My 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan (3.8 V6) used about 3/4ths of a quart of oil in 1300 since I purchased it new. I experimented with different oils and settled on Penn Platinum at about 36K miles. With PP, oil consumption went to about a half quart in 2500 miles. Since my last oil change, I used a full quart in 1800 miles. Should I just monitor usage or is there something else I could do?
Oil usage concern
- Thread starter otis24
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I'm not familiar with the specifics of the way the Caravan PCV system is plumbed, but when a new car has consistent oil consumption the PCV system is the first thing I suspect. Especially since the 3.8 is not a notorious oil consumer. If the PCV system snorts up airborne droplets of oil in the valve cover (or wherever the PCV valve draws air from the crankcase) then consumption will be high.
You could rig a "catch can that lets go" as Gary Allan calls it. This little number cut the oil consumption of my wife's PT Cruiser (2005, just under 50,000 miles) from 1 quart per 1200 miles down to half a quart in 4500 miles. Here's a picture of what I rigged up:
The vertical cylinder is actually a universal fuel filter with a replaceable element. I later removed the element completely- what happens is that the air flowing through it (from the PCV valve at the bottom toward the intake at the top) slows down in the large diameter glass cylinder, the oil drops to the bottom, and when you shut the engine down it drains back into the crankcase through the PCV valve.
You could rig a "catch can that lets go" as Gary Allan calls it. This little number cut the oil consumption of my wife's PT Cruiser (2005, just under 50,000 miles) from 1 quart per 1200 miles down to half a quart in 4500 miles. Here's a picture of what I rigged up:
The vertical cylinder is actually a universal fuel filter with a replaceable element. I later removed the element completely- what happens is that the air flowing through it (from the PCV valve at the bottom toward the intake at the top) slows down in the large diameter glass cylinder, the oil drops to the bottom, and when you shut the engine down it drains back into the crankcase through the PCV valve.
That, I like!
Very very little actual engine oil should go through a PCV system.
It is gasses from blowby that it should control.
I use a catch can, but it is to keep deposits off of the throttle body, manifold, intake, valves, and combustion chamber.
It is gasses from blowby that it should control.
I use a catch can, but it is to keep deposits off of the throttle body, manifold, intake, valves, and combustion chamber.
I've never replaced the PCV valve in this vehicle. Perhaps I will give that a try.
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