Oil Consumption - 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera

Question: Oil Consumption

Question

Terrance Mathews, 2.2L 4 Cylinder, Eldon, MO, June 05, 2010, 15:55

Technician

I just love this olds cutlass it gets 30-34 mpg highway with the 2.2 ltr engine. I do a lot of short trip drives .I done a complete engine rebuild in 2006,it has always used a pint or slightly more in 1800 miles of city and hyway combined miles.
I know this is not much,but will a factory new long block be better or use less oil? I had a local machine shope do all the machine work!I,m thinking they may not have bored the cylinders,to meet the lowest tollerance,on piston clearances.
The cylinder head was rebuilt,as well.I use stp added to every oil change,did i use it too soon after it was rebuilt at 500 miles driving?

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Answer #1

mastertech6371 June 05, 2010, 17:53

Master

i do not believe in any oil additives. oil has all the add ons it needs

a quart every 800 is average for gm motors. that is right from gm.

your motor sounds fine. dont do anything to it. a quart every 3600 miles is super. you should thank your rebuilder.

Roy

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Terrance Mathews, June 05, 2010, 19:45

Technician

I am the rebuilder! I,VE REBUILT ENGINES FOREIGHN AND DOMESTIC FOR OVER 20 YRS ,BUT I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THE 4 CYLINDER ENGINE USES THE OIL IT DOES IS A QUART NORMAL IN 2000 MILES IN CITY AND HYWAY USE? I BELIEVE IN STP AND LUCAS!But I use STP IN ALL MY VEHICLES AND I USE 5W30 OIL AS WELL.I ALSO HAVE A FORD FOCUS,ZX3 2000 YR, I BOUGHT NEW AND IT DOES NOT USE ANY IN 2500 MILES!I HAVE USED 5W20SYN BLEND IN WINTER IN THE OLDS, AND IT USED MORE THAN THE 5W30 W/STP. 800 MILES AND ONE QUART USED IS NOT GOOD,SO I,M THINKING MY MACHINE SHOPE PEOPLE DONE ME A GOOD Machining JOB.I worked for 3 fifferent Ford Agencys from 1970 to 1981,and I,ve seen the 6cylinder Maverick in the mid 70's use 1 qt in 700 miles and the Factory rep said it was normal!

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Best Answer
Bret Bodas from RepairPal Test Shop, June 05, 2010, 20:07

Master

Hey Terrance, 1 quart in 800 miles is a bit much, but is it really worth putting a new engine in for that? I would experiment a bit with other oil weights, maybe a 10w40 or a 20w50? And try not using additives, they may be thinning out your oil which will cause it to get by the rings easier. Which reminds me, if you use synthetic oil or additives at break in, it's possible that the rings never got a chance to fully seal into the cylinders?

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Terrance Mathews, June 06, 2010, 08:38

Technician

I,ve thought the same way,about useing additives too soon on after a rebuild.I bought the olds ,it was not running for $200.00It had already had a new head installed,the timming chain failed,it was not running so I rebuilt it to drive for my self, and Eme my wife cant drive the Focus with the 5 speed!The olds gets better gas mileage with 5-30oil the stp is what i,ve used in most all my cars except the ford focus,and i dont use 10w30 in the ford.I could hear a lifter clatter in the really cold weather,with the 10w30 0il.
I dont think it was a bad investment, these used cars with high mileage that are clean are not cheap! I looked at a 97 buick century lately,they wanted 2200.00 and it had over 100,000 miles.Maybe after the engine or the tranny fails I can find it sitting in some front yard for only 2 or 3 hundred!

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1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera

Question: Oil Consumption

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