 | | Question: | | What's the Expected Burn Rate for Synthetic vs. Conventional Oil? | |
I bought an '06 Mercedes ML-350. I was losing oil (Mobil 1) and the low oil
sensor activated ~ 4k - 4.5k miles. I brought the vehicle back to the dealer:
1). drained, weighted and refilled car, sealed the access cap and told me to
bring it back when the light went on again. It happened two times more. 2).
Light came on for the fourth time after 5,000 miles. Into the dealership with
the same routine. The service rep now claimed that it is not unusual for
synthetics to "burn" more than conventional. Even after I told him I had three
other cars that used Mobil 1 without any "burn," he insisted that this was not
unusual. Question: What is the expected "burn" rate for synthetic oil and is
it dependent upon vehicle make/model or engine type? I am also an Exxon
station owner and would appreciate this information if customers have related
questions since I do sell Mobil 1 products.
| | -- Robert Meyer, Alexandria, VA | | | Answer: |
How many miles are on the vehicle? It is possible that the engine has not been
completely broken–in. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain your issue from
the oil side. We would expect much less oil consumption than you are
experiencing.
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