How much oil do you use?

[borahshadow]

I've got a 97 with the vortec and 195K on the clock. It's the original engine. The only engine work that has been done is the intake manifold gasket (twice, second time replaced with the upgraded gasket and haven't had an issue since)

For the last little while probably since about 150K I've gone through about 1 quart per oil change. That seems pretty normal for that many miles.

I checked the oil the last time I filled up and it was down to the bottom hole/mark on the dipstick. Basically it was just barely above the add mark. I put in about 3/4 of a quart since that's all I had at home. It brought it up to just over halfway up the normal range. 300 Miles later and time for another fill up I just checked it and it's down to the bottom again. I've still got about 1000-1500 miles before I'm due for another oil change so I'm basically half way through the oil change interval and I've already used more oil than I used to during the entire oil change interval. It seems like it just started using twice (or more) as much oil as it has been for the last 40k miles. I'm going to have to watch it like a hawk

How much do you use and how many miles do you have? Original engine? If rebuilt how many miles since the rebuild?

 

[dirtyhick42]

My 98 had 186k when I sold it. Stock motor and the truck had been beat on hard for the year that I owned it. It used about a quart every 5-700 miles, I never really had to change the oil as much as just throw a new filter on every once in awhile.

 

[Marcos]

My truck has 155k original engine, doesn't use any between changes.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Depends on the truck for me, my current 96 uses 1 quart in between oil changes, it is a vortec 350 with 162K, and my old DD was a 94 with 350 TBI and it used a quart every 1k miles with 250K miles.

 

[RHamill]

Have you ever checked your pan gasket? cam seals? oil cooler lines? oil filter adapter?

Oil doesnt necessarily have to leak on the ground to be called an "oil leak" most of the time it stays on the truck, forms a drip then sprays back all over your oil pan, trans pan, and in some cases Ive seen residual oil on rear axles..

 

[sewlow]

My '97 has 138,000 miles. No leaks, & the oil is always right in the marks on the dipstick, right up till the oil is changed. My '98 was the same way, and it had about 240,000 miles on it when it died. These two engines have always amazed me that they can have the mileage they do without leaking or burning oil. The best two engines I ever owned when it comes to that.

 

[96twodoor]

My 98 has 139k on orginal engine it uses a very very slight amount (not enough to even bother adding any) between oil changes ,My 96 has has 143k on the orignal engine and doesnt burn a drop but the interior does have a strange aroma

 

[Z Long Bed]

My 95 TBI has 274,000 miles with zero engine work. (other than an alternator and a radiator, tune ups etc)
I try to change oil every 3,000-4,000 miles.
Regular driving it'll be down ~1/2 to 1 quart before the change. I don't even check it until its due for a change.
If I haul a car through the mountains, it may blow through a quart and a half in 3,000 miles.
I always change the filter with the oil, I hate dirty looking oil...just hate it!!

 

[copernicusd]

a quart a week, 500- 700 miles
230,000, possibly rebuilt

 

[JollyGreen]

97 5.7 144k
No motor work that I know of. It'll use 1/2qt every 3,000 or so. I just changed the oil and decided to use Lucas 10w-40 semi-synthetic and the Lucas additive. Want to see how it is in a couple months.