Even though my shock isn't getting any less each time I see it, I've found my in-laws' 3.8-powered Grand Caravan nearly off the stick on oil twice since I started doing their oil changes and I can't tell that it's done any damage. It's got 201K on it and I don't even want to know what it's longest OCI has been, but since I've been able to change the oil pretty regularly (usually 8-10,000 miles) the last 3 or 4 times with Maxlife 5w20 it's using a quart every 1,500-1,800 mi. I told them it used some but still kept finding it low so I finally tried a little harder to impress upon my MIL to check it monthly and it may have done some good. I've also found my BIL's '98 LeSabre low on oil more than once, and I know for a fact that he never pops the hood. But really, just taking 2 minutes to glance at stuff under the hood once a month will pay off some day when you catch a problem before it lets go completely.
My extended drain OCI did not go as intended...
- Thread starter firemachine69
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Switch to 5W-40 if you are having excessive oil consumption. It will not only reduce oil consumption but is also cheaper. Even 15W-40 or 20W-50 are options to save more money and reduce consumption even further.
Whoops. Now you know.
I check my 2002 3.0L Vulcan Ranger about every two weeks. It usually needs some top off about once every month or two depending on how and how much it is driven. It does not have any sort of oil level warning, so I always check.
I am actually less on top of it with my 1994 Ranger for two reasons. One, it isn't a Vulcan so it doesn't leak nearly as much oil, and two, it has an awesome "check oil" light (that's literally what it says). It very reliably comes on when the oil level is at the bottom 3rd of the safe range on the dipstick, and I just pour in a quart then...a little too much, but easy. The newer truck doesn't have this feature.
I check my 2002 3.0L Vulcan Ranger about every two weeks. It usually needs some top off about once every month or two depending on how and how much it is driven. It does not have any sort of oil level warning, so I always check.
I am actually less on top of it with my 1994 Ranger for two reasons. One, it isn't a Vulcan so it doesn't leak nearly as much oil, and two, it has an awesome "check oil" light (that's literally what it says). It very reliably comes on when the oil level is at the bottom 3rd of the safe range on the dipstick, and I just pour in a quart then...a little too much, but easy. The newer truck doesn't have this feature.
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Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Whoops. Now you know.
I check my 2002 3.0L Vulcan Ranger about every two weeks. It usually needs some top off about once every month or two depending on how and how much it is driven. It does not have any sort of oil level warning, so I always check.
I am actually less on top of it with my 1994 Ranger for two reasons. One, it isn't a Vulcan so it doesn't leak nearly as much oil, and two, it has an awesome "check oil" light (that's literally what it says). It very reliably comes on when the oil level is at the bottom 3rd of the safe range on the dipstick, and I just pour in a quart then...a little too much, but easy. The newer truck doesn't have this feature.
Now there's a nice feature I wish all vehicles had...
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Originally Posted By: firemachine69
2008 Caravan with the 3.3L. I hadn't bothered to check the dipstick since changing the oil about 10k miles ago.
GEZ I pop my hood every weekend. How dumb am I?
Let me guess... Single guy, OCD about his oil changes?
Whoops. Now you know.
I check my 2002 3.0L Vulcan Ranger about every two weeks. It usually needs some top off about once every month or two depending on how and how much it is driven. It does not have any sort of oil level warning, so I always check.
I am actually less on top of it with my 1994 Ranger for two reasons. One, it isn't a Vulcan so it doesn't leak nearly as much oil, and two, it has an awesome "check oil" light (that's literally what it says). It very reliably comes on when the oil level is at the bottom 3rd of the safe range on the dipstick, and I just pour in a quart then...a little too much, but easy. The newer truck doesn't have this feature.
Now there's a nice feature I wish all vehicles had...
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Originally Posted By: firemachine69
2008 Caravan with the 3.3L. I hadn't bothered to check the dipstick since changing the oil about 10k miles ago.
GEZ I pop my hood every weekend. How dumb am I?
Let me guess... Single guy, OCD about his oil changes?
This is the agony of being a BITOGer.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
Originally Posted By: doublebase
I'm confused, how low was it exactly? A quart? Two quarts?
10,000 miles seems like a lot on any older Chrysler product, that's an old pushrod engine, I'd be worried about the lifters getting clogged up or something. But if I remember correctly, it's not the engine you have to worry about on the Caravans, it's the transmissions. I don't think I've ever seen one go past 150,000 miles, I mean I'm sure they're out there, I just haven't seen it. I had one years ago...took great care of it...I mean great care of it...tranny service at 50k, etc, etc, etc...the thing still grenaded at 100,000 miles.
