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Any luck slowing oil burning with a stop leak (lucas, blue devil, bars, etc.)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by MilkyWay, Mar 28, 2019.

  1. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

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    Burning about a quart per 1k miles so adding oil a couple of times in between changes.

    I was searching online for an unrelated issue (lifter noise on a different vehicle) and one of the guys in the forum recommended a brand I never heard of: Liqui Moly

    Then there is Blue Devil, Bars, Lucas, etc....all linked in this post.

    I went with Liqui Moly, will add when it comes in Friday, and I'm about due for oil change so will update if slows leak.

    Any luck with any particular brand? Not looking for a miracle just to see if it slows the burning. Like from 1 quart every 1k miles to 1 quart every 1500 or 2000 miles.

    1.JPG 2.JPG 3.JPG
     
  2. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    Well it’s not known to be the valve seals that are the problem so don’t try that one. If you do find something that frees up the oil ring let us know. I burn just over a quart in 5000 miles and would like to reduce that.
     
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Valve seal products would probably work by swelling rubber? Analogous to opiates: once you start on those you're kinda hooked. Stop using it and the seals shrink back with a vengeance?

    And per above, maybe it's just gummed up piston rings? Consider a soak with some sort of solvent: pour it in through the spark plug holes, let it sit overnight (or longer), turn the engine over a few times by hand (ratchet on the crankshaft nut, accessed through passenger side wheel well). Baste out any that's still above the pistons, reinstall spark plugs, run the engine a few minutes, then drain/refill the oil and see how it goes.
     
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  4. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    I would not use the oil in a car you just put solvent into the cylinders overnight for a soak. The solvents are basically trying to get to the oil pan. I would change the oil first.
     
  5. Graeme1949

    Graeme1949 Member

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    Losing oil means you have a PROBLEM.
    Find the cause and get it fixed.
    Otherwise you will end up spending a lot more - for an engine rebuild if you are lucky.

    -Graeme-
    2004 Prius with >190,000 miles.
    Sent ?.
     
  6. 09Prius2

    09Prius2 Member

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    I wouldn't use the liquid moly only because it is black oil. No way to tell if if is dirty. Either way it is a synthetic so it will burn just as fast as anything.

    Best bet is to use a high mileage oil in conventional or blended but not full synthetic. 5w-30 or 10w-30.

    That will help, but even then the manual states its normal to burn up to 1 liter per 900 miles, which is basically 4 quarts every oil change.
     
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe losing a lot of oil equals a problem? It's not uncommon for engines to consume a minor to moderate amount of oil.

    Yeah but it's absurd to consider that normal. An engine burning oil at that rate is not long for this world. I think their lawyers wrote that in, never seen a similar statement from Honda, for one. I really think that statement should be promininently featured, their sales brochures. :whistle:

    The acceptable consumption rate stated in 3rd gen Owner's Manual is actually more than you said btw:

    upload_2019-3-28_19-12-52.png

    Interesting too: they seem to have stopped making that statement, in the 4th gen Owner's Manual. Unless I missed it??
     
  8. 09Prius2

    09Prius2 Member

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    The 2nd gen engine is a dinosaur and its tolerances I'm sure were not originally designed for constant cycling. It makes do because its a toyota, but with an old engine design starting up hundreds of times a day yeah it should be burning oil. I've not experienced much over a quart between oil changes myself.
     
  9. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    "Burning" oil is not the same as a "leak".

    The only thing I would recommend at 1 QT per thousand miles is start using a "high mileage" oil.
    And consider that it might be about time for a new car.

    Those who are using a quart per 5000 miles should ..........not mess with it.
     
  10. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

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    Why would I get a new car if it runs/drives like-new....is clean in/out...Saves me a few hundred a month in gas (to put that in perspective just imagine how many people will go out and spend $150,000+ on a rental property to make $800/month lol).

    Never breaks down, and only issue aside from check engine light for "very minor evap leak" is it burns oil?

    Have a beautiful connection with prius mechanic that can either rebuild my battery for $400 or install used one for $300 labor (plus part of used battery).

    This generation of priuses have used motors for $150 at a junkyard and a dime a dozen.

    There is not a single repair on a gen 2 prius that would cause me a repair bill of more than $800. And there are 1000s upon 1000s of people that go to 400k miles with zero problems with engine/trans/battery/brakes/suspension.

    Sorry, just felt like ranting LOL but it is easily the most economical car ever built by a long shot.

    For about $550 parts/labor installed I can go out and "gamble" on a 100k mile motor that it doesn't burn oil. But really no point as taking 13-17 seconds out of my day to add oil once a month isn't the end of the world.

    Has 205k on clock have not spent a dime since I got it at 140k miles. (aside from diagnostics bill for check engine light and a set of Michellin snow tires).
     
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  11. reallyreal

    reallyreal Member

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    Toyota mechanics tried to use some kind of additive to slow down the increased oil consumption on my Gen 2 with 232k miles.

