Engine: Engine oil problem

[Daytona]

I have a 64 Daytona 289 I just back from a 1900 mile trip and used 3 qts. of oil. The engine has 60,000 miles, the oil pan was off and checked bottom end. I have replaced the valve seals. The oil I have been using is from Hemmings their 10/30 Synthetic blend. Wondering it is the wrong oil. The oil is supposed to have zinc. What is the answer does anyone have any ideas?

[jnormanh]

I have a 64 Daytona 289 I just back from a 1900 mile trip and used 3 qts. of oil. The engine has 60,000 miles, the oil pan was off and checked bottom end. I have replaced the valve seals. The oil I have been using is from Hemmings their 10/30 Synthetic blend. Wondering it is the wrong oil. The oil is supposed to have zinc. What is the answer does anyone have any ideas?

If no other symptoms, I wouldn't be all that concerned about using a quart in 600 miles, especially in hot weather.

It would be worth a try to see whether 20W50 or 15W40 reduces your oil consumption. I ran synthetic, Mobil 1, for a few years and although I didn't keep records, I believe my cars used a bit more than with conventional oil.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

One of the most impressive properties of true synthetic oil is that it stays in its viscosity range over the long term. If you are using "synthetic blend" we really don't know much about its composition. Try a real synthetic such as a 5W40 as marketed for turbo diesel truck engines.

[GrumpyOne]

I have a 64 Daytona 289 I just back from a 1900 mile trip and used 3 qts. of oil. The engine has 60,000 miles, the oil pan was off and checked bottom end. I have replaced the valve seals. The oil I have been using is from Hemmings their 10/30 Synthetic blend. Wondering it is the wrong oil. The oil is supposed to have zinc. What is the answer does anyone have any ideas?

I'm a believer in thicker oil for older engines and have run Castrol 20-50 in the Power Hawk which was overhauled at 70K due to a severed overheating incident. New pistons with moly rings have yielded over 2k to consume a quart of oil over the years.

Just my 2¢ worth...

[Dan Timberlake]

is there Any oil wetness visible on the engine? May need mirrors or a bore scope to check the nether regions.

If the car is left to idle over a large piece of clean cardboard do any oil spots appear?

[StudeRich]

Another thing to consider is Revs per mile, or simply stated what is the Trans. Type and Rear Axle Ratio?

It would make a huge difference in Fuel and Oil consumption if you are running a Direct Trans. like: Automatic, Standard 3 or 4 Speed, with a Rear Axle Ratio anything Numerically Higher than 3.31 to 1 for Highway or Interstate cruising over 50 MPH.

I do believe that straight 30 Wt. or 20W-50 would reduce it some, but the ultimate fix is likely a Hone and New Rings.

[JoeHall]

If there are no bad leaks, and the valve seals have recently been replaced, it likely needs rings. To limp it along another 20,000-40,000 miles, I'd run 20W50, as mentioned above. Also agree with Rich, if its running anything numerically higher than 3.31 rear end, I'd look for a 3.07; reducing the RPMs will also increase oil and gas mileage a bit.

I would not run 5W-anything in it, even in Alaska.

Easiest fix for now is 20W50.

[Daytona]

It seems that before I started using this oil It did not burn oil. The tail pipe is not wet, I checked it being wet and burning oil.

[41 Frank]

In my personal experience the old gasket sealing technology does not do well with synthetic oils. My 289 engine started leaking much worse so I changed back to conventional oil. In my case Valvoline VR-1.

[karterfred88]

To me, 650 miles per quart-in old times, was quite acceptable. Adding oil between 3000 mile or less oil changes was normal. Having worked in a gas station, during a time when it was expected to check the customers oil and wash the windshield, we commonly had open quarts of oil, that we used to "top off" the oil-usually without a charge to regular customers. Comparing a 60,000 mile original engine to a rebuilt engine's oil consumption is worthless. Remember, ring and valve jobs were common, not complete rebuilds and engines and transmissions had an assumed "life" of 100,000 miles under perfect conditions. Yes, many performed much longer, and most of those were meticulously maintained, most were traded in or replaced well before 50,000 miles. Different materials, 50 years of technical and manufacturing advances have changed expectations, to bring a 50 year old item up to todays expectations requires substitution of newer parts. Play with the oil viscosity and drive it, as long as you're not fouling plugs and leaving a smoke screen enjoy it, oil is still cheap in comparison to an engine overhaul.

