Oil smells burnt at only 3000 miles?

[SRTie4k]

I couldn't really search effectively since 'oil' is only 3 characters, and I tried Google search but found nothing really helpful.

My 08 MS3 currently has 14k miles on it, and I've been changing the oil myself since 3500 miles (I bought it used). I've used Penzoil Platinum 5W-30 Synth every 3000 miles since I got it (by the recommendation of a lot of MS3 owners).

Every time I change it, the oil that comes out of the pan smells burnt, and it smells the same way every time I change it. I've been thinking of changing oil types the next change to see if it goes away, probably to Mobil 1 since I had no problem with it in my SRT (it never smelled burned, was always still fresh when it came out).

Does anyone else notice this with their MS3 or other MZR car? Is the MZR supposed to pwn the oil in only 3000 miles?

 

[LovinMyMS3]

It's not a problem. Don't confuse dirty oil with bad oil. Fresh oil causes more engine wear than oil with a couple grand on it.

 

[DRKNYTE]

off topic...... do you think the speed 3 is faster than the srt4 stock for stock? And which do you think is faster and has more potential for being faster? Thanks!

 

[Darth Vader]

This car is hard on its oil, it's a turbo car. I use 10W40 Valvoline Synthetic and not the 5W30 piss they ask for. It holds up a bit better but I still switch it at 3000.

...and yes, I know this car is faster than an SRT-4 stock for stock, I have raced "stage 1" SRT-4s at the track and took their lunch money, often. Cobalt turbos are harder but, we still have more motor; it's the additional curb weight that makes it harder there.

 

[SRTie4k]

off topic...... do you think the speed 3 is faster than the srt4 stock for stock? And which do you think is faster and has more potential for being faster? Thanks!

I honestly don't know. The MS3 makes a bit more power, but it also weighs a tad more. Most of the times I've seen MS3's run are the exact same times I've seen SRT's run, except the MS3 always had a little bit higher trap speed by a mph or 2, which explains the power and weight difference.

In regards to potential, the SRT has light-years more potential than the MS3, at least at the moment because of it's easy fuel setup. The SRT can take about 450-500WHP on the stock block and stock tranny without breaking much sweat, whereas the MS3 seems to fall on it's face just trying to reach 350-380WHP because of it's problematic DI system.

Maybe someday someone will figure out how to make lots of power with the MS3, and at that point we can see what the engine and tranny are capable of, but at the moment the SRT is easily the champion of the potential war.

This car is hard on its oil, it's a turbo car. I use 10W40 Valvoline Synthetic and not the 5W30 piss they ask for. It holds up a bit better but I still switch it at 3000.

...and yes, I know this car is faster than an SRT-4 stock for stock, I have raced "stage 1" SRT-4s at the track and took their lunch money, often. Cobalt turbos are harder but, we still have more motor; it's the additional curb weight that makes it harder there.

Yeah I realize turbo cars are harder on oil, I'm not a noob, but my 400WHP SRT with a 55lb/min journal bearing (read: 100% oil cooled) turbo was never nearly this hard on oil. I could easily have run the SRT to 5000+ miles on a single oil change and I'm sure it still wouldn't come out smelling likes its been to hell and back.

What makes the MS3 so much different from any other turbo car? Why does it destroy oil so quickly? And why the hell would they recommend 7500 miles on 5W-30 between oil changes when the oil comes out like water after only 3000 miles?

 

[SRTie4k]

It's not a problem. Don't confuse dirty oil with bad oil. Fresh oil causes more engine wear than oil with a couple grand on it.

I never said my oil was dirty, it comes out clean every time, but it definitely is extremely worn when it comes out.

And I don't know where you get that 2nd idea from, but you might want to step away from your car if you think that.

Oil will break down over time as it is continuously heated and cooled and used as lubrication for engine components. It will shear and tear as it is used, and the chemical bonds that hold oil to its viscosity will eventually break down until it becomes almost watery, at which point the lubricity is all but gone.

Synthetics mitigate a lot of that shearing and tearing this day in age, but they still can't hold up to extreme wear, which is what this car seems to do to oil.

 

[Darth Vader]

Yep, goddamn right on your appraisal of his second point. Yep, that fresh oil without any contaminants, water or combustion by-products and acidity is going to hurt your engine real bad, lol

There's one thing that makes this car hard on oil it's the fact that it has low-end torque like a diesel and only 263 hp. The amount of pressure this puts on the rotating ass'y is gargantuan. Think of the TIME this motor strains itself compressing its pistons and rods making 280 lbs/ft at 2500-3000 rpm compared to making 280 at 5000 and you'll see why this car is an oil killer. It's the duration of load that does it in. It's compressive force that is the actor here, shearing would be a rev-related strain, which this engine isn't designed to do.

