1 quart gone after quick 900 mile trip

[CajunWon]

The Envoy rarely goes more than 20 miles the past few years. But did a 2 day trip with 900 round-trip miles. I always check oil on a cold engine. Lost a full quart in 2 days. I put in a bottle of LubeGuard a couple weeks prior. And on the return leg put in a bottle of Royal Purple Max-Clean Fuel System Cleaner. Doubt the fuel treatment had anything to do with oil loss.
Averaged 21mpg (20.9). Not bad for an 2006 5.3.

Seems like a lot of leakage though. No obvious external leaks. I use Walmart Full Synthetic. At this rate, topping off will change the oil and I'll just change oil filter every 2 years.

 

[mrrsm]

"The Mystery of The Disappearing Engine Oil" is explained as follows:

(1) This Phenomena occurs in High Mileage Engines.

(2) The Cause & Origin is due to excessive Blow-By Gasses escaping around Carbon-Gas-Gummed up "Low Tension" Compression Rings being trapped into the Lands & Grooves of the Pistons.

(3) This results in excessive Lower Internal Engine Case Atmospheric Pressures generated by the Blow-By events pushing the residual Cast-Off Motor Oil in the Upper Rotating Valve Train being collected in the underside of the Valve Cover and then Vacuumed out through the Small Rubber Elbow of the Air Intake Plenum and thence through the Throttle Body, down through all Six Intake Runners and then ingested into the Engine during the Intake of Air on the Intake-EFI Strokes.

(4) The secondary effect is that the Engine Oil Lubricity is ruined by an excessive amount of Un-Burned Fuel mixing with the Motor Oil and a depositing a HUGE amount of Carbon Partially Burned By-Products contaminating the Motor Oil.

(5) The Treatment Procedures involves using a Carbon-Busting Treatment of Liquid or Foam ACDelco TEC Top Engine Treatment being poured-or sprayed down inside each of the Cylinders after removing the Spark Plugs, allowing the *Stuff* to soak for around Three Hours and then using a Turkey Baster to suction out the Black Carbon MUNG left inside afterwards before re-installing each Spark Plug and Torquing them to 18 Foot Pounds on an Ice Cold Engine. This latter action will prevent accidentally Hydro-Locking he Engine from any residual liquid left behind.

Refer to THESE Threads for more information of these Procedures:

C

Thread 'I'm going to use the A.C. Delco T.E.C. Liquid or Aerosol?'

Feb 17, 2022

Hi all. I've decided to do the top end soak with A.C. Delco product. They make it in an aerosol also. Any suggestions on which might be better? After doing some add'l research...It appears the aerosol is made to use while the engine is running by spraying it through the intake.

It looks like I'll stay with the liquid and soak the cylinders as mentioned in previous threads.

• c good
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Engine & Drivetrain

C

Thread 'A.C. Delco Foaming Top End Cleaner....'

Nov 14, 2021

Good Evening All,
I've read about this procedure here on the forum. I'm wondering if it would be OK to do, regardless of if I have carbon build up or oil consumption.

I have noticed a small amount of oil accumulated in the intake plenum. I do have a little piston "slap" that goes away upon heating up to operating temp. I tend to use about a quart of oil in 3000-4000 miles. Engine currently at 190 k miles.

Any drawbacks to doing the top end cleaning process? Or best to leave things alone?

• c good
• Replies: 9
• Forum: Engine & Drivetrain

T

NEED HELP Thread '"Top End Soak" ... question'

Apr 29, 2022

This has probably been covered in "clips and phrases" in various threads throughout the site, but maybe we can collect valid advice and how-to's here, as well as clear up some concerns I have:

I've seen multiple references to "Top End Soak" for these platforms. I believe these to refer to the practice of introducing a chemical to the top side of the combustion chamber with the intent of melting and breaking down the residual carbon in the chamber as well as having said chemical work its way down along the combustion chamber walls and free up the rings/oil rings.

My concerns revolve...

• TequilaWarrior
• Replies: 11
• Forum: Vortec 4.2L I-6

 

[CajunWon]

This is not a high mileage engine, around 110k.

 

[mrrsm]

Even so... after driving 110,000 Miles at say...an optimistic average of 18 MPG... Your vehicle will have burned 6,111 Gallons of Gasoline and inhaled 89,833 Gallons pf Air for managing a 14.7 to 1 A/F Ratio to light it all off. THAT is still an awful lot of Blow-By events to occur and deposit a great deal of the Black Stuff inside of the Motor.

Using this inexpensive Automotive Bore-Scope... The PROOF is in the presence of The Black MUNG Pudding. Pull the Spark Plugs on an Ice Cold Engine and utilize this device or one like it to search for Carbon Laden Piston Tops and impacted Valve Seats:

Amazon.com : automotive borescope

The ACDelco TEC Treatment is the only direct, practical and effective Non-Mechanical Repair Method for Carbon Busting intervention that can hope to improve the loss of motor oil condition ...given the evidence you have provided.

 

[budwich]

here is another link of one "success" with "engine cleaning"...

