Oil consumption means your engine uses more oil than normal between changes.
What is excessive oil consumption?
Most modern engines should use less than 1 litre per 1,000 km under normal driving.
- Blue or grey smoke from the exhaust, especially on startup or acceleration
- Oil level dropping quickly between scheduled changes
- Fouled or oily spark plugs
- Oily residue around the tailpipe
- Check engine light related to catalytic converter efficiency (from oil contamination)
Why do engines burn oil?
Oil enters the combustion chamber when seals fail or rings cannot scrape oil off the cylinder wall. Main causes:
🧱 Carbon on rings
Carbon buildup prevents oil control rings from expanding.
⭕ Worn rings or bore
Physical wear from high mileage.
🔧 Valve stem seals
Worn seals let oil drip into cylinders on startup.
💨 PCV / crankcase issues
Blocked ventilation forces oil into the intake.
When does Berryman B-12 piston soak work?
The piston soak procedure works best when oil consumption is caused by carbon deposits.
- Direct-injection (GDI) engines with known carbon issues
- Gradual increase in oil use over time rather than sudden failure
- Engine still has reasonable compression
- Vehicle previously driven mostly short trips or city miles (carbon buildup)
How Berryman B-12 reduces oil consumption
Berryman B-12 Chemtool Fuel Injector Cleaner (444 ml, Berryman #0116) is a high-energy solvent blend.
Many forum reports describe going from 1 quart per 600 miles to near-normal consumption after one or two soak cycles.
Berryman B-12 vs other oil consumption treatments
| Product | Type | Piston soak? | Effectiveness on carbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berryman B-12 Chemtool | High-energy solvent (#0116) | ✅ Yes — designed for this | Very high — dissolves hardened carbon |
| Sea Foam | Petroleum-based maintenance | Sometimes used | Medium — gentler, slower |
| Liqui Moly Engine Flush | Oil system flush | ❌ Oil only | Low for stuck rings |
| XADO Anticarbon | Decarbon spray | Limited | Medium on light deposits |
Berryman Products officially recommends B-12 Chemtool #0116 for piston soak.
How much Berryman B-12 do you need?
| Engine type | Bottles needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4-cylinder inline | 2–4 bottles | ~30–60 ml per cylinder; 4 cyl × 2 cycles |
| 6-cylinder inline | 4–6 bottles | More cylinders, may repeat soak |
| V6 / V8 | 6–12 bottles | Angled pistons need more fluid per cylinder |
Use our shop dosage calculator for your exact vehicle.
Ready to fix your oil consumption?
Genuine Berryman B-12 Chemtool with EU-wide delivery — from €12.90 per bottle.
Shop Berryman B-12 → Piston soak guide Track oil use in diary