Nervous about this: BITOG, Choose my oil!

[RamFan]

After a looooooong time of being a forum member, it is finally my turn to ask the famous question. What oil should I use? This is for my '07 Charger SXT with the 3.5l High Output V6. As some of you know this engine has the common issue of burning oil. No one really seems to know why and no one really seems to have a fix for it. Some guys on Charger and LX specific forums claim that using Quantum Blue oils have done the trick, I on the other hand, being a BITOGer, will not risk using some concoction with no approvals from a "company" I've got no information on in my engine to solve something that isn't all that big of a deal. As of now, it burns about 1 quart every 1k miles and has done so since I bought it with 26k miles on the odo.

I purchased an extended warranty with the vehicle which covers me until 100k miles so I'm technically supposed to use oils that meet the requirements stated by the manufacturer. In this case SM/GF-4 meeting MS-6395. 10w30 is preferred but in temps below 32* 5w30 can be used to assist cold starts. However, seeing as how extended warranties work, I have the feeling that should anything go wrong (don't see that happening) the warranty company would likely find a way to weasel their way out of it. I'm considering spending the money on the warranty as a life lesson on wasted money. I will however be sticking to the manufacturer recommended 6k miles or 6 month OCIs. I have no desire to extend my OCIs and don't see the point in doing so. I think a cheap $20 UOA is missing a lot of what is really going on in an engine...I've gone off topic, this is a discussion for another day.

Here's the maintenance history on my trying to fix this issues:
26,000 - 10w30 Pennzoil Ultra
30,000 - 10w30 (didn't write down type for some reason)
34,207 - 5w30 Mobil dino
39,048 - 5w30 QSAD
43,800 - 5w30 QSUD
49,455 - 5w30 MaxLife
55,400 - 5w30 NextGen MaxLife

As we can see, the extremely low NOACK of Ultra didn't reduce consumption. It isn't stuck rings caused by gunk as by now that should have been improved a bit by the frequent changes. Lastly, MaxLife didn't improve things at all. Actually my first OCI of MaxLife saw increased consumption for the first 1-2k miles. The way I see consumption with this engine is that this next OCI will be my last attempt at a fix, here are the options;

1) Don't even try anymore and simply use the cheapest SM/GF4 dino.
2) Give MaxLife one last shot.
3) Edge w/ Syntec in 0w30.
4) Mobil 1 in 0w40.
5) Rotella T5 in 10w30.
6) Rotella T6 in 5w40.
7) Delo 400LE in 5w40.

As you can tell I'd like to see if a thicker oil will do the trick, I'm just not sure which oil I should choose for this experiment. What say you BITOG?

 

[dparm]

Honestly, if the rate of consumption is consistent, I wouldn't worry too much. I'd pick an oil that meets what Dodge requires and just stick with it.

 

[jeepman3071]

I would try the Rotella T6 5w40.

It baffles me how the EPA can put such strict emissions standards on new vehicles, yet burning 1 qt of oil every 1k miles is considered "normal" by the manufacturers.

I find it interesting how nobody can "find" a fix. Its probably more like the manufacturer doesn't want to pay money to fix the engine, or actually build engines correctly. Engines don't just burn oil for no reason.

 

[A_Harman]

With 6k mile OCI's, synthetics will be a waste of money. If you are using oil at the rate of 1qt/1000 miles, you are getting a complete oil change in 6k miles anyway. I say go with major brand 40-weight conventionals that you find on sale. Maybe even dual-rated 15w40's in the summer. If you really want to make one last try at fixing the oil consumption, try M1 HM for a couple of OCI's.

 

[Bandito440]

I'd go with Maxlife 10w-40 and see how things go for a couple of runs.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: RamFan
purchased an extended warranty with the vehicle which covers me until 100k miles

I would use the warranty instead of messing around with different oils. It shouldn't be using oil at that rate.

They will probably claim its normal so i would exaggerate a little and say it uses a qt every 700 miles.
Tell them your sick of carrying a few qts of oil with you on a trip. who knows a new long block? Get ugly with them if need be.

 

[CATERHAM]

If you want to experiment to see if a heavier oil reduces oil consumption then try M1 0W-40 for an oil change. This high VI oil will have the least noticeable start-up sluggishness of any 40wt.

In a 30wt oil M1 HM 10W-30 is one of the heavier 30wts available with a 3.5cP HTHSV and 149 VI so that's an option if you want to technically still run a 30wt oil.

