Using oil just before oil change

[Marty85]

Ive got a 95 3.4 camaro that runs and sounds great. Matter of fact I couldnt ask for a better running engine. However here recently ive started to change my oil every 5000 miles instead of 3000 due to the fact that I never have the time to do it. The problem is my car is due for an oil change and the low oil light just come on. I checked it and it was about 1.5 quarts low...nothing to have a heartattack over but still enough to worry. Well I got curious and wondered where it went and then I noticed that the oil had no consistency and actually didnt even feel like oil anymore it was so thin feeling. So the only thing I can guess is that the oil got so thin that it started burning it extremely slowly. Also it left a yellow sludge on my oil filler cap. Im not losing coolant so I know its not that. Im guessing that the oil is so thin that its actually started to evaporate and leave this yellow residue everywhere in my engine. Im not too worried about the yellow residue but what I am worried about is it burning oil. Do you guys think that significant couldve been done or did I just catch it in time? I know that I am going to go back to changing every 3000 miles for sure. Also its starting to get cold around here so I thought that might have something to do with it also in the morning when I crank it, maybe its burning it very slowly when its really cold?

[terminaldegree]

-Spend $20 and get your used oil analyzed. That will tell you if it's contaminated by anything. www.blackstone-labs.com
-I have two 3800 series II powered cars right now. They both use a little bit of oil, only at the end of the oil change interval.
-If you're going with 5,000 mile intervals, I recommend running synthetic oil and the oversized [pf52] filter. That's what I do.
-When the engine holds 4.5 quarts of oil, 1.5 quarts low IS a big deal. Sludge, anyone?
-The first thing to do when you're worried about oil consumption is to replace the PCV valve.

Hope this helps. I love the name of your sub, BTW.

[FunkZ]

I agree, use a better oil if you're going to go longer between changes.

I'm using the 15,000 mile Mobil 1 Extended Performance. Half-way through the oil life (8000 miles) and about 9 months later it was half a quart down so I did have to add some. You also want a filter that is going to last that long too.

[Marty85]

Well I already run the oversized filter for the 4.3 v6 and run a full 5 quarts. It was just under the add mark and 1.5 quarts put it back to the full line. Im going to change the oil as soon as possible and add some STP oil treatment to it as well and then change it again after 2500 miles to get rid of the yellow crap that the overused havoline 10-30 left behind. Thanx for the info guys I was really starting to worry about it.

[j10stuckinmud]

if you have nothing constuctive to add dont bother posting in this section.

[ December 08, 2005, 04:28 AM: Message edited by: vanbibber ]