Post in thread 'BG Products E.P.R. Seems to be helping oil consumption'

May 13, 2024

That's a good improvement! I was going through a quart every 500-1000 miles with my 5.3, I haven't done a treatment since 2021 but it helped cut it down to a half quart every 1000 miles. For the cost, its worked much better then the other snake oils that claimed to cut consumption down.

• Mike534x

• 

if the v8 has a pcv, change it out as a non-working valve with suck out oil big time.

 

[Mooseman]

I know DOD engines use a lot of oil but your signature says it's off. If you were short tripping your truck for so long, I would move towards possibly sticking rings. You could try replacing your oil with Valvoline Restore and Protect, which I've heard is really good at cleaning out engines and rings. Worth a shot.

if the v8 has a pcv, change it out as a non-working valve with suck out oil big time.

That is a good point. GM did change the design of the valve cover because of this.

 

[CajunWon]

2000 miles, 6 months on fresh oil.
Has original valve cover. I recall reading of the redesign with a shield over the pcv, seems like a logical starting point. (Plus have some fear of easily removing the original plugs)
edit: new cover on order $78+t. Looks like a simple R&R to get new design and maybe save some plug fouling.

Dorman Valve Cover 264-965​

 

[Zaab]

Sounds about right with me. Probably PCV issue if you have kept up with oil change and used good oil.

 

[Zaab]

I know DOD engines use a lot of oil but your signature says it's off. If you were short tripping your truck for so long, I would move towards possibly sticking rings. You could try replacing your oil with Valvoline Restore and Protect, which I've heard is really good at cleaning out engines and rings. Worth a shot.

That is a good point. GM did change the design of the valve cover because of this.

This is inside my valve cover after ~7k mis on Valvoline R&P. Mind you, this is a 180k mi motor previously on syn blend and "regular" oci only. It works.

 

[Mooseman]

I think I'll switch to it on my next oil change. The more I read about it, the more it looks like an amazing oil.

 

[c good]

I did a BG EPR treatment before my last oil change. It cut my oil consumption down from a quart every 1500-2000 miles to 1 quart or less every 4000 miles. I'm using Valvoline Restore and Protect to see if I can get it any better and for routine cleaning. So far it seems to be helping.

 

[mrrsm]

...and regarding the Valve Cover Mod for the 5,3L Engines...THIS Thread has additional information for anyone considering this solution to the "Lost Motor Oil Mystery" on the V8 Blocks:

Thread 'Driver side valve cover replacement'

Aug 14, 2020

Well, after sitting on a new style updated PCV driver side valve cover (Dorman 264-969) since January and having smoke on start up about every 3rd start, I finally decided to swap it out. (The oil consumption is a given. Hopefully the new cover helps that as well.) Watched a quick Utoob video, and since it seemed pretty darn easy, decided to get right with it. Took 20-25 minutes and only half a beer. Since it was going so quickly, I didn't drink much...

One connector - in the center for the coils, the four plug wires, five 10mm coil bracket hold downs (get the coil assy out first)...

• C-ya
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Vortec 5.3L V8

• 

 

[CajunWon]

This is inside my valve cover after ~7k mis on Valvoline R&P. Mind you, this is a 180k mi motor previously on syn blend and "regular" oci only. It works.

View attachment 117990View attachment 117991

Looks rather aggressive, though amazing results. Safe for internal rings and seals? Most concerned with the ORing on the oil pick-up tube.

 

[Mooseman]

It's not as aggressive as it looks as that is over a long period of time, unlike flushes, which have been known to destroy engines because it would dislodge deposits instead of slowly dissolving them. I'm not sure if this oil does anything to rejuvenate seals but I can't see it attacking them.

 

[mrrsm]

PTFE (Poly-Tetra-Fluoro-Ethylene) aka "TEFLON" Automotive Seals are pretty durable and chemically resistant over a very wide range of strong chemicals. The only thing that defeats them in the end (according to the White Paper)...is Gravity.. that causes them to distend and stretch to loosen their sealing abilities over time.

 

[CajunWon]

R&R. Took about 40 minutes with 10 minutes polishing a thin line of old gasket off surface with Scotch pad and brass brush.
The old cover was completely blocked to the pcv. And some of the thin varnish was flaking off. There was very small hardened buildup on lower back, hardly worth the time to scrape it out.
Now need to top off the oil again

 

[mrrsm]

Actually...before you "Top Off The Motor Oil"... Consider getting a half-dozen quarts of Cheap Motor Oil and a Quart of ATF along with a Cheap Oil Filter and after draining the Crankcase... Install the New Low Buck Filter, 5 Quarts of Cheap Oil and that Can of Automatic Transmission Fluid...

Then WITHOUT REVVING THE ENGINE... Start the vehicle and allow it to idle for around 15 Minutes. With the Hood Still Up... Observe and LISTEN to the Engine and also Watch the Dash Lights for any signs of Overheating or other collision lights and then turn off the motor and when cooled down, Swap out that Filthy Black Carbon Laden Mung Oil for a Brand New Mobil1 or K&N High Grade Oil Filter and Mobil1 5W-30 FULL Synthetic Motor Oil.

 

[Mooseman]

I'd be running Valvoline Restore and Protect. Looks like it needs it.