I have a 99 SVT and have been around here for years.
Typically I used to keep the oil level at the full mark.
Over the past year, I've been heeding the suggestions of some people here that overfilling the engine slightly may help prevent some of the catastrophic engine failures people have seen.
However, every time I bring the oil slightly passed the maximum, the car seems to burn the "excess" off.
Now I did change oils around the time I started overfilling so unfortunately I can't say for sure which change has caused the consumption.
But I've read other posts and it seems like I'm not the only one who has seen oil consumption increase with a higher fill level.
Are most of you overfillers seeing this??
Brian
Originally posted by bxd20:
...Now I did change oils around the time I started overfilling so unfortunately I can't say for sure which change has caused the consumption....
From what grade oil to what grade oil? (5W-30 to 5W-20?)
For my 1996, I have only started the 0.5 quart (from 5.5 quart spec to 6 quart) overfilling last year (when I joined CEG) and have not seen any change in the oil consumption. Note that older engines (more than 5 years old?) have been known to consume some oil and I think Ford does say that losing a quart per thousand miles is acceptable.
I think the Owners' Manual warns that overfilling could cause an increase in oil consumption but I am more concerned with "oil starvation".
I need to check the bobistheoilguyforum.
Edit. Some good reading info.
http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/motor_oil_consumption.htm
Originally posted by Tony2005:
Originally posted by bxd20:
Note that older engines (more than 5 years old?) have been known to consume some oil and I think Ford does say that losing a quart per thousand miles is acceptable.
A quart per 1,000 miles? LMAO...Mine has a lot of hard miles on it and doesn't use that much...and they think it is acceptable?
If my car used a quart of oil every 1,000 miles i would take the d@mn motor out! 
Back on topic,
99cougar, do you overfill your Duratec? And have you noticed any increase in oil consumption?
6qts every change....no consumption at 100k.
I switched from Mobil 1 OW-40 to Castrol Syntec (German formula) 0W-30 at about the time I started overfilling. I am leaning towards the oil being the cause, just looking for other people's observations. (BTW, although many people at bobistheoilguy have great data to prove that German Castol is a great oil, if I play with this scenario a bit and the consumption continues I'll be switching back. I might run a UOA on the GC first. Mobil1 UOA's always looked good.)
80k miles on my car now.
But to keep this thread on track and not let it turn into an oil brand debate: Is the 0.5qt overfill connected to increased oil consumption in your experiences? That's the question.
No. I've been filling with 6qts every change for the last three years and I don't think I've ever seen the level drop. I was debating whether to go to 6.5.
Originally posted by hetfeild:
No. I've been filling with 6qts every change for the last three years and I don't think I've ever seen the level drop. I was debating whether to go to 6.5.
I wouldn't do that, the one time I went 6.5 I got an oil leak, back to 6 now and I think the leak has stopped, changine the oil pan gasket and volve cover gaskets to be sure
Hmmm... there was a discussion about filling levels a while back, and the only problem that was discussed was possible crank whip, but I was told that would only happen at 7+ quarts. No one brought up the possibility of leaks.
Originally posted by hetfeild:
Hmmm... there was a discussion about filling levels a while back, and the only problem that was discussed was possible crank whip, but I was told that would only happen at 7+ quarts. No one brought up the possibility of leaks.
I might have had the leak already, it was my second oil change on Mobil 1 when it started, or at least I noticed that it started
I don't see overfilling causing a leak. I have somewhere between 6-6.5, closer to 6.5. I'm going up to the mountians next week, if it was just normal driving, I'd keep it closer to 6.
I fill mine with 6-6.5 every time. And i prolly use about a half a quart per oil change interval. I also have 130,000 miles on my car...and go thru 3-4 bottles of nitrous during that time too...with the 75 or 100 shot i might add
Still kickin'...for now lol
Originally posted by bxd20:
..Is the 0.5qt overfill connected to increased oil consumption in your experiences? That's the question.
Oh and we do need to mention the interval between oil changes.
My 1996 is 6 (0.5 more than spec) quarts, 3k miles, and no change in oil consumption.
Originally posted by 99cougar:
I fill mine with 6-6.5 every time. And i prolly use about a half a quart per oil change interval. I also have 130,000 miles on my car...and go thru 3-4 bottles of nitrous during that time too...with the 75 or 100 shot i might add
Still kickin'...for now lol
EDIT: but i just installed a separator yesterday so i shall see if that fixes that lil bit of oil usage for me.
As long as there is sufficient room in the pan, the oil PRESSURE will not change (thus filling more will not create a leak... in and of itself) Crank foaming will occur with TOO much, and that would be somewhere in the safe range of 7qts. 6.5 qts for the life of my car, before Ross took her in, and she would only burn about 1/4 of a qt in the 4500-5000 mile intervals I used. (I changed the filter at oil changes, and once at the halfway mark..)
how much should i put if i got a escape pan ? 6qt too ?
ive been putting 6 quarts in my duratec for the past 3 years that ive had it i baught it with 29,000 miles and im the second owner of the car. never had any problem with a leak. i did put in a new rear main seal while my tranny was out when the new clutch was put in at around 80,000. my oil pan does seem to have oil on it and i see a bit of oil or some black gue on the cylinder heads. i have a new driveway and i dont see any drops on my driveway at all so i guess i have no leaks. i think my oil consumption might have gone up due to the msds headers. i am thinking of putting header wrap on the y pipe under the oil pan.
Before I discovered CEG I was following the book and my car used about 1.5 quarts every 5000 miles from the factory. Then I started putting in 6 quarts and my car still uses about 1.5 quarts every 5000 miles.
At least it is consistent..
Right now I have a 2qt Accusump in the car with the pressure-sensing valve.
So below 2K RPM's theres about 7.5 - 8 qt in the engine (not ideal), BUT once the rev's come up so does the oil pressure and 2K and above theres 6 qts in there.
That isn't true, at least.. it should be.
the extra oil is in the sump. and stays there until there is a drop in oil pressure(too much going to the heads, not enough coming back down, etc) THEN the sump drops the extra oil for as long as it needs to/can to bring the pressure back to the specified level.
Once it achieves that level, the sump closes, regains its 2qt capacity, and life goes on inside your engine with the stock amount of oil.
Im with Ray on that one. All the extra oil should be in the accum. unless there is a drop in pressure. If it isnt, there may be something wrong.
I have the middle EPC valve which is set for 35-40 psi
At idle and most of the way towards 2k, the oil pressure in the engine is below 35 psi
I was doing 6.5 and then added the oil filter relocation. With that big ol filter im running close to 7 I think
I've been running 6 to almost 7, depending on use. I'll run 7 at the track, 6.5 autocrossing, and 6 in the winter. I've never noticed any difference in anything.
This is the email I got a while back
Originally posted by Canton Racing:
as far as the accusump opening and closing often, it will not
harm the valve, thats what it is made to do, as far as it opening,
when you pull up to a stop light or at idle it shouldnt be a problem
as the engine should only take the oil in from the accusump as it is
needed, if it is not beeing "pulled in" by the engine it shouldnt
really push to much in