16oz oil consumption towing 3,000lbs 1,600 miles

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I just finished towing a 3,000 lb trailer 1,600 miles. The truck consumed about 16 ounces of oil. It holds 4 quarts of oil - so 1 pint or 1/8th of capacity. Changed oil just before the start of the trip.

Due to headwinds the truck ran at 2,000 rpm or 3,000 rpm at 60 mph. Most was at 2k rpm but a lot were at 3K rpm.

No leak that I can see. When I'm at home and not towing; oil consumption if there is any is not noticeable.

Also, I towed from sea level to 8,000 ft.

Should I be concerned about this? What caused the loss.

I have 195,000 miles on the truck.

Dodge Dakota,2000 Quad Cab 4X4-Sport, 3.9L V-6 Automatic, Sports Plus Package 31X10.5 tires, Limited Slip, 4.10 Gears, Trailer Tow Group, HD Package, LineX Spray in bed liner
 
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Towing 3,000 lb trailer + head wind from sea level to 8,000 ft therefore RPM went from 2k to 3k is the reason to consume some oil, I would not worrying about it.

I would not use Lucas Stop Leak & Stabilizer in your engine, Mobil 1 is a very good oil, no need to use junk Lucas with it. Lucas additive is actually can negatively effect the perfect synthetic oil such as Mobil 1.
 
Your consumption rate is fine. If it goes up a lot then you're probably leaking at the plenum gasket which is common on the Magnum engines. Hughes Engines has a replacement aluminum plenum pan and gasket set for the 3.9 (and the 5.2/5.9 cousin engines) that fixes the issue for good.
 
A quart of oil every 1600 miles while towing with a high mileage truck.

Do a leakdown test, wet+dry compression test to see if it's seeping by your rings. If it puffs blue on startup, that's valve guide seals.

Also check that your crankcase vent is open, you should be able to blow air through it. If it's plugged it'll cause crank case pressure to build up essentially pressurizing and forcing oil past your seals. This is the only option that doesn't necessitate a significant level of disassembly to fix should that be the issue.
 
Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
A quart of oil every 1600 miles while towing with a high mileage truck.

Do a leakdown test, wet+dry compression test to see if it's seeping by your rings. If it puffs blue on startup, that's valve guide seals.

Also check that your crankcase vent is open, you should be able to blow air through it. If it's plugged it'll cause crank case pressure to build up essentially pressurizing and forcing oil past your seals. This is the only option that doesn't necessitate a significant level of disassembly to fix should that be the issue.


It's only a pint every 1600 miles and only when towing. I'd say that's pretty good for a truck with 200k miles on it. Nothing wrong with checking the PCV though, that's an easy fix.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I'll check the PCV.

I think the plenum gasket is not an issue with my truck. It is a 2000.

I traveled from Atlanta to central Colorado and might be going to California then back to Atlanta.

I'll change the oil along the way. And when I get home I'lll change the oil and transmission fluid myself. I changed the differential and transfer case fluid before I left.
 
200k, worked V6 very hard on a long trip = normal to use some oil.

If it continues to use when not towing and didn't before, then you may want to have a look
 
IMHO no need to ch age the oil along the way even if your running Dino. Seems overkill to me. Way overkill.
 
If you didn't express concern I would have thought you were bragging.
wink.gif
Keep up the good work.
 
Thanks
I learned some things from this site.

Short interval oil change to clean better.

Berryman combustion chamber cleaner - better then Seafoam.
 
Your old Dakota is doing a fine job. If you had told us what your fuel mileage was from the 4x4, 3.9, automatic tranny, pulling 1.5 tons for a 1600 mile trip, you would have scared all of us. LOL
 
Mileage - The headwinds really throws off the mpg.

One year over the same route without headwinds I got about 13.5 mpg. That is going east to west

I get better mpg going west to east. I don't go over 60mph and with the stops for fuel I average 50mph.

As you can tell from my truck specs above I have large gears and big tires - the original size tires.
 
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