    Result: only the wallet size decreased.

    Now they are proposing a new attempt with new additives.. we'll see..
     
  12. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

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    On amazon first line for description is:
    I didn't have an issue before 180k (and was using Mobil One every time) and then noticed burning so decided to go with cheapest oil $30 changes since...I'll go back to some good oil on next change along with the Liquid Moly and see if does anything.

    I'm due for a change so going to put it in...Drive 1 day...change oil next day.

    #1 most common unavoidable problem is oil burning on a gen 2...even on gen 3s it is a major problem. Something to do with piston rings I think...? Cheaper to swap engine than rebuild it. My mechanic $400 includes labor/fluids. Just looking online and there is one with 40k miles for $400....a few with 140k miles for $300...there is even a high mileage one (over 200k) for $75 lol.
     
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  13. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Have they Branded one "Snake Oil" yet?
     
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  14. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Increasing oil usage is a sign of WEAR......which is relentless and never stops.

    There is a point where you will be putting more into it than you do right now........or it will stop completely.

    I said "start thinking about a new one"; I did not say PANIC and go off the deep end.
     
  15. Lord Byron

    Lord Byron Member

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    I’ve been burning about a qt every 800-1000 miles for a while now.

    I’m about to do this engine cleaning..


    ...as well as put a can of sea foam spray through the throttle plate, some MMO in the tank for a few fills.. and a bunch of other stuff. Check out the thread I just started. I’m going to post pictures along the way. There’s a great video there about oil rings gettimg clogged.

    The above video gives me some hope.. fingers crossed! I’d love to get another 100,000 miles! We’re at just about 200,000 now.
     
    #15 Lord Byron, Mar 29, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2019
  16. Lord Byron

    Lord Byron Member

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    This is why we’re burning oil.. gotta find a way to unclog the holes in the oil piston ring.

    The first video using Totally Awesome Cleaner with oil while idling for 3 cycles, then put MMO in with the oil change for a 1,000 or 2 miles seems like a good effort. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to do a piston soak with MMO through the spark plug holes. That seems a little more labor intensive, so I’m gonna go the Totally Awesome route first.

     
  17. MilkyWay

    MilkyWay Active Member

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    I told my mechanic about this old school mechanic on priuschat (pouring paint thinner in each cylinder LOL) and he said the motor probably will start knocking in a few weeks/months. He won't charge much as I've watched him take spark plugs out (maybe 8 minutes and all plugs out). Probably charge $100 if he has to let the car sit overnight and change oil couple times.

    Are the instructions in the post I linked to basically the same as in the 20 minute video? (remove spark plugs, let a few ounces of paint thinner sit on top overnight...suck out...shoot air inside cylinder....spark plugs back in.....run 5 minutes....put trans fluid in place of oil...let run 10 minutes...change oil back to normal)....

    Want to do that as last resort but going to do the magic in a bottle first...I got the Liqui Moly oil saver + Royal Purple ($37 for 5 quarts at Walmart)...Gonna change tomorrow and check in 2000 miles (maybe 10 days for me as I drive a lot). Last time I went 2k miles oil change shop said I was about 2.5 quarts low lol.
     
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  18. Lord Byron

    Lord Byron Member

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    This video using Totaly Awesome Cleaner is different. Check it out if you can. The other method you describe, I would use 4 oz of Marvel Mystery Oil in each to soak piston rather than paint thinner. Let them soak for 8 hrs, suck out and then do it again for another 8. I’m going to do the method in the video first though.. basically it’s 1 20 oz bottle of Totally Awesome and 1 qt of oil.. let idle for 10 min (I would crank heat or a/c to keep the engine going... DO NOT DRIVE). Empty it through the oil drain. Repeat 2 more times with fresh bottle of Awesome and Oil. Then change filter and oil add Marvel Mystery Oil with this final change. The idling should move the cleaner through everything pretty good. I’m a little concerned about only having 1 qt of oil in there, but that should be plenty if it’s only idling for 10 min or so.
     
  19. Kenny94945

    Kenny94945 Active Member

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    Back in the 1960 there was a very thick additive that was added to oil to slow oil burning.
    We used to call it Honey Oil" as it was so thick, but I can't recall the actual product name.

    Leaking oil is certainly different from burning oil and if no leaks, there could be a valve seal or piston ring wear issue.

    1 quart every 1000 miles, some manufacturers may say is normal.
    OP wishes to increase to one quart every 1500 miles by using an additive?

    What the cost analysis - additive cost plus quarts of oil added before fill oil & filter change?
    Personally, I would avoid the additive and just add oil.
    FWIW Mobil 1 synthetic typically goes on sale for 5 qt container for under $30 dollars including sales tax.

    Good luck in your decision.
     
  20. Rooslix

    Rooslix Junior Member

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    I use stp stop leak every 2000 miles or so. Keeps my oil burning to about a half quart every 2k miles.