Hey guys, so I have a scary issue that I just noticed. I bought the car with 75k, changed oil the first day I bought it with some basic valvoline full synthetic. Car was almost completely stock, and it didnt consume a drop of oil for that first 3k mile interval. Then I went bolt ons + e85, and decided to run brad penn 10W30. I'm about 1500 miles into this oil change, and I'm more than half a quart low already. Wondering what's going on. Any input? Could it be burning since it's a partial synthetic? Thanks guys

 

Do you have a catch can? How full does it get? You can always do a leak down and compression test to understand the health of the engine and see if you are getting extra blow by. Maybe try a thicker weight if e85 will dilute the oil more and causing more blow by.

 

Not running a catch can currently. Definitely going to do it leakdown/compression test now.

 

Same thought here as well. My setup is stock motor & been running E85 for many years. After my latest tune, my shop installed 15W/50 which is great for high heat cycled engines (high ambient)

I wouldnt be too concerned. Maybe you slightly short filled your oil & after it soaked the filter you ended up showing a low reading (just a thought)

 

hopefully! What brand oil are you running? I read some guy had his oil jell up after sitting with e85 and brad penn oil, and brad penn released a statement saying their oil isn't made for use with alcohol based fuels. Looking at next oil to use after that.

 

 

Pull off your the turbo inlet coupler and look inside for oil leakage. If none, then check turbine compressor wheel to make sure there isn't any play.

 

I could just be that oil.

 

That's my guess. Going to run vr1 full synthetic next. Will check turbo for play and leaks as well tomorrow.

 

Could just be that oil.

Also, 1/2 quart in 1500 miles is NOT bad. You also recently increased power levels (at what seems like the same time you switched oils). The increased power can (and usually does) accelerate oil consumption.

 

Rule of thumb I was given many years ago is if the motor had always run conventional, you can switch to synthetic with no problems. If you have a motor that's always been run on synthetic, but then try to run it with conventional, you will likely experience problems. I don't know how accurate that is, but that's what one of my auto teachers told me many, many moons ago.

 

Mythical folklore. No basis in fact/reality.

 

I was curious about that so I did a quick google search and found this. https://www.popularmechanics.com/car...a1497/4213451/
TLDR: It sounds like it was somewhat correct info back in the day, but nowadays it is incorrect.

 

I found a jug of oil at Walmart labeled "exclusively for Mercedes", put it in my Subaru and I had to add oil before the next oil change - 3K. Switched back to Walmart junk oil and no oil consumption.