burning oil....no smoke?

[Jessed87]

Ok, I have just discovered an interesting issue with my MS3. It has never burned oil before, and it has only smoked on startup once. I just checked my dipstick about a week and a half ago and I was about 1/2 quart low. Seemed like no biggie so I just topped it off. However I just checked it today and it was another half quart low. I never see any smoke out of the exhaust and I checked all over and under the car and I have no leaks. Anyone else notice this? I am running royal purple 5w30 and I have always changed oil at 3000 miles, accept for this time I went to 3500 and will be changing it next weekend. I'm assuming I'm burning the oil despite the fact that I am not seeing any smoke or smelling anything. I also have an oil catch can installed. My guess if I had to make one is that my turbo seals may be leaking. I am thinking at this oil change of switching to a thicker oil to see if it remedies the problem. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Darth Vader]

You might not see smoke if you have the oem cats in place. Unless you see a leakage problem under the car, the oil has only 2 other places to go: out the tailpipe or into the catchcan, via the PCV.

[Jessed87]

hmm... yeah forgot about that. If this amount of oil consumption continues, I have a feeling I will be smoking anyway soon. just seems to be burning at an alarming rate.(boom08)

[funksilver07]

Better get that checked out, after 5k mile oil change intervals I find little to no oil burned in mine...(eek2)

[Speed3Rookie]

Make sure you check the oil when the engine is warm. I will register low if you check it cold.

[5port]

Ok, I have just discovered an interesting issue with my MS3. It has never burned oil before, and it has only smoked on startup once. I just checked my dipstick about a week and a half ago and I was about 1/2 quart low. Seemed like no biggie so I just topped it off. However I just checked it today and it was another half quart low. I never see any smoke out of the exhaust and I checked all over and under the car and I have no leaks. Anyone else notice this? I am running royal purple 5w30 and I have always changed oil at 3000 miles, accept for this time I went to 3500 and will be changing it next weekend. I'm assuming I'm burning the oil despite the fact that I am not seeing any smoke or smelling anything. I also have an oil catch can installed. My guess if I had to make one is that my turbo seals may be leaking. I am thinking at this oil change of switching to a thicker oil to see if it remedies the problem. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

2008 MS3

Same issue as above...burned 1/2 qt in 4K miles using Castrol Syntec 5W-30 (no smoke)

Switched to Shell Rotella T 5W-40 and havent burned one drop in 3K miles

Problem solved

Not to mention the top of the engine is quiet now :)

[MSMS3]

RP is a good oil for race only engines. Not so good for a daily driver, IMHO. Stick with 5w30 but go with a good full synthetic with full API certification.

There is going to be some crankcase blowby with this engine which has high compression and high boost. That gets recirculated to the intake through the PCV valve and mostly burned in the combustion chamber. What may be left is usually burned by your two cats and never makes it to the exhaust pipe under typical conditions.

If you continue to use more than 1/2 quart between changes, you might have an issue, but it's not abnormal to use 1/2 quart per 3,000 miles.

[Speed3Rookie]

Where do you guys find the Rotella 5w40?

[5port]

Where do you guys find the Rotella 5w40?

Walmart and I believe Autozone.

[antmoney3]

i also have a issue wit my ms3... its actually the first time i saw this with my car... i have about 14000 miles on mine and i use amsoil 5-30... i change it every 3k. i was in line at the car wash for about 25 min today.. the ac was on and when i gave the guy my car to take it in i went outside to wait for my car... when it came out the car was blowing a good amount of white smoke from the tailpipe... after driving home the smoke went away... any ideas from the experts???

[RUMBLEFISH]

i also have a issue wit my ms3... its actually the first time i saw this with my car... i have about 14000 miles on mine and i use amsoil 5-30... i change it every 3k. i was in line at the car wash for about 25 min today.. the ac was on and when i gave the guy my car to take it in i went outside to wait for my car... when it came out the car was blowing a good amount of white smoke from the tailpipe... after driving home the smoke went away... any ideas from the experts???

You have a problem others have including myself. Will you find the answer on this site??? I doubt it but good luck. PM me if you want to learn or atleast have an idea what is going on.

[MSMS3]

You have a problem others have including myself. Will you find the answer on this site??? I doubt it but good luck. PM me if you want to learn or atleast have an idea what is going on.

Why not share something this important with all of us? Secret problem and secret solution? Help us out here!

[nickster]

i also have a issue wit my ms3... its actually the first time i saw this with my car... i have about 14000 miles on mine and i use amsoil 5-30... i change it every 3k. i was in line at the car wash for about 25 min today.. the ac was on and when i gave the guy my car to take it in i went outside to wait for my car... when it came out the car was blowing a good amount of white smoke from the tailpipe... after driving home the smoke went away... any ideas from the experts???

Sounds to me like they got a good amount of water inside your exhaust.

[8.5MS3]

i also have a issue wit my ms3... its actually the first time i saw this with my car... i have about 14000 miles on mine and i use amsoil 5-30... i change it every 3k. i was in line at the car wash for about 25 min today.. the ac was on and when i gave the guy my car to take it in i went outside to wait for my car... when it came out the car was blowing a good amount of white smoke from the tailpipe... after driving home the smoke went away... any ideas from the experts???

white smoke usually indicates water. since you went through a car wash its possible some water got up your exhaust pipe and was flashing to steam as you drove. how thick was it?

EDIT: nickster beat me to it

[Jessed87]

problem solved, switched to royal purple 5w-40. Hasn't burned a drop in 2000 miles.

[5port]

problem solved, switched to royal purple 5w-40. Hasn't burned a drop in 2000 miles.

No surprise to those of us using 5W-40. People say mpg will drop but I still got 29 mpg on my last out of state trip. The rest of the world is using 5W-40 in this car. As long as I can get it I'm sticking with 5W-40 rotella synth.

[RUMBLEFISH]

problem solved, switched to royal purple 5w-40. Hasn't burned a drop in 2000 miles.

LOL problem solved good luck with that. And as far as water getting up the tailpipe at a car wash thats just beyond stupid.

TO MUCH OIL FLOW TO TURBO-WEEK BACK PRESSURE-PCV RELOCATE-CATCH CAN..

All of these seem to help to eleminate the problem but what really needs to be done is have Mazda fix the problem


And if you smoke now you will smoke again reguardless of the oil you use.
Been their done that.

[MSMS3]

Go here:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123748052