 

[danthaman1980]

Hmmm... that is a tough problem.

Try GC first - T5 is a fine oil, but IMO there isn't much T5 will do that GC won't do better.

If GC doesn't reduce your consumption, jump up to the Delo 400LE syn (a tad thicker than T6) If that doesn't reduce your consumption, then thicker oil will never help... settle for a dino that you can get for $1-2 a quart on sale, and stock up.

 

[72Cude426]

Back under the Daimler Chrysler area when this Charger was made, They claimed 1qt every 800 miles was normal oil consumption.

I would try Maxlife 10w40. But the car was spec for 5w30 you may void that extended warranty of yours.

 

[slug_bug]

I have a very similar situation with my '07 Caravan 3.8l V6. It has burned oil since I acquired it with 30k. Recently it got worse when I tried my first synthetic OCI with QSUD 5w-20. When I posed the question here of which oil to reduce cosumption I received advice to replace the PCV valve as these engines tend to suck out a lot of oil through the PCV system. It's a B1tch to change on the Caravan, but it cut my oil consumption back to a more reasonable qt per 2,000 miles. It's usually a five minute job to replace the PCV valve. If you haven't tried this already I recommend you give it a shot. Good Luck!

 

[Doog]

Valvoline WB 10w30 or PYB 10w30 or QS green 10w30 and be done with it. Trade it in for a car you don't have to fill the oil tank when you fill the gas tank. WTHeck is it a 2 cycle?

 

[SatinSilver]

I'd replace the pcv valve with an oem version instead of a cheap generic one. Top off with a HM oil.

I noticed my Accord starting to use a quart of oil while I was doing a lot of highway miles. Topped off with some Mobil Clean 5000. Did an oil change with MC syn-blend 5w20 and after a few thousand miles I noticed it consumed a quart again. I then changed the pcv valve and topped off with Valvoline Max Life and never noticed any more consumption. I think the key is catching it early on since the F23 in the Honda can turn into an oil guzzler.

 

[RamFan]

Before this gets to be too big if a thread I'll address the pcv. I changed the pcv at 30k miles. Also, this consumption isn't an oddity. It is well documented on these engines. I believe it started happening when the high output version was released.

 

[SatinSilver]

How many miles on the car now? I'll ask my friend about this who's been a mechanic/tech for 25yrs and really knows his stuff.

 

[hemitom]

Originally Posted By: 72Cude426
Back under the Daimler Chrysler area when this Charger was made, They claimed 1qt every 800 miles was normal oil consumption.

I would try Maxlife 10w40. But the car was spec for 5w30 you may void that extended warranty of yours.


I think thats the easy way out for the manufacturer My first car a 73 New Yorker with a 440 with over 150000 miles would burn a quart in 500 to 800 miles depending on how hard you drove it. My 300 with the 3.5 goes through a quart in around 4000 so i'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[mene]

I know that will get you out of the recommended oil but.. I would try a 20 grade oil, it is easier for the rings to scrape it from the walls specially for a low tension ring which is popular with H.O. engines, as a side thing, in my Town & Country the consumption went way down when I tried Amsoil 0W30 (it is a 2004 requiring 5W30 unlike yours that ask for 5W20)so maybe if you try a light 0W20 perhaps Mobil 1 0W20 AFE?

 

[mene]

Sorry, the comment about the 3.8L was for slug-bug. My apologies.

 

[shDK]

The engine has a problem. No doubt about that. You might be able to reduce the oilconsumtion a bit by changing oilbrand. But the only good solution is to get the engine probertly examinated.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: RamFan
purchased an extended warranty with the vehicle which covers me until 100k miles

I would use the warranty instead of messing around with different oils. It shouldn't be using oil at that rate.

They will probably claim its normal so i would exaggerate a little and say it uses a qt every 700 miles.
Tell them your sick of carrying a few qts of oil with you on a trip. who knows a new long block? Get ugly with them if need be.

Probably the best advice given here.

 

[mene]

You should try to fix it if possible, but thousands of them are in the same situation and nobody have been able to get anywhere with it, it is like the sticking rings in Saturns or the sludge in old Toyotas V6, that is the way it is, it will be about how much he likes the car vs. the inconvenience. In our case we like the van enough to tolerate the qt. every 1.5K miles, one of these days we will get tired of it or needs will change and will get rid of the car.