Question for you guys. I have a 2006 I5. Does your H3 burn oil? I just last weekend changed my oil and I pour the used oil back in the 5qt jug and the 6th qt in its jug. However this time when emptying the old oil it only filled half of the 5qt jug. So I assume I'm missing about 3 to 4qts of oil. Now this oil change went longer than usual, about 6 months between changes, but drove less and also tracked oil life thru onstar so was about 7% life when changed. Here is the thing. It's not in the water as I have checked that, not leaking since skid plates are clean when changing the oil with just the usual road dust under there and i'm not sure if its burning up because I get no smoke at all out the tail pipe. The car runs great, no hesitation or wierd stuff. So where the hell did the missing qts of oil go? All I can think of is its getting burned off somehow but like I said I never have any smoke out the tail pipe so I'm puzzled. Any of you have same problem or is this normal for this car? Can't think it would be. Any response most appreciated. Thanks!

 

i havent had a smoker in years but it seems to me you could burn a quart in a thousand miles and not smoke,,not much. you might be close to that.

 

How many miles since last change? All engines burn oil. Just depends on how long engine is running/driving/miles? What oil are you using? More information needed..

 

my caddy cts will burn 2-3 quarts between every oil change, it's normal for that engine, haven't heard that with this one. you also need to remember the oil filter holds some oil but not any amount like that. my question to you is why have you gone that long without checking your oil levels. I normally go about 6 months between oil changes if not sometimes not longer, but I still check my oil level every month, this past time I went about a month and a half since checking and I had went through about half a quart.

I'm all for going that time without an oil change, but don't ignore your oil until onstar or the service light tells you to change it, you need to be checking levels regularly. you should never be driving 3 quarts low.

As a rule of thumb is I have to fill my washer fluid about once a month (I am a little OCD with having stuff on my windshield). but when I fill my washer fluid I also check oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, battery terminals and tire pressure in all 5 tires.

 

Hmm can't say how many miles and as for why I have no checked it I usually do but just been really busy this time with moving, new born, 10 year old moving and changing schools etc... No excuse I know but it is what it is. I use mobile synthetic oil. 5w30. Mainly I'm just driving the kid to and from school everyday and then on weekends just around town nothing major. Guess ill just have to start checking it more often again. Thanks for the replies!

 

oh,i forgot, in over 60,000 miles in 2 h3 i never added a drop between changes. mine must make oil!

 

3 to 4 quarts is pretty significant. I agree with Staggs. Ours loses a little oil between changes. I have an alarm on my phone set for every 2 weeks to check the oil. I know there are a lot of excuses to not do it. I have them too, but if your engine starves for oil for very long you are going to have a very expensive problem. when my alarm goes off I go out and check it and add if it needs any. I would say once a month would be ok normally but with losing this much oil I would check it at least every 2 weeks for now.