a :ROFLMAO: after your comments like that.
    Somebody might take it seriously.
     
    Prius Rising, Fatmatt86 and Skibob like this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i know, i'm a bad boy:oops:
     
  3. Fatmatt86

    Fatmatt86 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2018
    84
    90
    0
    Location:
    Fort Worth
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Sorry for not responding to any messages. I guess I thought I would get an email after every comment. But guess since I'm linked to Facebook it doesn't send them. Anyhows, just to clearify, I am not the original owner so I haven't a clue if the oil was changed routinely or not. I have had this Prius for close to 2 years next month, and the lost oil has been there from the day I got it, so for those who think the engine is shot, or will fail shortly, I still think there is Alot left in this old thing. I've had my share of clunkers in the past, and this is not one of them. I can deal with a few extra oil changes. Just to let y'all know, the car is still running and I've added a few more miles to it since I posted before:

    240715 added 1qt Pennzoil 5w30

    241060 out of oil

    241300 oil change at Napa Alta mere

    242124 out of oil

    242200 topped off oil at Napa Alta mere 3.9qts?

    242997 out of oil

    242302 Race pro senthetic 2qt

    243507 out of oil

    243568 added petromerica 2qt semi senthetic

    244596 added 2qts of Petro

    245000 12/30/18 replaced auxiliary battery.

    245700 out of oil

    245714 added petromerica 1qt

    I am currently at 246,232 miles today.

    I would like to add that the vehicle does not have any signs of leakage, no puddles, no smell, no nothing. It drives well and everything. Just had an excessive oil problem. I would also like to note, that when the out of oil light comes on, there is a little over 1qt-1.25qts in the engine. I have never run it dry as to speak. I have tried using 10w40 and when the engine turns on while idling, it is a little rough and jumps. I haven't tried any other grade, but the 5w30 seems to be what this engine likes the best. So if anyone else has any constructive advice, I'd love to hear it. I'll check back here more often from now on... Thanks
     
  4. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,494
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    As it’s been said, there is no low oil light. What you see is the low oil pressure light. It will be interesting to see how long the engine lasts. Please keep us informed and let us know what the mileage is when you throw a piston.
     
    Prius Rising, SFO and Raytheeagle like this.
  5. Aztechmaster

    Aztechmaster Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2018
    38
    76
    0
    Location:
    S.D.
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Look for my post on this, it may be of some help.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  6. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2016
    2,567
    1,595
    0
    Location:
    Somewhere in Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2013 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    N/A
    I would recommend a little 2 cycle and mmo in the gas tank. I would also run Run e15 to help keep things cleaned out.

    Try 5w40 or 10w30, if it runs rough on those grades add mmo to the gasoline.
    It’s running rough because it’s chugging oil.

    There may be life left but I would just use cheap heavy oil.
     
  7. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,481
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
  8. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Letting it get down to the "low oil pressure" point that often certainly is not good for it.

    The only good news I see in this story is:
    If you are adding almost 4 quarts every 1000 miles, you theoretically should never have to do an actual oil change.
    My guess is that it will die completely before you really need a new oil filter.
     
    davecook89t and Mendel Leisk like this.
  9. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2013
    2,327
    859
    1
    Location:
    Cool CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I didn’t see a compression test, seems like engines should be available at the junk yard, cheap. If you want to go that route.
     
  10. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2013
    2,327
    859
    1
    Location:
    Cool CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I see no more comments from the OP.
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I have to say...I don't think the odds are forever in your favor here.
    I pretty much think...your engine is shot.

    Without being too snarky, I would ask, if you discover the vehicle is burning Oil at very high consumption rate? Why would you wait until the vehicle threw a red triangle of death code? Until it was "empty"? The common reaction is to check it more often and NOT let it get low.

    Because if you had a problem, each time the engine is run down to that level of emptiness, it only exacerbates the damage.

    Given your symptoms, and description of the problem and reaction....I don't see how your engine could NOT be shot.

    But?

    I could be wrong.
     
  12. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2008
    2,763
    2,250
    13
    Location:
    Chesterton, Indiana Another third world country.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    It would be interesting to see the compression numbers. I wonder how much blowby it has

    Engine Blowby
     
  13. Fatmatt86

    Fatmatt86 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2018
    84
    90
    0
    Location:
    Fort Worth
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Hello.
     
  14. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2017
    5,286
    4,225
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Linked here: Oil consumption...what I did to correct it.

    @Aztechmaster Since you haven't updated the above thread in some time, can you please post your current rate of consumption?

    And not to mix up threads too much, but I've read that modern ATF doesn't have large quantities of detergents like back in the day.

    Any truth to that, or additional thoughts?
     
    Prius Rising and Fatmatt86 like this.
  15. Fatmatt86

    Fatmatt86 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2018
    84
    90
    0
    Location:
    Fort Worth
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Base
  16. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That's good to know. However, you're still replacing and adding oil at a alarming rate.

    If you are losing oil at the rates you are saying, despite not seeing a leak or smelling anything..the oil is "going somewhere".
    IMO if it's not a leak, the other alternative is the vehicle is burning the Oil.
    If that is the case, I would think you'd see significant smoke.
     
  17. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,058
    5,783
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    This thread is awesome............

    If the car burns through a quart of oil about every 250 miles....that's one quart of oil for every 6 gallons of gas. (24 quarts of gas + 1 quart of oil) Ah - ha.....you have a 1.5 liter 2 cycle engine!!! No,, actually that's even more oil than most 2 cycle engines mixtures...
     
  18. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    11,251
    15,474
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I’d be about the right mix to run this:

    42831A0F-AFDB-47A2-8450-FD4B55E6F490.jpeg

    Hard to believe an engine will ALLOW this condition to occur:eek:.
     
    Fatmatt86 likes this.
  19. Fatmatt86

    Fatmatt86 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2018
    84
    90
    0
    Location:
    Fort Worth
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    No smoke, no smells. Gonna try a compression test next and will let y'all know.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,465
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Huh, I was thinking the same thing, lol.

    Try a leakdown test too.

    This image keeps popping into my head, from video 1 of @Ragingfit 's engine swap, cleaning out the hatch:

    upload_2019-1-28_9-31-31.png

    Be prepared!
     
    #40 Mendel Leisk, Jan 28, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
    SFO and Fatmatt86 like this.