There's this automotive training facility called UTI in my state, they teach an automatic transmission class there, they use the Caravan transmissions because they were all donated junk units. There's hundreds of them. And if you ever walk into a transmission shop...those trannies kept them in business.
It's probably the PCV, but I'd just be worried about sludge building up in that valley area and clogging those lifters. Especially if it ran that low and got real hot.
I've always thought older Chrysler products seemed to be prone to becoming oil burners. Before the emissions NYI laws, there seemed to be a lot of blue smoke coming from older minivans and the like.
I think the OP would be best served using high mileage oil like Pennzoil or MaxLife, and on the heavy side like 10W-30/40...
I'm confused, how low was it exactly? A quart? Two quarts?
10,000 miles seems like a lot on any older Chrysler product, that's an old pushrod engine, I'd be worried about the lifters getting clogged up or something. But if I remember correctly, it's not the engine you have to worry about on the Caravans, it's the transmissions. I don't think I've ever seen one go past 150,000 miles, I mean I'm sure they're out there, I just haven't seen it. I had one years ago...took great care of it...I mean great care of it...tranny service at 50k, etc, etc, etc...the thing still grenaded at 100,000 miles.
There's this automotive training facility called UTI in my state, they teach an automatic transmission class there, they use the Caravan transmissions because they were all donated junk units. There's hundreds of them. And if you ever walk into a transmission shop...those trannies kept them in business.
It's probably the PCV, but I'd just be worried about sludge building up in that valley area and clogging those lifters. Especially if it ran that low and got real hot.
I've always thought older Chrysler products seemed to be prone to becoming oil burners. Before the emissions NYI laws, there seemed to be a lot of blue smoke coming from older minivans and the like.
I think the OP would be best served using high mileage oil like Pennzoil or MaxLife, and on the heavy side like 10W-30/40...
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
This is the agony of being a BITOGer.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
Yep, we all know studious lubricant maintenance is one of the biggest factors in vehicle longevity, but those that aren't already in our camp see no reason to be so persnickety about it because they've either never seen the end result right in front of their faces, or have some exception to fall back on (like the theoretical neighbor in your example) that gets them off the hook of paying any mind. And auto makers continue to dummy-proof and over engineer the machines so that kind of complacency doesn't cost people anything before the rest of the vehicle is ragged out, anyway, or they trade it in. In this day and age it doesn't take any exceptionally stout car or maintenance habits to hit 150K - it does to make 400K.
This is the agony of being a BITOGer.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
Yep, we all know studious lubricant maintenance is one of the biggest factors in vehicle longevity, but those that aren't already in our camp see no reason to be so persnickety about it because they've either never seen the end result right in front of their faces, or have some exception to fall back on (like the theoretical neighbor in your example) that gets them off the hook of paying any mind. And auto makers continue to dummy-proof and over engineer the machines so that kind of complacency doesn't cost people anything before the rest of the vehicle is ragged out, anyway, or they trade it in. In this day and age it doesn't take any exceptionally stout car or maintenance habits to hit 150K - it does to make 400K.
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Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Just change the tranny fluid regularly and you will be "ok"-ish. They are not forgiving of abuse but the fleet has been trouble free. Other issues, no so much.
Hi, can you define what you mean by abuse? Do you mean not changing the fluid, or by driving agressive? I have a 2006.
Just change the tranny fluid regularly and you will be "ok"-ish. They are not forgiving of abuse but the fleet has been trouble free. Other issues, no so much.
Hi, can you define what you mean by abuse? Do you mean not changing the fluid, or by driving agressive? I have a 2006.
Originally Posted By: DeafBrad
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Just change the tranny fluid regularly and you will be "ok"-ish. They are not forgiving of abuse but the fleet has been trouble free. Other issues, no so much.
Hi, can you define what you mean by abuse? Do you mean not changing the fluid, or by driving agressive? I have a 2006.
Aggressive driving is the number killer, IMO.
Originally Posted By: Alex_V
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
This is the agony of being a BITOGer.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
Yep, we all know studious lubricant maintenance is one of the biggest factors in vehicle longevity, but those that aren't already in our camp see no reason to be so persnickety about it because they've either never seen the end result right in front of their faces, or have some exception to fall back on (like the theoretical neighbor in your example) that gets them off the hook of paying any mind. And auto makers continue to dummy-proof and over engineer the machines so that kind of complacency doesn't cost people anything before the rest of the vehicle is ragged out, anyway, or they trade it in. In this day and age it doesn't take any exceptionally stout car or maintenance habits to hit 150K - it does to make 400K.
