Should I even bother changing my oil???

[chrisbruck]

I’m adding a qt every 300-400 miles thru valve guide loss. I’m pushing 10k since I last changed the oil. At this rate, I’ve ADDED about 20-25 qts since the last change.

So, should I even bother “changing” it now? The oil is pretty darn fresh and clean.

I was going to replace the filter since it filters out the particulates so that part at least makes sense.

And before I get the “you need to get a top end done pronto” comments, I’m just holding out till I need to drop the engine for a new clutch to tackle all at once. I know it needs new valve guides… duh.

Anyone in a similar boat?

Thanks!

[PCA7GGR]

It appears that the car is changing the oil all on its own. So all you need to do is change the oil filter.

[porterdog]

I certainly wouldn't bother.

[Elombard]

I have wondered about this as well. I would change the filter as you said but I wonder if some non oil liquids build up and dont get filtered or something? I would think if it looks nice and clean???? Leave it. Hopefully some oil gurus will chime in.

[mystro]

Change the filter and call it a day.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I will chime in with my usual uninformed and potentially wrong type of answer. My old car had a bunch of oil leaks, so I never changed my oil. I only added to it. The idea worked brilliantly until all the oil caught on fire when my car burnt! , but seriously, if you are burning it through the valves, don't sweat it. I remember reading an article by airlines in which they never change the oil in passenger jet engines, they just top it off as the levels go down, so if airlines don't do it, you are probably good!

[porsche930dude]

I would try a quart or two of marvel mystery oil . You might be surprised . My old truck burt oil at that rate I topped it up with the mmo one time ant never burnt oil again. It was probrobly a stuck ring but its worth a shot

[safe]

You need to change it anyway!

I have a friend who had an old BMW who thought he didn't need to change oil since he added 4-5 quarts every year, he ended up with a totaly clogged engine.
Had to change the head because the cams seized and put diesel in the engine to unclogg the oil passages.

Porsche has expensive engines and oil is cheap! A nobrainer!

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by safe

You need to change it anyway!

I have a friend who had an old BMW who thought he didn't need to change oil since he added 4-5 quarts every year, he ended up with a totaly clogged engine.
Had to change the head because the cams seized and put diesel in the engine to unclogg the oil passages.

Porsche has expensive engines and oil is cheap! A nobrainer!

+1

Also using an oil additive or stabilizer would help.

I use Lucas Oil Stabilizer in my daily because without it it blows smoke.
I still change the oil every six months and the filter once a year.

[GH85Carrera]

300-400 miles per quart is pretty bad. You must eat up a lot of spark plugs. Your valves will not seat much longer due to carbon build up. I would not bother changing oil on that engine. When a valve drops it may well trash the entire engine.

[ant7]

Good engines need a decent amount of detergent in the oil to keep them internally clean, if you haven't changed the oil in its entirety for a long time, its possible that the oil has become baked, [mainly mineral oil] and will stick in awkward crevices in the engine cases etc, that's ok, as long as you don't then put in an oil that has a good amount of detergent again, as the detergent will loosen big chinks of this stuff, and it can block up oil galleries etc.
So, i guess when you have an engine that's using a considerable amount of oil, as in your case, then there are pro's and cons of either option.
Ohh, and how do i know this, because i used to recondition engines for a living, and i have seen in extreme cases engines that had very few oil changes in their life time,that were so badly choked up,when you remove the valve cover, you could not recognize anything inside!
But regular filter changes are a must no matter what.
A...

[chrisbruck]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

300-400 miles per quart is pretty bad. You must eat up a lot of spark plugs. Your valves will not seat much longer due to carbon build up. I would not bother changing oil on that engine. When a valve drops it may well trash the entire engine.

It's the exhaust guides.... I swapped the plugs about 7500 miles ago and expected them to be all oily.... but nope, clean as a whistle! The oil is leaking past into the exhaust and not the combustion chamber.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

If you are concerned, you could also send a sample to blackstone and tell them your situation. They probably run into this all the time and might have some good feedback.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by chrisbruck

It's the exhaust guides.... I swapped the plugs about 7500 miles ago and expected them to be all oily.... but nope, clean as a whistle! The oil is leaking past into the exhaust and not the combustion chamber.

Wouldn't an engine with oil leaking into the exhaust be blowing blue smoke?

[dicklague]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

I will chime in with my usual uninformed and potentially wrong type of answer. My old car had a bunch of oil leaks, so I never changed my oil. I only added to it. The idea worked brilliantly until all the oil caught on fire when my car burnt! , but seriously, if you are burning it through the valves, don't sweat it. I remember reading an article by airlines in which they never change the oil in passenger jet engines, they just top it off as the levels go down, so if airlines don't do it, you are probably good!

Jet engines are torn down and rebuilt on a regular hourly run schedule. They don't have piston rings and just a rotation shaft. They carry huge amounts of oil and have very powerful pumps for oil pressure......

Not an analogy to any 4 stroke.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by dicklague

Jet engines are torn down and rebuilt on a regular hourly run schedule. They don't have piston rings and just a rotation shaft. They carry huge amounts of oil and have very powerful pumps for oil pressure......

Not an analogy to any 4 stroke.

Perhaps, hey I read it off the internet!, so here's my one margarita bet (all in good fun). If Chris sends a sample to get tested and it comes back screwed up, I will pay for his $35 fee. Show me the screwed up oil test results and Chris can PM me for a full refund. Yup.. get the tbn too. I'm willing to guess the risk to his engine at this point is what is causing the high consumption, not the oil itself at this point, changed or not. I'm also willing to bet his sample will come back as new since he's dumping so much in it
Ron

[chrisbruck]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Wouldn't an engine with oil leaking into the exhaust be blowing blue smoke?

Ah yes... tell me about it. There are no mosquitoes anywhere near me.

[HarryD]

My car was at about the same consumption as your before my valve guide replacement. Looked like this:



When it was rebuilt, I needed to buy 12 valves as all were worn below the allowable limit. If it went much further, I might have grenaded my motor by dropping a valve head.

Feeling lucky?

[James Brown]

lol reminds me of total loss aircraft engines in the past, all the oil wound up on the pilots goggles. just keep her full till the day it comes apart for the guides.

[rusnak]

Any internal combustion engine needs oil for lubrication, and this oil needs to be clean, which means that you must change it if it's dirty along with the filter.

I just don't buy theories that state otherwise.

Your motor needs to be rebuilt.