Help with Problem

[racer12306]

I put this in the maintenance section but no one really responded, I'm hoping this will get more results.

Lately my oil consumption has been steadily rising. I am currently up to 2.5 qts on the current oil change and I am only 3000 miles in.

Background Info:
-2004 Dodge Neon SXT
-purchased new
-currently has 68000 miles on it
-current fill started at 65000 miles
-used conventional oil til 5000 miles and then synthetic
-continued synthetic til ~15000 miles when I tried conventional to "finish the break in" because I was using oil, changed conventional every 1000 miles for 2000 miles and then left the last fil in for 3000 miles
-switched back to synthetic at 20000 miles.
-any synthetic fill in this car has gone 5000 miles before being changed
-oil consumption was reasonable at ~1qt/5000miles
-PCV valve was changed at 60000 miles
-up until ~25000 miles it was Mobil 1, and then I had a random fills of Platnum, GC and Mobil 1, all for 5000 miles at a time
-since about 40000 or 45000 miles it has only had Platnum or Q
-I do have a catch can, as it can be a problem with Neons for oil to flow through the PCV system into the intake manifold, however I have not collected much on this fill, maybe a half a quart at the most
-I checked the intake today and there is no oil in it so the catch can is doing its job
-the catch can has been on since 35000 vehicle miles

Right now I am sitting about a half a quart low, and the the 2 qts I had added before were a qt of Rotella 5w40 and something that was on the shelf at my Dad's garage, possible SuperTech Synthetic 5w30.

I posted about this over on www.2gn.org (forum for 2nd generation neons) and ewetho mentioned that I might want to try an Auto-RX cleaning instead of switching to Rotella 5w40, as I had expressed in the thread I was considering doing so.

So I figured I would pop over here and see what the group thought.

Right now I am leaning towards Auto-RX, but if anyone can come up with other things to check first, I'll do that.

Thanks

 

[blackdiamond]

I doubt that any oil or ARX will solve your problem. I get the feeling that it is something more major since it started so early in the engines life. I'm not a mechanic, so it's just my opinion.

Any indication of burning vs. leaking?

 

[Merkava_4]

You left out the most important detail - the current grade being used.

 

[RacerE7773]

That's why I stay with the 3 month or 3000 mile interval. I will admit I just had the valve cover replaced at 102,000 miles.

I have used conventional, synthetic blend, and high mileage with a permanent return to conventional (Murray's choice 5w30 right now since Citgo makes it for them. Plus Castrol cases a bit high in price). I'd take it to a shop and see what they can find.

Just don't do what I did with a couple cars in the past and asked for a specific repair. Just let the shop do the diagnosis. Any honest shop will tell you what it is after they look it over and won't do any repairs until they get your okay. I got shafted by a few shops

, and they do not get any more of my business needless to say. Good luck.

 

[Rickey]

racer12306

Is this a Mitsubishi engine?
Is it driven in a "spirited fashion"?

You might try all 5W40 Rotella T Synthetic.

Rickey.

 

[racer12306]

No leaking as of 65000 miles, I will check again soon. No smoke out the exhaust, either.

Currently, and every time in the past (except for that one fill of GC) I use 5w30.

The 2.0L engine found in the neons are Dodge engines. It is driven spirited on occasion, but I am pretty calm most of the time. City driving, highway driving. But I will wind out first and sometimes second gear.

The Rotella 5w40 is what I was thinking.