Fed up with 5.3 Oil Consumption

[Joseph Garcia]

I agree with installing an oil catch can. As stated above, it won't reduce oil consumption, bit it will stop oil from entering the combustion chambers and fouling up your plugs, and putting deposits on the valves.

 

[Foggy]

I change my oil in all my vehicles before 5k... So to me that's about 1K too long between oil changes...
IDC what the DIC says.. it's ********

Also, These engines are designed and came from the factory with FULL Synthetic Oil...
SO USE FULL SYNTHETIC

I don't see a huge issue with using 1/2 qt between services myself..
And the longer you go on that service the more it uses at the later stages of the oil condition

Back in the 90's I worked for a rental car co. and our NEW vehicles never used any oil in the first
3000 miles of oil life... But they were cheap and went to 6K on changes... We would add ONE quart per 1000 miles
the last 3K of that oil life...

And if you are only using synth blend, your oil is breaking down at 3K...imo

 

[swathdiver]

I'm using Vavoline Synthetic Blend 5-30 and I have been using the K&N oil filter

If you are using Valvoline DuraBlend, that is a Dexos2 approved oil, the red bottle is not.

Mine loses oil when it is regularly spun over 3000 rpms. So I use little to no oil, my wife and daughters burn up the oil and drain the gas tank because they like the sounds of the engine!

Are you using the white K&N filters with the nut on the bottom? I do and they are expensive. I also switched off of regular Mobil One for ACDelco's oil and the motor no longer rattles on start up and consumes less oil than before.

 

[Bill 1960]

What difference would there be between remote starting or just starting with a key on a cold engine?

No difference, I didn’t say what I meant very clearly.

I wouldn’t start the engine cold and let it idle. My thinking was most people who walk out to the car with a key climb in and drive away after starting.

OTOH, most often when remote started the person is in the building and the plan is to let the car idle cold so it’s warmer when they get in it, some minutes later.

 

[iamdub]

Thanks for replies!
So I have 148533 miles on my truck
For the past 12 months I have been driving on average 300 miles a week, about 50% is city with a mixture of stretches that I can get up to 45 for a couple of mile then hit traffic again, and taken several trips to North Carolina beaches (I live just outside D.C.)
I have no leaks on my drive way or my parking spot at work
I'm using Vavoline Synthetic Blend 5-30 and I have been using the K&N oil filter and have been changing my oil at around 5,000, so about 4 months. I was using full synthetic since when I bought my truck but realized I was just burning money.
The reason I came up with 1/8 of a quart, is because on average I was putting in oil where the line is on the oil bottle and it seems to match up with the full line almost perfectly.
Lately I have been using my phone app to start my engine cause it's been getting cold and have an AEM cai that came in a kit together with the filter box. Not sure if that matters.
And Bill, I was like you adding oil after a while but my oil had a burnt smell to it when it would get low that's why I'm doing it this way. Now I don't have that smell even when I change my oil.


Thanks!

I agree to performing thorough and accurate compression tests- wet and dry. Scoping the cylinders, particularly any that have notably lower compression (likely #7 and #8) would be a bonus. Your engine may have stuck rings from coking up over time. All hope isn't lost, though. If the compression isn't terrible and the scope reveals insignificant damage, you might can unstick the rings and fix the consumption issue for good.

Oil consumption is a downward spiral as the more it consumes, the worse the cylinder(s) get, which makes it consume even more, which makes the cylinders worse, etc.

You might find @donjetman's project inspiring.

