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> I was told by a friend who I don't always think of as an authority that
> switching to Synthetics can slow down the oil usage. Any truth to this?
I'll vouch that it *may* help. My 1980 Chevy started burning oil pretty
badly at about 150,000 miles (which I attribute to switching to Castrol) and
switching to Valvoline full synthetic slowed it way down. Before I switched
it was using about 1 qt/500 miles, but the synthetic slowed it down to
1/5000. I even tried going back to Valvoline conventional, but the usage
went right back up. On the synthetic, it was still only using maybe 1/3000
(add oil once between changes at 5000) at 250,000, when I finally junked it.
OTOH it made no difference at all to my Triumphs. They burn/leak synthetic
just as fast as conventional.
> She never seems to have
> the time to check the oil
Don't know if they still have it, but JCW used to sell an add-on gizmo that
would detect low oil level. As I understand it, basically a plastic
dipstick with a thermistor on the end, and an electronic control box on the
dash. Each time you start the engine, it senses whether the thermistor is
under the oil surface or not. My Buick has one as original equipment too,
but I don't know how it works.
Was also one of the old fashioned "check the oil level from the driver's
seat" gizmos sold on eBay recently. Where there's one, there's probably
more.
> 2+ quarts low is not unusual.
My experience has been that, as long as you add oil promptly once the oil
light starts flashing after turns and hard stops, there is little harm done
by low oil levels to an engine that is already worn out enough to burn oil.
YMMV of course
Randall
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