PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Read this,

http://www.cadillacforums.com/cadillac-tech.html#noil

Northstars use oil.

First off, how MUCH is it using, and what makes you think it should not be using oil. As you can see if you'd have read the thread above, these engines burn oil, just like the sun rises in the east and death and taxes are the only certain things in life.

^I must not have a Northstar

With a 6200 mile change interval I do have to add oil at some point in between, maybe half a quart, only because I am OCD about it staying at the very middle of the operating range on the dipstick (engine hot). It actually stays within the operating range for the whole duration. That said, some amount of oil consumption on these engines is normal. Adding a quart after driving anywhere between 1000 to 2000 miles may be acceptable if you have no other symptoms of leaks or failure.

EVERY internal combustion engine on the planet consumes oil! Some just at different rates. Over 6k on an ~80k engine, I would expect some usage. Some engines will just use more than others! Typically more "performance oriented" engines will use more oil than some little 4 cylinder. Many factors such as size of the engine (as well as the amount of bearing surfaces within it), if you have a multi-cam, multiple valve/cyl engines require more oil as they USE it, all play into this.

You have two statistical end points here. One that uses 1qt in 6k, and Repins that doesn't use anything measurable on a dipstick. Factoring all the Northstars in existence and coming up with a mean average, yes, they probably consume more oil thatn most other engines...

On a side note, it has been confirmed by Chrysler that my little 3.8L, 80,000 mile V6 IS in fact consuming oil. It consumes 4 quarts on a 5 quart sump in 2,500 miles. That is WELL beyond their threshold for even the stated mileage. However, in the research I have done, typically their 3.8L V6 ISN'T an oil consuming engine... Obviously I have one of the few that has an issue. And when they do, they track it back to the oil control ring sticking. Either way, Chrysler is on the tab for it, now I just need to wait and find out how they want to address it.

Point being, even some of the most reliable engines on the planet consumer oil. Just at what rate is the question. 1 quart over 6k, I wouldn't bat an eyelash at...

I've seen BBC's (Big Block Chevy) V8's that are notorious for oil consumption that don't burn a drop and then some that burn it all or drop it all over the place... It's just the luck of the draw. My last BBC sucked it down to the tune of 1 quart every 2,500 - 3,000 miles. It's a BBC, I lived with it. For what the truck did, a $3 quart of Valvoline between changes was ok with me.