 

[Brian1133]

Bill, #7 was the worst with oil but I did have some on #8 I start my truck only on cold mornings, below 40*. Don’t do it when I leave work cause it doesn’t get cold in the parking garage

GeoTrash, good to know cause I always have a used open oil qt bottle in my truck since I buy the big 5qt, also love going to Nags Head and Cape Hatteras; heard a lot of bad things of driving on the beach with 22’s but I lowered my psi to about 12 or 15 and had no problems

Joseph, was thinking about the catch can awhile back, still may do

Foggy, so I started using the blend about 2 oil changes ago cause the owners manual said I could but I may just start using full synthetic again cause I started buying from Walmart and price is not much different

Swathdiver, not Valvoline (I did my trans filter and gasket last week and thinking the atf) meant Penzoil And yes, I go over 3,000rpm and it’s the filter with the nut, my engine sounds throaty after I installed the aem cai

Iamdub, thanks I do have an inspection camera, #7 and 8 had oil when I did the plugs, #7 way more I’ll check and change them after I delete the AFM thanks for your advice

 

[iamdub]

Bill, #7 was the worst with oil but I did have some on #8 I start my truck only on cold mornings, below 40*. Don’t do it when I leave work cause it doesn’t get cold in the parking garage

GeoTrash, good to know cause I always have a used open oil qt bottle in my truck since I buy the big 5qt, also love going to Nags Head and Cape Hatteras; heard a lot of bad things of driving on the beach with 22’s but I lowered my psi to about 12 or 15 and had no problems

Joseph, was thinking about the catch can awhile back, still may do

Foggy, so I started using the blend about 2 oil changes ago cause the owners manual said I could but I may just start using full synthetic again cause I started buying from Walmart and price is not much different

Swathdiver, not Valvoline (I did my trans filter and gasket last week and thinking the atf) meant Penzoil And yes, I go over 3,000rpm and it’s the filter with the nut, my engine sounds throaty after I installed the aem cai

Iamdub, thanks I do have an inspection camera, #7 and 8 had oil when I did the plugs, #7 way more I’ll check and change them after I delete the AFM thanks for your advice

#7 is usually the worst with #8 second to that. At least you don't have an odd/unknown issue!

I, too, would strongly recommend a catch can, even if you reduce the consumption issue. With the amount yours is sucking in, I recommend you shop for the largest capacity you can find or get two smaller ones. Check it/them often- You're already used to being under the hood frequently, anyway.

It's odd that yours, being a '14, would have the consumptions issues more associated with the '07-'09, maybe '10. A '14 should have the deflector shield and updated driver side valve cover from the factory, mitigating the amount of oil in the PCV system before it could become such a problem. I guess if the previous owner(s) used low-quality conventional oil for long enough, even a small amount passing through the PCV system would eventually coke up the chambers and rings with enough time.

 

[Brian1133]

Thanks Joseph and iamdub-ordered a catch can.

Moroso 85481 Moroso PCV Air/Oil Separators | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Moroso PCV Air/Oil Separators with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Oil Catch Cans at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[91RS]

I hate to break it to you but the damage is already done. The piston rings are caked in burnt oil and no tune, catch can, or fancy oil will fix it.

 

[FinaticRon]

I'm fed up with adding oil to my truck to keep it at level. I have a 2014 Tahoe that I bought new but did not know about the oil consumption til I started working on my own truck 2 years ago. Yes, I was guilty of not checking my oil before I fired my local Chevy service center and Firestone. I will forever check oil levels in all my cars and trucks from now on, no matter how new or old it is.
It uses about an 1/8 of a quart a week, not sure if it's close to the same amount for others.
So I think the reason is the AFM for the oil consumption, so I just ordered a Diablo inTune i3 for GM Platinum. I should be getting it by Wednesday, I hope. Although, I ordered it just to turn off the AFM, I will eventually try the tunes that it comes with. I really didn't want to drop $450 but I'm hoping this works. I didn't get the plug in one cause my stereo plugs into the obdII slot.
Should I still get the newer valve cover? Some of my plugs were covered in oil when I changed them myself last winter.
Sorry for my rant, glad I haven't started drinking yet, would have been a pretty long.

Brian I believe the problem is with the Valve cover design. Go to youtube and watch video by CrazedPerformanceRacing. This guy explains it very well why the oil consumption.