Around here, you'll be lucky to hit 150k miles before serious rust perforation begins to happen, I've already got a decent amount of paint/bodywork to do on the '08 Caravan. My one year old Outlander already has some surface rust, too...
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Just change the tranny fluid regularly and you will be "ok"-ish. They are not forgiving of abuse but the fleet has been trouble free. Other issues, no so much.
Hi, can you define what you mean by abuse? Do you mean not changing the fluid, or by driving agressive? I have a 2006.
Aggressive driving is the number killer, IMO.
Originally Posted By: Alex_V
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
This is the agony of being a BITOGer.
You use Amsoil, and a Fram Ultra. You use scientific evidence from numerous UOAs to formulate your lubrication strategy. You burn three quarts. The guy down the street takes his car to a quick lube whenever he remembers the car even has oil, and probably doesn't have any oil burn issues.
Yep, we all know studious lubricant maintenance is one of the biggest factors in vehicle longevity, but those that aren't already in our camp see no reason to be so persnickety about it because they've either never seen the end result right in front of their faces, or have some exception to fall back on (like the theoretical neighbor in your example) that gets them off the hook of paying any mind. And auto makers continue to dummy-proof and over engineer the machines so that kind of complacency doesn't cost people anything before the rest of the vehicle is ragged out, anyway, or they trade it in. In this day and age it doesn't take any exceptionally stout car or maintenance habits to hit 150K - it does to make 400K.
Around here, you'll be lucky to hit 150k miles before serious rust perforation begins to happen, I've already got a decent amount of paint/bodywork to do on the '08 Caravan. My one year old Outlander already has some surface rust, too...
Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
Take better care of it and it might just last you a while.
Don't let any OCI go that long without checking the oil level.
Completely agree, I check mine about once a month even on my newish truck that has 10k miles. In 6k miles it was down half quart, Normal L83 thing.
Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
Take better care of it and it might just last you a while.
Don't let any OCI go that long without checking the oil level.
Completely agree, I check mine about once a month even on my newish truck that has 10k miles. In 6k miles it was down half quart, Normal L83 thing.
Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud
Interestingly, if you run long OCIs and keep track of exact oil top ups, you'll see that most of the oil by the time you hit 10 K miles /16,000 kms, the oil is 40 to 50% newer then the original oil installed during the last oil change!
Uh?
Do you just mean that you might add 40-50% of the sump capacity on a 10K OCI?
Interestingly, if you run long OCIs and keep track of exact oil top ups, you'll see that most of the oil by the time you hit 10 K miles /16,000 kms, the oil is 40 to 50% newer then the original oil installed during the last oil change!
Uh?
Do you just mean that you might add 40-50% of the sump capacity on a 10K OCI?
It must have a sooty black tailpipe. 10k OCI consuming a lot of oil is do-able provided you keep it topped off. Because you're always replenishing with fresh oil.
I'm guessing Toyota is going to have a new round of lawsuits. They spec 10k OCI on newer models. Most people I know including my dad don't check. I checked his 2012 2.5l Camry the other day 7k into the interval it was down 1.5qts. It only has 40k on it imagine 70-80k?
Maybe toyota thought they had finally resolved oil consumption issues. Nope.
Maybe toyota thought they had finally resolved oil consumption issues. Nope.
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Switch to 5W-40 if you are having excessive oil consumption. It will not only reduce oil consumption but is also cheaper. Even 15W-40 or 20W-50 are options to save more money and reduce consumption even further.
15/20W would be fine in LA, but this guy lives in Ontario...I'm not sure what his exact climate is like, but he's just about as far North as Duluth.
A guy I knew who lived in Duluth told me he would leave his fridge open to warm up his apartment when his heat was on the fritz...
Switch to 5W-40 if you are having excessive oil consumption. It will not only reduce oil consumption but is also cheaper. Even 15W-40 or 20W-50 are options to save more money and reduce consumption even further.
15/20W would be fine in LA, but this guy lives in Ontario...I'm not sure what his exact climate is like, but he's just about as far North as Duluth.
A guy I knew who lived in Duluth told me he would leave his fridge open to warm up his apartment when his heat was on the fritz...
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