I hope I'm not hi-jacking here, but I have a question. I have had my car for 5 years now. Rebuilt 440 and all. It never used oil. Of course, my driving was primarily 10-20 mile trips. So I would go about 1500 miles or so a year. Now this year, I get brave and take it on a 585 mile trip. Suddenly I'm a little more than a quart low. Why? I use Mobil One 10W30 if it matters. I might add that my trip was all highway at about 3000 RPM's.
Mike
Hi Mike,
With that steady cruise at 3 grand for 585 miles, I'm sure you did use some oil and that would
be expected. Of that quart you were low, part of that might have been unburned fuel that was
in the oil from short trip driving, and with the long trip the oil got hot enough to evaporate and
burn that off. Moisture is pretty easy to see on the dip stick but fuel mixes in with the oil too
easily to see most of the time. Best way to know would be to start a longer trip with a fresh
oil change and then judge your consumption from that point. Fuel in the oil, especially in the
winter colder climates and short trip driving, with carburated engines used to be very common.
EFI has helped that situation now days. I've been very pleased with Mobil 1 so far. I love
pulling a valve cover and not seeing all the burnt on varnish you get with regular oil! Goodluck, Jeff
