Never change oil?

[RD_3]

otis, I'm with ya on this one. My '07 SXT has the 3.8 and she goes through about 0.5-0.75 qts every 1000 miles. Honestly check the PCV valve and make sure it is operational, swap it out for $10. I am using the Pennzoil Synthetic Blend year round here in MN. For the marginal price difference over PYB its a nice trade off for 50% synthetic basestocks.

The original owner did dealer oil changes literally every 3 mo/3000 miles for 70k miles. I have the documented history, amazing I know. Who knows if it had consumption problems from the start...it probably did.

For filters I run the Napa Platinum 41085. Built like a tank, full synthetic wire backed, and can be had on sale for around $7.50.

Good luck!

 

[otis24]

Thanks, AKA! I will check the PVC. Hopefully, things will go better than they did with my 2005 Grand Caravan. Could not get the Pvc out on that one. Wound up chewing the stem off the end and the pvc never budged. I put the hose back on and was content to leave well enough alone. One consolation is that there seems to be more room to get to the pvc in the T&C.

 

[TFB1]

At a Qt per K mi I'd not change more often than 20-25K mi, with a filter change at 10-15K mi... Unless synthetic's cold start properties are beneficial, it'd get whatever dino was on sale...

As far as contaminants remaining in the engine doesn't happen, we aren't talking about a distillery, they are going out with the oil used...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: otis24


Chrysler considers 1 qt/1000 miles to be "normal".


So does just about every other automaker. Some even consider using more oil than that to be normal. A good service writer will usually ask a customer who complains about oil use how much oil they use. Then tells then its normal, especially while under warranty.

 

[supton]

I would be in the camp of doing 10k OCI's, as I'm not sure what would be floating around in the oil. If it was at 200k I would just change the filter, but it's still a low mile motor.

What I'm not sure about is if I'd change with conventional, and then do top-offs with synthetic. Or vice-versa. Given the usage rate I'd be tempted to just run conventional *and* the 10k OCI, since it's constantly getting fresh oil.

But my decisions are usually based upon FUD.

 

[Flareside302]

use a higher end synthetic with a lower NOACK to reduce the chances of burn off.

also step up to xW30. more resistant to burnoff.. and won't hurt a thing. normally I wouldn't suggest this. but I've had real good results with 10w30 Pennzoil Ultra and Amsoil XL and SIG SERIES in my mother in laws 06 Chrysler T&C 3.3l

 

[A_Harman]

Put in fresh 5w30 synthetic before the winter weather sets in so that you have cold start performance that's as good as possible. Start adding conventional or synblend oils once the weather warms up, staying within the same manufacturer. (M1 to MS5k, or PU to PYB, etc.) Then do a filter change at 10k miles and an oil sample to see how the oil is doing. If wear metals are good, oxidation is low, and TBN is operable, run the oil until it's time to put in fresh synthetic for the next winter.

 

[otis24]

One thing, I hear Valvoline MaxLife mentioned a lot. What is it about MaxLife that makes it a good choice vs other synthetics? Thicker oil perhaps?

 

[otis24]

I just checked my oil stash. It contains one 5qt jug of Mobil 1 5w/30 HM full syn and one 5qt jug of Pennz Ultra 10w/30 (the old stuff). I also have two 1qt bottles of Ultra 5w/30 and 1 quart of G-oil 5w/30.

Since I don't want to "waste" it, I will use these up on my next two oil changes. I am only 1000 miles into my current oil change with Mobil 1 5w/30. The Mobil 1 HM will probably be used as top off oil as I plan to run at least 10k on oil changes, maybe more. Then I will try the Ultra.

After that, I will experiment with different oils (MaxLife, conventional, syn blends). It seems that seasons in South Dakota seem to run 6 months of winter, 6 months of everything else.

At this point, I have no particular affinity for any brand of oil. Whatever works. At 1qt/1k miles, the engine will either last or it wont.

I am interested to see if conventional will slow things down any.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: otis24
My Mobil mix was 3 quarts 5w30 and 2 quarts 10w/30. Next oci, i will use up the remainder (2 qts 5w30, 3 qts 10w30). By then, i should have a good indication as to whether the consumption will subside.

If not, i will probably switch to SuperTech Full Syn and 5-6k oci's or stick with Mobil 1 or a Pennz full syn and 15k oci's. I have used Pennz Plat extensively on my previous van and it currently has 180k miles. Between the two, it will depend on which one is cheapest.


FWIW, in highway use our Wrangler burns off a quart every 2k using M1, and one quart about every 3800 miles with other oils. Maybe the switch will help.

 

[Dallas69]

I may be wrong but I dont think running synthetic will slow down consumption in a burner
I know it didnt in my old truck which had a small rear main leak
I am now using Nextgen Maxlife which I think is a blend but it has helped a little

 

[Madmaximus13]

My buddy has a Nissan Pathfinder same problem decent oil leak about 1 quart a month or so, he drives around 250 miles a week uses M1 in it and has never changed his oil since this problem started at about 160k. Just the filter every 10000 miles and it is still going at 320k plus.

 

[zrxkawboy]

We have an '05 T&C 3.8, and it burns oil, too. Next oil change, I plan to try Maxlife.

My question is, if burning oil ruins cats, why aren't the cats dying on all these vans burning 1 qt/1000-1500 mi?

 

[otis24]

I was checking out different oils on PQIA. Pz Ultra has a low NOACK. I have a 5 qt jug of the old Pennz Ultra. I will try that to see if a low NOACK oil makes any difference. Then on to MaxLife if not.

 

[otis24]

Update, the oil life monitor probably isnt just a mileage counter. It went off at 2500 miles. Chrysler recommends 6k oci.

 

[asand1]

Use a quart of this for your next top up. Maybe your oil control rings and drain holes in the pistons are gummed up.

 

[otis24]

That looks like a really old can of MMO!

 

[otis24]

Went to Denver this weekend. By the time we were ready to return home, we were down a quart. I decided to top off with Mobil 1 0w/40. The plan is to push this OCI to 10k. Currently at about 3500 on this OCI. Will continue to top off with a 40 weight to see if that makes a difference. Should be able to add a couple of more quarts if the current usage trend continues.

 

[RD_3]

Originally Posted By: otis24
Went to Denver this weekend. By the time we were ready to return home, we were down a quart. I decided to top off with Mobil 1 0w/40. The plan is to push this OCI to 10k. Currently at about 3500 on this OCI. Will continue to top off with a 40 weight to see if that makes a difference. Should be able to add a couple of more quarts if the current usage trend continues.


I think thats a smart move to use some M1 0w40...I might add a qt or two to mine during my OCI as well. We also average around 10k per OCI.

Pull the PCV valve if you havent already done so yet

 

[OneEyeJack]

There is a guy here that has what I think is an 03 Dodge that has a hemi engine. It burned a quart of oil every thousand miles brand new and the rate has been constant, never changing. He was told by the dealer that this was within the range of "normal", that that nothing would be done to fix it. The owner drives a lot and adds oil every time the level drops the slightest bit being careful to never over fill it. He was really unhappy with this and he has never changed the oil, only the filter, every year, a NAPA Gold filter. After seeing this thread I asked him about this and he has 228K miles with no lubrication related problems. The oil consumption has not changed at all. He stated that it's exactly the same today as it was when he took delivery. He drives vehicles until they drop and that why he's kept this truck but after talking to him it's a safe bet that his next truck will not be a Dodge or any other vehicle with a Chrysler badge.