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using oil normal?

B

benravingmad

New member
I have an 05 supercharged GP, it has 135,000 miles. I've had it about year and put about 20,000 totally trouble free miles.
Last week the low oil indicator came on. I immediately pulled over and the oil barley registered on the stick, i added a quart which brought it up to the fourth hole in the normal range.
It has been about 2500 miles since my last oil change, I used 5w30 durablend oil.
Is this usage part of a high mileage car, or should i be worried? Should i be using a heavier oil?
I checked the oil today after about 100 miles of driving the oil level was down to the second whole. The car is garaged, no oil on the floor
 


I wouldnt really call the car high milage for the 3800 thats not a ton. as for regular usage that seems very excessive to me
 
Check for leaking valve covers, any smell of burning oil etc, maybe a loose plug that's only dripping when it's running, when was the last pcv check/change?
 
I have not noticed any smoking, but its been very cold here.
I'll check the plugs when I get home.
How do you check the pcv? I don't know if it has ever been changed. I no mechanic, is that something i can do myself?
 
the PCV is under a cap on top of the blower. take the cap off and there will be a little metal valve piece in there. shake it. if it rattles it is still good.
 


Bio248 said:
the PCV is under a cap on top of the blower.
Click to expand...
Green Arrows
Pontiac-Grand-Prix-PCV-Valve-Replacement-003.jpg
 
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PCV rattled like a champ, thanks for the picture though, that was very helpful. I reved it up a little I didn't notice any smoke. There is some grim around the plugs, but it did not look fresh to me. Could the cold have anything to do with it? Its been below Zero here in Kentucky which is very unusual for us.
 


benravingmad said:
I have an 05 supercharged GP, it has 135,000 miles. I've had it about year and put about 20,000 totally trouble free miles.
Last week the low oil indicator came on. I immediately pulled over and the oil barley registered on the stick, i added a quart which brought it up to the fourth hole in the normal range.
It has been about 2500 miles since my last oil change, I used 5w30 durablend oil.
Is this usage part of a high mileage car, or should i be worried? Should i be using a heavier oil?
I checked the oil today after about 100 miles of driving the oil level was down to the second whole. The car is garaged, no oil on the floor
Click to expand...

So far all good advice has been given IMO, I just wanted to add a couple ideas. First don’t freak, an engine using oil isn’t the end off the world and it still should have another 100k in it. As has been discussed on this forum many times, the 3800 engine is very tolerant to oil choices. Basically any oil is great just as long as it gets changed regularly. That being said I would try using a different oil for your next change.:confused: I recommend a “high mileage” version of 5W-30 Pennzoil or Quaker State. Valvoline is good oil, however I have read about several ppl that get usage issues with it. I’m a stalker at BITOG, many ppl swear by QS for oil users. However, I have no personal experience with it. But I do know Pennzoil is the shizzle.:th_thumbsup-wink:

And just to re-visit the PCV valve, just put a new one in. They cost like $2, just do it.
 
Pennzoil = FAIL.

I have taken too many engines apart that only had Pennzoil ran through them to know I will never dump that crap in my engine. :th_shakinghead2:

Check your exhaust tips too, wipe your finger in them and see if you get the normal small gray soot or heavy, or even gooey soot. If they are clean-clean, than that's a very clean burning engine.

If you first start your car after its been sitting a while, like a day or over night, have somebody stand behind your car when you first start it up, and check and see if you have any gray/blue puffs of smoke come out of the exhaust tips on start up.

Oil consumption on our engines can be a dirty/clogged PCV valve like said above. Cant hurt to change it anyway, cheep fix. It can also be worn or weak valve guide seals. Doubtful with your miles, which are low, but on high-high mileage engines, you could be getting some piston ring blow by, in either case, with the valve guides, or rings, you would see it out the exhaust pipe.

Might have somebody drive behind you, and give your car a WOT run and have them see if you attempted to "smoke screen" them.

Might also pull your plugs and see what they look like, might even take some pictures and post them. You can learn a lot from reading a spark plug whats going on in the engine. Couldn't hurt...but remove your O2 sensor too, and see if that has any build up on it too.

I use 10w-30 Trop Artic in my GTP if that matters or not. 10w-30 Castrol GTX in the GF's GTP, Buddy runs 5w-30 Amsoil in his GTP. He has ran 0w-30 German Castrol Synthetic before.

~F~
 
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