you've changed oil though haven't you?  my 89 civic used to burn regular
oil but that's dropped dramatically using mobil 1.  and it continues to
drop too.

i have two theories.

1. there's less volatile fraction in the base oil of m1 to evaporate.
[regular oil is a mix of weights.  the light ones are easier to boil off.]

2. i read about piston aero engine oil not having viscosity modifiers
because they tend to ash around the piston rings.  if this is the case,
and m1 is proving to be a very effective cleaner of my previously
resined up engine, i can see it getting rid of piston ring deposits
allowing them to seal better again.

i'm basing 1 on what i know to be fact about the mix and basic
chemistry.  2, i'm guessing, but i don't buy the collapsed ring spacer -
that would make consumption go to heck, and it wouldn't start to seal
after time - it would just continue to deteriorate.

but for sure, my experience of m1 is the same as yours.

z <gzuckier@snail-mail.net> wrote in news:a9ce48a3-c522-41a6-8675-
0eec43ddc514@i7g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

Never did it.

I have been keeping extremely close observation of my oil consumption
over the last year or so. Excessive oil consumption was the primary
reason I was considering an engine replacement, so I wanted to perform a
rigorously controlled study of just what was getting sucked though the
motor.

Well.

It's been roughly 1,500 miles per quart for a long time (I determine
this after correcting for an earlier error in interpreting dipstick
markings).

Very lately consumption has been DECREASING.

In November it was 1,500 mi/qt.
In December it was 1,800 mi/qt.

I just checked it now, the proverbial bell having rung to indicate it
was time for another reading. I checked, then checked again. And again.
I even went pessimistic on my dipstick reading.
It's 2,500 mi/qt. At least.

I do not know what's going on here. Each year there is a decrease
corresponding to the winter drop in ambient temperatures, but this is
the most consumption has declined in several years. And this has not
been a particularly cold winter.

Some time ago I posted a query to rec.autos.tech about this, and it was
suggested to me that I probably had a collapsed oil control ring spacer.
In such a case, there would be sudden increase in oil usage, then the
piston groove would eventually carbon up and usage would decline. Maybe
this is the explanation.

Without having X-Ray vision and being able to see inside the engine,
this is a real mystery,

too late. you oughta hear it creaking and groaning.

how'd your engine swap ever turn out?

z <gzuckier@snail-mail.net> wrote in news:ea241a63-b938-40ac-a185-
82a9d7125685@k39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

Don't turn your head unless you've replaced your fluid with official
Honda Head Turning Fluid. Otherwise, damage will result to the neck
and spinal column assembly.

I have actually replaced my blood with Honda brand Driver Circulatory
Fluid, in order to get the longest life from my automobile. It's
expensive, but I figure it's worth it.

From what I've heard, the "new" honda antifreeze is also green, like the
old silicate kind.  Just to confuse us?

I just use the "new" prestone orange stuff in my old honda and acura.
Cheaper too.  I don't buy the "honda fluids" only except when it comes
to power steering fluid, and even then I use a generic brand.

dan

my official honda antifreeze seems to be green.

I've been following the thread on Honda brand antifreeze, and I noticed
the comments about Prestone not belonging in a Honda.

I noticed green antifreeze in my 93 civic that I bought from a friend
recently.  What potential hazards am I dealing with?  What's the best
way to get it all out if I'm going to replace it?