At first glance, urban driving with traffic jams and off-roading with towing seem to be completely different operating scenarios. In the first case, the car moves slowly in traffic, often stopping and starting again. In the second, the engine operates under high load, wheels may slip, and the speed remains low. However, for motor oils for passenger cars, these situations share a common denominator: both fall into the category of severe operating conditions. Invent Group will help you understand how Shell motor oil prevents oil burn-off and how to correctly evaluate the dynamics of oil consumption after brand switching.
The nature of oil 'burn-off': natural consumption and technical engine failures
A small amount of motor oil consumption during engine operation is technically normal. Part of the oil remains as a thin film on the cylinder walls, lubricates the piston rings, and partially burns along with the fuel-air mixture.
In urban driving, the problem is not only mileage. The engine may operate in traffic jams, frequent cold starts, short trips, and prolonged idling. In this case, mileage does not reflect actual load: 10,000 km on the highway and 10,000 km in traffic jams represent quite different amounts of engine hours. Off-roading and towing put more load on the oil because it has to simultaneously lubricate, dissipate heat, and maintain a stable lubricating film in friction areas.
Another issue is the rate of consumption. If the level drops quickly, you have to frequently top up the oil, blue smoke appears from the exhaust, or there is oil sludge on the spark plugs, these are already signs of increased motor oil burn-off. The main technical reasons are:
- Worn or stuck piston rings.
- Worn valve seals.
- Faulty crankcase ventilation system.
- Turbocharger issues.
- External leaks through seals or gaskets.
- Clogged air filter.
Low volatility by NOACK as a key advantage of Shell base oils
The NOACK indicator shows what part of the oil evaporates at high temperatures. This is the burn-off of motor oil due to evaporation. The lower the volatility, the less oil is prone to burn-off, thickening, and losing stability in the engine's operating modes. One of the key advantages of Shell PurePlus base oils is high purity and stability, as they are produced from natural gas, rather than traditionally from crude oil. This base has almost no light fractions that can actively evaporate at high temperatures. For the engine, this means:
- better viscosity stability;
- lower risk of increased oil consumption;
- more reliable maintenance of the lubricating film during high-temperature loads: in traffic jams, during prolonged highway travel, towing or operating a turbocharged engine;
- lower risk of lacquering deposits on engine surfaces.
Cleaning of old deposits: why the oil consumption may temporarily increase at first
After switching to a high-quality synthetic motor oil with cleaning properties, oil consumption in some engines may temporarily increase. This does not always mean that the new oil 'did not suit'. Often the reason is that the modern product gradually begins to clean sludge and carbon deposits in the areas of piston rings, oil channels, and other hot spots in the engine.
This effect should be temporary and controlled. After 1-2 intervals of changing oil, the consumption level may stabilize if the reason was indeed contamination. However, if the oil continues to disappear rapidly, with blue smoke, oily deposits, the smell of burnt oil, or signs of leaking, this is already a sign of a technical fault: worn rings, valve seals, turbo issues, crankcase ventilation problems, or sealing issues.
Stabilization of viscosity in working temperature ranges and sealing of gaps
In a warmed engine, the oil must maintain stable viscosity in the working temperature range. This directly affects the ability to form a lubricating film between parts, reduce friction, dissipate heat, and maintain pressure in the lubrication system.
In engines with high mileage, some working gaps may increase due to natural wear. Stable viscosity oil helps maintain a better lubricating film in these areas and partially compensates for increased gaps, thus reducing noise and pressure loss. However, this is not an engine repair: oil may temporarily improve lubrication conditions, but it does not restore worn rings, bearings, or seals.
The Shell PurePlus technology allows the production of base oil from natural gas. This base has high purity and a homogeneous molecular structure, which helps reduce flow resistance, maintain stability of characteristics, ensure effective lubrication over a wide temperature range, and reduce oil consumption. In stop-start mode, this is important for rapid delivery of oil to critical components after startup. In towing, heavy load, or high-temperature operations — for maintaining a strong lubricating film and protecting parts from wear.
How to correctly evaluate the dynamics of oil consumption after switching brands
After switching to another brand, you should evaluate oil consumption not by 'eye', but according to the same methodology. Otherwise, differences in vehicle tilt, engine temperature, or time after stopping can give a false impression that the oil has started to disappear faster.
- Fix the starting point.
After changing the oil, check the level on the dipstick or through the electronic monitoring system. The level should be within the normal range but not above the maximum mark.
- Check the level under the same conditions.
The vehicle should be on a level surface. It is advisable to perform the check under the same scenario: for example, after warming up the engine and a few minutes of cooling.
- Record mileage and amount of top-up.
If you had to top-up the oil, you need to record the date, mileage, and exact top-up amount. This way you can calculate the actual consumption: for example, how many liters of oil the car consumes per 1,000 km, or over a certain number of engine hours.
- Evaluate not just one measurement, but the trend.
After changing the brand, consumption may temporarily change due to a different additive package, cleaning properties, and the cleaning of old deposits.
- Compare only identical operating modes.
Highway, urban traffic jams, short trips, towing, heat, or towing with a trailer impose different loads on the engine.
- Watch for accompanying symptoms.
If, along with the increase in consumption, blue smoke, the smell of burnt oil, oily deposits, leaks, unstable engine operation, or rapid drop in oil level appear, this is no longer an issue of oil brand, but a reason for engine diagnostics.
After changing the brand, you should evaluate not just the fact of top-ups but the dynamics. If consumption stabilized after a short adaptation period — this is normal. However, if consumption increases or remains high, the technical condition of the engine, the crankcase ventilation system, turbocharger, seals, and piston group should be checked.
