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Excessive oil consumption: Does using thicker oil help?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Preeeus, Jan 9, 2019.

  1. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    You need to get OFF of that 0 in the first number.
    Look at the weight of "high mileage" oils. Usually 15 or 20W40 I think.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    5W30? Second gen spec.
     
  3. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    What are you asking ?
    No, 5W30 is not enough different to help with oil usage due to excessive wear.
     
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  4. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    My father always used 10w30 instead of 5w because it was cheap.

    Now I find myself doing the same (got it for $3.5/5q jug) and I had no cold start issue down to -27F
    Smoother idle and it seems my oil isn’t crudding up as quickly and my valve noise near change time is almost gone

    I have tried synthetic 15w40 but it does cause cold start issues up here
     
  5. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    like what?

    google: cold start issues
     
  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    According to your location, 15w-whatever would lock your motor up in Wisconsin during harsh winters during cold soak start ups for this engine.
     
  7. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Just amazed how this was said by dealership with a poker face.[/QUOTE]
     
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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Then which oil weight will be sufficient to help w excessive wear?
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our local dealership has 0W20 and 5W20 in bulk. I've been getting both, Toyota 0W20 (synth) for our 2010 and our son's vehicles, Toyota 5W20 (conventional) for daughter's Pilot.

    The 0W20 they charge me $4.90 CDN per liter (was $4.50 for quite a while), the 5W20 is $3.50, sometimes less.

    With 5W30 being the spec'd weight for second gen, i'd suspect they have that in bulk as well, again probably just conventional.

    Just musing...
     
  10. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Look it up yourself if you really care.
    Which I doubt.
    A lot of companies make "high mileage" oil; I don't remember the spec's right off.
     
  11. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    Slow crank, start then immediately stall, have to hold the gas because the idle is too slow
     
  12. capolihu

    capolihu Member

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    since 0w40 did not help I'll flush it again and try the 10w30 now :) :(
    I don't trust the "high milage" tile anymore. I used the most expensive ones lately and saw no difference so I started to use the cheapest ones as it is just burning money.
    10w30 is the next step, will see.. I'm so excited! (no I'm not..)
     
  13. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    What does that mean, exactly ??

    High Mileage oil is NOT just a matter of it being a thicker viscosity.

    I don't understand why you keep harping on the PRICE of different oils.......as though it has something to do with it's ability to resist excessive wear. PRICE has nothing to do with anything.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Oils with "high mileage" moniker typically have rubber swelling ingredients, with the aim to tighten up any gaskets, valve guides etcetera, to reduce leakage.

    Not sure how critical this is, but I get the sense that once you start with such oil, in particular if valve guides (for example) was the source of your oil consumption, you should stick with it, because going back to a regular oil the rubber bits are prone to shrink, to become looser than they were at the outset.
     
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  15. LARRYG36

    LARRYG36 Member

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    We live in So. Nevada where its HOT AS HELL in the summer, been thinking about a heaver weight oil for awhile now, Any thoughts or advice ????
     
  16. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    If you have an owner's manual, look at it.
    A RANGE of oil viscosities is usually recommended, not just the one stamped on the oil cap.
    Pretty much anybody can up both numbers one step without worrying.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Not in the North American Owner's Manual. 0W20 is recommended, and there's a reluctant tip-of-the-hat to 5W20.

    Consider the latter, or 5W30 (2nd gen oil preference, from Toyota). For hell, might as well start with 5W30?
     
  18. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    I use 0W-40 without any issues. Mileage has stayed the same.
     
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  19. capolihu

    capolihu Member

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    Does clogged EGR and etc can also cause oil burn? or only the bad design/worn piston rings?
     
  20. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    A LOT of things CAN cause loss of oil.......sometimes not by "burning".
    Leaks should be ruled out first.

    In addition to the "common" things often discussed here, it can also be caused by worn valve guides
    but most often by a combination of things. A little here, a little there and it adds up to something noticeable.
     
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