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Oil consumption

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by oldasdust, Nov 18, 2015.

  1. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    2011 with 90,000 miles all maintenance done according to owners manual and now using just under one quart every thousand miles , no smoke coming out of the tail pipe , no spots on ground under car where parked ?
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What's the question?
     
  3. ETC(SS)

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

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    Monitor your burn rate.
    I'd strongly consider doing nothing else for a while.

    The bad news is that Toyota does not consider 1q/1000 miles to be an 'excessive' burn rate, so as far as they're concerned your car is operating just fine, thank you very much.

    The good news is that despite the current burn rate, you'll almost certainly get another 100,000 miles out of the car if you keep it topped off.
    Also, even though you're in one of those oppressed states that sniff-test Priuses in certain locations it will probably be a while before you FOD out the catalytic converter and start throwing codes.
    The life cycle of an eco-hatch seems to be about 200-250,000 miles and your car is on track to reach that.

    Don't try to make up for any past neglect by buying anything in the Marvel Mystery aisle of your local auto parts house, and it's probably a little too soon or too late to club down to a 5,000 mile OCI or tinker with viscosity.

    Just monitor your current use rate see how many miles it takes to get to "excessive."

    Good Luck!
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think you're fine.
     
  5. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    i disagree. MMO is not a snake oil if one knows how to use it.
     
  6. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    You may have had it serviced per the manual, but I'm guessing your rarely checked the level yourself between those 10,000 mile Factory Recommended Minimum oil/filter changes until it was brought to your attention by the light or Tech changing it there was an issue. Suggest you put a couple of liters in the back and start adding every fill up "as required" to top it off. Will likely take about half a bottle each time based on what you have said. At least you can slow the process. One quart/Liter every 1,000 miles is Chevy Vega territory...I know first hand.
     
  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    It's weird to have these stories on the cars. Many people claim they don't have any oil burn but all my cars (except for the 2015) has this oil burning issue. All the cars were purchased used. The reason I bought the 2015, is to get to the bottom of this oil burning. I service everything myself and see where it gets me after a few years.

    Just add oil as needed, nothing more to it.
     
  8. ETC(SS)

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

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    I'm not surprised, but I never called MMO "snake oil"......at least in this thread. ;)
    I use Seafoam myself semi-occasionally but not for a 4-year old/90K motor that's in need of about 100 retroactive oil checks and top offs.
    MMO is good stuff, but it won't replace worn material in rings and bearings.

    I started driving my company car (2010 G3) very shortly after it came off the truck at the local stealer, and there are probably a half dozen "Big Bell" G3's running around in this part of the state.
    Big Phone has a pretty simple maintenance philosophy.
    They buy vehicles new and run them until they are old enough to drink or have lunar mileage (or both,) spending absolutely as little as possible.......with the exception of oil.
    They use a 5,000 mile OCI on gas burners whether they have four or six wheels. To the best on my knowledge none of the Priuses are burning oil at a rate that would activate the idiot light before the oil is topped off through replenishment.

    I only know that my particular car doesn't burn an measurable amount of oil because every now and then (about every 1,000 miles) I'll read an article where somebody with a closed-hood maintenance policy will see the flickering light of death on their dash and complains about SOU (sudden oil use) Syndrome.
    This usually prompts me to go pop the hood to see if I have SOU yet, which I just did.....and I don't.

    Engines have a life cycle of probably about 300,000 miles or so.....and the very best of them will still start to burn oil at some point well before they make the journey to the automotive afterlife.
    Even a badly designed and poorly maintained motor will probably knock down most of 150,000 miles before a combination of other component failures render the car beyond economic repair....and the simple fact is that for all the fussing, cussing, and debating about oil use MOST CARS don't see the inside of an auto salvage yard because the motor seized up.

    See you in 1,000 miles or so! :)
     
    #8 ETC(SS), Nov 19, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2015
  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    You must have had a good one. A past gf's mother's car needed oil much more frequently.
     
  10. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Actually it used more after I went 2 quarts low...ONCE!...but you get the point. At 17 years old, it was my first lesson "learned the hard way" about taking care of my machines.
     
  11. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    You'd have to burn oil at a rate of 1 qt every 500 miles before you see or smell anything at the exhaust. I'm at 86k miles on my 2012 and changed every 10k per owners manual without noticeable oil burning yet. If I started burning at your rate, I'd start moving to high mileage oil. Do they exist for 0w20 synthetic?
     
  12. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    that agrees with the poll i started: oil consumption vs length of oil change interval | PriusChat
    android merge
    BTW, what kind of driving (city vs hwy, speeds, etc) and what kind of oil used?
     
    #12 Former Member 68813, Nov 19, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2015
  13. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    @1 bottle every 1,000 miles I've already picked out a replacement engine or new car...end of story...but that's me. YMMV
     
  14. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    Thanks for all the replies but.... Yes i checked the level frequently on my way to 90,000 miles and it only once requiored any oil needing to be added . I have owned 3 hondas and 2 Toyotas in the last 12 years and this is the first to need oil added every thousand miles . My 2002 civic had 152,000 and i never added a drop between oil changes that were done mobil 1 Honda OEM filter every 7,000 miles .Every maintenance done at the dealership and that includes oil / filter changes , large place they know the Prius they sevice several hundred cars a day and dozens of Prius a day . The wife ride so up to her when it goes and what she does .Question ? anyone else seeing this in a Gen III or prior ?Purchased new guess i forgot to start with .
     
    #14 oldasdust, Nov 19, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2015
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our 2010 is the first car I've ever had that didn't consume some oil. Changing it at the Canadian 8000 km or 6 months, the oil level never budges, but only 56,000 kms so far.

    Our parade of previous Hondas, pretty much always lost somewhere around a pint between (fairly frequent) oil changes. But never any serious loss.
     
  16. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    Car is driven 28 miles to work each way 5 days a week combo highway and 40 mph road stop and go last 5 miles into work so the engine fully heats up no short trips and has gone on two vacations to other states.
     
  17. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    How much was needed for that one instance?
     
  18. oldasdust

    oldasdust Member

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    I have refined my measurements replacement oil Mobil 1 0-20 20 ounces 1,000 miles 32 ounces at 1,500 miles . Starting to keep exacting measurements on amount of oil added and how many miles . i to changed oil and filter or rather the dealer did every 10,000 miles the consumption started at about 88,000 miles before then never added and checked about every 2 weeks . The first time i noticed down i added about 20 ounces or just over that to bring it completely full and it was full after the oil change i checked. This is the only issue with the car it runs and starts flawless like a swiss watch , she still averages 48 mpg the wife loves it here car , she will probably replace it with another one when the time comes.
     
  19. viscositosis tribocessive

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    Valvoline MaxLife Synthetic 0W20. $10/qt @ Auto Zone. Only one I've seen.

    BTW. 2015 PriusC Three. 4 months 30k miles. Current oil. Ravenol 0W16 EFE. Low Noack. No consumption at 10k mi OCI.

    I will soon switch to Pennzoil PUPP 5W20.

    Clean rings / No wear at bearings pistons, valve seats, valve stem seals. Goal.

    Mild, mild climate. Knowledge of my operating conditions inherent ease on motor oil, and Prius ICE are factors.

    I will sacrifice small MPGs for mega durability. The Ravenol is stellar, as a side note.
     
    mmmodem likes this.
  20. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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