The SRT makes it's power through the more traditional method of bigger turbo and revs, which strains things alot less. You can't get 5 litre torque out of 2.3 litres without some dangerous compromises.

 

[SRTie4k]

That does make sense, but it still brings up the question of whether it's safe to run the recommended 5W-30 oil weight for any longer than 3000 miles at best. If fully synthetic 5W-30 comes out watery and smelling like its just completed the 24 hours of Le Mans after only 3000 miles, what's it like after the recommended 7500 mile interval, and is it actually acting as lubrication past 3000?

 

[Darth Vader]

Yeah, I don't think it is. This is why I use 10W40. The closer the numbers are, the less additives are needed and the better the base stock, for conventional oil and, the simpler and more durable the synthetic is, too. I think 40 weight compressive strength is really needed here, maybe even 50 in the hot months.

 

[MikeHTally]

It's not a problem. Don't confuse dirty oil with bad oil. Fresh oil causes more engine wear than oil with a couple grand on it.

That's probably the most asinine statement I've read in a while. May be the worst since someone said clean, fresh oil that had not run through the filter was bad for the motor.

 

[DreSEL]

That does make sense, but it still brings up the question of whether it's safe to run the recommended 5W-30 oil weight for any longer than 3000 miles at best.

I remember reading somewhere that the oil recomendation for MS3s sold in other countries is 5w-40 all year round. And the reason why the MS3 sold in the US has a recomendation of 5W-30 is for fuel economy. Not sure if it's true. Someone from Australia confirm .

 

[///M Compact]

You simply cannot analyze oil by smell; you'll have to taste it.

 

[MikeHTally]

You simply cannot analyze oil by smell; you'll have to taste it.

With a bit of bourbon.

 

[///M Compact]

With a bit of bourbon.

Exactly!!!

 

[lynnriderm6]

i use penzoil 5w-30 fully synth no issues so far "knock on wood"...but on the srt-4 vs ms3..the neon srt-4 has so much potential compared to the ms3..ive drove both stock and modded and im going to say the ms3 is faster with basic bolt-ons like I/cbe/dp...but what i love about the srt-4s is that you can get mopar stage 3 kit and still be under warrenty lol and just with the mopar stage 3 kit upgraded turbo that puts you at like high 300hp to low 400hp and theres WAY more of a aftermarket for the srt-4...and srt-4s are easier to work on lol

 

[MikeHTally]

Back on topic -- my oil smells more like gas. It doesn't smell burnt. I remember once trying to light the dipstick. It wouldn't, so there must not be a lot of unburned fuel in there.

 

[LovinMyMS3]

And I don't know where you get that 2nd idea from, but you might want to step away from your car if you think that.

You might not want to think you know it all and learn a bit before talking since my statement was totally correct. Try actually reading over at bitog. Quality oils test fine in our cars to 5k. Don't compare a DISI engine to what you had before.

Yep, goddamn right on your appraisal of his second point. Yep, that fresh oil without any contaminants, water or combustion by-products and acidity is going to hurt your engine real bad, lol.

Another one, try learning a bit before typing.

That's probably the most asinine statement I've read in a while. May be the worst since someone said clean, fresh oil that had not run through the filter was bad for the motor.

Read up and learn child. Did I say bad or more wear, children should read and absorb before throwing up bad info.

 

[MikeHTally]

Read up and learn child. Did I say bad or more wear, children should read and absorb before throwing up bad info.

That's exactly what you said, genius. "... Fresh oil causes more engine wear than oil with a couple grand on it."

Still the most stupid comment I've seen in a while. I'll wager even the newb on his first job at a shop has more common sense.

 

[LovinMyMS3]

That's exactly what you said, genius. "... Fresh oil causes more engine wear than oil with a couple grand on it."

Still the most stupid comment I've seen in a while. I'll wager even the newb on his first job at a shop has more common sense.

Guess you're to dumb to understand the difference between "bad" and "more wear". Try looking into graduated oil analysis, stupid children with big mouths.

 

[SRTie4k]

You might not want to think you know it all and learn a bit before talking since my statement was totally correct. Try actually reading over at bitog. Quality oils test fine in our cars to 5k. Don't compare a DISI engine to what you had before.

You're an idiot, plain and simple, as proved by your original post. BITOG results for engine oil samples from the MS3 clearly show that running 5k miles is possible in the DISI engine in a lot of cases, but by the time the oil reaches 5k miles, its been sheared so much that its viscosity is very degraded.

Oil with degraded viscosity does NOT lubricate an engine better like you claimed in your first post. That doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out.