[JoeHall]

To me, 650 miles per quart-in old times, was quite acceptable. Adding oil between 3000 mile or less oil changes was normal. Having worked in a gas station, during a time when it was expected to check the customers oil and wash the windshield, we commonly had open quarts of oil, that we used to "top off" the oil-usually without a charge to regular customers. Comparing a 60,000 mile original engine to a rebuilt engine's oil consumption is worthless. Remember, ring and valve jobs were common, not complete rebuilds and engines and transmissions had an assumed "life" of 100,000 miles under perfect conditions. Yes, many performed much longer, and most of those were meticulously maintained, most were traded in or replaced well before 50,000 miles. Different materials, 50 years of technical and manufacturing advances have changed expectations, to bring a 50 year old item up to todays expectations requires substitution of newer parts. Play with the oil viscosity and drive it, as long as you're not fouling plugs and leaving a smoke screen enjoy it, oil is still cheap in comparison to an engine overhaul.

The last 289 I rebuilt got 5000+ miles per quart, the first 20,000-25,000 miles (K-B hyper pistons & chrome rings). It still gets 2500+, at over 40,000 miles on the rebuild. A Chinese repro front seal recently began leaking, so mileage is less than 1000. With a 259/289/352, anything less than 1000 needs fixing, IMHO.

I have ran Mobil-1, 15W50 in all Studes since 1997, and changed oil & filter every 10,000 miles. Before then, Castrol 20W50, with 5000 mile changes.

My point: Stude V8s can be rebuilt to run modern oil, and get good oil mileage. An "un-molsted" 289, at 60,000 miles, likely lived most of its life on, "non-detergent" oil and leaded gas, is full of sludge, and the rings are now worn out. In the 50s-70s, many vehicles smoked, bulk oil was 10 cents per quart, and gas station attendants were happy to top up oil levels. But those days are gone.

The above motor can easily be coaxed along another 20,000-40,000 miles, as is. But arguing it is running optimal, and the oil mileage is as good as it can be, is more than I'm willing to agree with.

[1954khardtop]

Were you running highway speeds for hours on end? Mine seems to use more gas and oil under those conditions. On my recent trip to the Catskills I ran about 50 mph and stopped a couple of times. I got close to 16 mpg on that trip, and used no oil. On my trip to Warwick I ran 70 mph for hours without stopping. My gas mileage dropped to 12.8 and I used a quart of oil. I suspect it got frothy and went out the draft tube as mist.

[JoeHall]

Were you running highway speeds for hours on end? Mine seems to use more gas and oil under those conditions. On my recent trip to the Catskills I ran about 50 mph and stopped a couple of times. I got close to 16 mpg on that trip, and used no oil. On my trip to Warwick I ran 70 mph for hours without stopping. My gas mileage dropped to 12.8 and I used a quart of oil. I suspect it got frothy and went out the draft tube as mist.

Every Stude V8 I have known pushed more oil, and swilled more gas at prolonged RPM above 3000. Also, blowby will start to show at the breather caps.

I run tall final output gearing: 2.55 in the 62GT with T85 & 3.54; , 2.38 in the 56J with T85 & 3.31, and 2.32 in the 63GT with 700R & 3.31. With those gears, in OD, the motors turn around 2000-2500 RPM at 65-80 MPH. Just right for today's roads. Gas mileage is usually 16-20.

[WCP]

Don't overfill the engine with oil. If the bottom of the engine pan is pushed upward, then it should be removed and corrected. Measure what you put in at oil change time. Keep the oil level at about a 1/4 above the add oil line. If you add oil to the full line, the engine will quickly reduce the level to the 1/4 level and then stabilize.I suspect volatilization of oil by the crank.
This approach may get you to a quart per a thousand miles. To achieve better than that would require positive valve seals.

[Daytona]

I drove from SB, Ind. to Warwick,RI 65-70 MPH. car did not smoke people we went with did not see any smoke. Gas mileage was 17. Cannot see where oil went.