My 2000 Saturn SL1 (single cam) with 104m is burning a small amount of oil out the tailpipe. Not a hugh trail of blue but a small amount. Is there an additive that helps reduce this?

Thanks,
CMoore

 

Kinda depends on what the failure mode of the burning oil is -- bad rings, or bad or worn valve guides, or worn seals. Some people swear by this additive or that additive, or "marvel mystery oil", or whatever. I've found them to be a temporary fix at best.

The SL1's were kinda hard on oil usage anyway -- how much you using (loosing) between oil changes ???

 

mine burns a little oil too
just swich to a little thicker oil like 10w30 and use bardhal b2
that will help i use it in my saturn

 

By the time you can see oil consumption problems, aka tail pipe smokes. Anything that might have been preventative such as using thicker oil in the first place rather than an oil that is selected for maximum gasoline mileage has long since been passed.
Define thicker! It is summer! I used to use 10W30 as a winter grade oil. You can go heavier with no problems.
Personally I have used 20W50 since new and do not forsee having an oil consumption problem.
Hint, temperature = 110 today. In the winter, it might get as low as 40 late at night and once or twice a year.
A heavier oil does help though!

 

Assuming that what might be taking place, that is the oil control ring on the piston is stuck which seems to be a common observation by those who have indicated that they have taken and engine down. You might try the combination of using a heavier oil, 20 W 30 for the summer or heavier. such as 20W40 or 10 W 40 plus somthing like Z-max to see if you can get the oil control rings to break free. Personally I don't think you can but it ain't going to hurt to try. If oil consumption is not currently a problem, it is time to take preventative steps now before it is too late.

 

I have an 02 SL-2 with 195k. We purchased it new and still love the car I drive 120mile per day commuting and plan on 300k from it. The oil has been changed every 5k with Mobil 1 and I am glad to say that I did a compression check and the cylinders are balanced and reading 205psi witch is at the upper end of the spec. My issue is that I use about 3 quarts of oil over the 5k between oil changes and with the price of this oil I need to reduce the consumption. I park in a garage and I can say that it has no leaks or they would show up on the floor. It does not apear to burn the oil at least it is not obvious. It has used some oil since new and we were told by the dealer in 03 that it is normal for this car but that was 1/2 to 3/4 quart in 5k. Anyone have a solution that does not require pulling down the motor.

 

My opinion on this is probably a minority opinion and has been stated previously and to some extent contested, a heavier weight oil should have been used from day one rather than a marketing type or equivelent specifiying a light weight motor oil be used to enhance fuel mileage advertising.
Which it does even if minutely. However, old school practice at the time was change weight of oil to heavier in summer and lighter in winter which protects the engine rather than enhancing fuel mileage.
Yes, manufacturing technology improved machining pratices and tolerances were tighter than back in the day and you could suggest those things and get away with it through out the length of the warrentee.
After that? In my opinion, buyer beware.
It was some what standard to use 10W30 motor oil as a winter oil and it would word as a summer, but changing to 10W40 would work better during the summer.
This is more or less what I did with my cars at the time including my new car what ever it was and my Saturn which was purchased used with about 45,000 miles on it.
Except!
By then I had moved into the southwest and had started using 20W50 year around because it met oil viscosity chart vs operation temperatures year around. I used it then and use it now and drive my cars hard in the heat.
In direct violation of "FACTRORY" recommendation and the wording printed on the oil fill cap of the motor.
My 1994 Saturn, although of low mileage, about 100,000 does not consume oil and I am not worried about it. But then again, no car I ever owned consumed oil unless the valve guide seals went bad. I currently own 5 cars that are liscenced and drivable.
What to do now?
Mobile 1 recommended usage (From Mobil 1) is to use a good oil filter, and run it about 6000 miles and change the filter and add enough oil (generally 1 qt) and do this about (I think) 4 times.
Why? Synthetic oils do not contaminate like dinasour oil does and a good filter collects the crud and if you take it off and install a new one, the oil is still good.
That is what they say anyway and I think they have a point.
I use Mobil 1 in my Chrysler purchased new in 2007. Clearly printed on the oil cap 5W20 only. I use 20W50, replace the filter every 4000 miles and after the third filter so the 4th time interval, I change the oil and repeat the cycle. I use a good oil filter and pretty much oil filter technology says a filter is full at about 4000 miles and I use that number.
I see no reason why that will not work.
So that is one solution to cut costs.
As far as on going oil consumption, the engine is worn out, engine fix it in a can is not going to do anything. The oil control ring my also be stuck due to the type of oil (light weight) and age. Maybe it can be freed up. I doubt it personally.
But a few years back when a friend had (and still has) a rather high mileage 99 Saturn that I helped him maintain, it had started to use oil and to his experiance and mine, it was an odd situation.
We used ZMAX as an additive with a 20W50 oil change and it stopped using oil. Either we got lucky or it did something.
Dunno.
Don't really care, what I do works for me where I live.
I don't really have the problem, but in my own way I predicted it back in the day when this when this fuel mileage emphasis started and I believe I was right then and what I see today confirms my opinion.
Unfortunatly, asking your dealer why, gets an answer based on the manufacturers marketing plan, something he is required to follow when he sells the car.
When I bought my Chrysler new in 2007 I attended a dealer sponsered car care seminar where it was emphatically pointed out that the use of Synthetic oil's, specially those that were heavier than recommended by the manufacturer would void the warrentee.
I ignored it then, and ignore it now.

 

After doing some more research on the forums I have come to this conclusion. With the compression where it is, I don't think there is a problem with the cylinders or the (compression) rings or valves. It doesn't leak. It doesn't smoke on startup so I think the valve guides & seals are ok. That leaves the oil rings being stuck witch I see as a recuring problem with these motors. I purchased a bottle of Z-Max yesterday, will try that and see what happens.

I do torubleshooting on industrial equipment and controls in my day job and can't make myself change more than one thing at a time. I have to know the effect of a change, I'm just made that way and it has served me well for years. I will post the results after it runs up a few miles.

 

The saturn manuals repeatedly warn you about overfilling with oil, because it will damage your engine, your oil rings I think.

It says to put 3 quarts in, drive it around, to make absolutely sure you don't overfill it.

You gotta get the oil hot so it will all drain out when you change it.

What I do is measure how much oil came out, so I know how much to put back in.

It's sometimes hard to read the dipstick with new oil.

 

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What I do is measure how much oil came out, so I know how much to put back in.
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This is just a bit of over kill in my opinion, although it is your car and do what you want. I do.
I believe the correct amount of oil for a Saturn is 4 not 3 quarts when you change the filter.
The dip stick is quite adequate as an indicator as to how much oil is in the car.
The owners manuals are good. Some of the best I have seen, if you have one.
However any manual that takes 4 pages to tell me how to put a key in a car and start it is open for question in my world as to how good it can be technically and as far as engines go.
I read the dip stick, it works.
I use the weight of oil recommended by oil charts vs temperture ranges the car is operated in. I use 20W50 because I can and I don't care what is written on the oil cap.
Most recommendations that you will not find in the manual is add a quart of oil for racing applications! Why, high speed and hard cornering. But you have to know the application. You modify the instructions as needed and when needed.
A blanket suggestion may not be valid if the suggestion is not given with out an explanation or
the explanation is ignored.
Some suggestions do indicate a lack of knowledge as to why they may or may not be a good one to follow. 'Specially if there is not explanation to go with them.
Over filling a crankcase can under certain circumstances can, not will, but can cause engine damage. However, change the circumstances and it becomes a valid recommendation.