2k mile engine oil light?

[gokepsgo]

Hey guys I need some r3vlimited wisdom. My car has 128000 miles on it and for the last 5 or so oil change periods my oil light has been coming on around this time. Usually I just add a quart of oil and it goes away but this time its not even low! I always change my oil around 3000 miles and my eta runs like a champion. It does look pretty dark and I did the 3.25 lsd swap so I'm thinking the higher revs might be putting a lot of stress on the motor, possibly clearing up some of the gunk in the motor and making my oil crappy? Inspection time is coming up and I'm assuming, if this is the case, I'm going to fail emissions. Anyone have any ideas on a remedy? I have a can of seafoam laying around that I was planning on using but I'm a little sketched out due to somme scary feedback on the topic on other threads. Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

[bimmerboy08]

is it the oil light on the panel forward of the sunroof? Because that is a level light, and if you are full on oil and it is on maybe you have a bad sensor.

[gokepsgo]

Yeah its the one up top. I could fill it up more but that makes me wonder how I lost the oil in the first place. There are no leaks that I know of and I should have noticed after parking over the snow. And I cured my valve cover leak since adjusting my valves. Is it possible I'm burning oil somehow? Idk if its related or not but I'm pretty sure it started after putting in my chip.

[Mike325]

Some oil burn is normal. How hard do you drive the car?

[gokepsgo]

Pretty hard =/ but only when it's warmed up I swear. A lot of revving off the tach but not on a daily basis. 80mph in 5th puts me at a steady 3k rpms on the highway.

[gverelli]

What oil are you using? I use to have to add a quart every month when using 10w30, then switched to 15w50 mobil 1 and now I never have to add anything until the next oil change (3000miles)

[gokepsgo]

That I'm not too sure of. I usually just have it done at the lube doctor down the street just for the sake of convenience. Will definitely look into that and see if they can hook me up with the 15w50. As far as seafoam treatment goes, can I do that a day or two before an oil change or should I do it and wait a while longer, or should I not do it at all? I've heard horror stories of it clogging oil lines and killing o2 sensors. Anyone have any experience with the stuff? Thanks for the help guys.

[gverelli]

^^I can guarantee if your getting your oil changes done at a random shop their putting in 10w30...Try out 15w50 mobil 1

[blunttech]

as stated those shitty oil change places use the cheapest crap they can if not specified. Ive told this story before but my s14 was using 1qt every 2k miles of mobil1. I switched to Amsoil 20/50 and I dont use a drop in 4k miles driving hard. Amsoil also has added zinc which the m20 can benefit from. You should do your own oil change's anyway. Even if you have to lay in a parking lot in the cold. Sooner or later one of those hacks will strip your pan or fuck something up guaranteed

[BrooklynMW]

I 2nd Blunt's suggestion. 20/50 solved all my oil problems. Still man, they're old cars, and a little burn off or minor leak is totally normal. Don't sweat it. Just keep an extra quart or 2 in the trunk.

My little oil light on the check panel usually comes on after about 2.5k miles. I add just a little bit of oil, not the entire quart, and I'm fine until I hit the 4k mark.

Blunt, I've never seen Amsoil brand anywhere. Where might one be able to pick some up?