Recommendation Wanted for Vehicle that Uses Oil

[kc27]

I have vehicle that needs to be topped off with half a quart of oil every week. I have always used Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Pennzoil synthetic oil for cars with over 75,000 miles, changing the oil and filter every 3000 to 4000 miles. Since I am adding oil weekly, would I be losing much protection/benefits of synthetic oil by switching over to conventional high mileage motor oil? I use NAPA Gold oil filters. How long could I go before doing an oil filter change with that brand filter? Those are my questions. Specifics about the vehicle is below.

2007 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.8L engine, 165,000 miles. The engine runs fine no driveability issues. No oil drops under the van when it is parked. More than one mechanic has looked and not found any leakage, plugs look clean, so they do not think ail is being burned. They told me that they have seen these engines consume oil, and said to just keep it topped off.. My previous van, with the same engine, had the same oil consumption issue. I did not buy either van new. Van #1 had 40,000 miles on it; Van #2 had 70,000 miles on it.

Any ideas on my revised oil quality and oil change strategy would be appreciated.

 

[Imp4]

I recommend you find the absolute cheapest oil that meets the OEM spec. $8.79 for 5q of 5w-30 at Rural King.
Or Mobil1 on rebate is $10.88/5q.
Make sure your PCV system (valve and any hoses) is working correctly and not clogged.
Just keep topping it off unless you want to check valve stem seals or go into the piston rings, which is expensive compared to topping off.

Your choice.
Good luck!!!

 

[CR94]

How many miles per week? There may not be much point in changing oil that often, especially if you're partially renewing it frequently, relative to distance driven between top-ups.

 

[andyd]

So in 10 wks, the engine has 5 qts of top off, Forget oil changes , just top off. change the filter whenever.. or not Hve you tried 10w30? cheapest you can find, This is clunker management, not maintenance.

 

[burla]

Originally Posted by Imp4

Make sure your PCV system (valve and any hoses) is working correctly and not clogged.


Very likely your pcv is clogged if it wasn't replaced every 60k miles, and yes get a high mileage oil and as thick as you can get away with. Might want to get a catch can on there. HM oils will help seals and thick will make less get past piston tings.

 

[Dave9]

At this point there is arguably no longer any need to change the oil if you're putting a half quart in per week. That's already changing the oil. Do, do the filter change ,but any median grade brand should suffice, the damage is already done.

Frankly I would not go back to those mechanics. There is only leakage or burning, oil can't just vanish. I mean it could leak out the valve covers and burn up there but you'd notice that at this consumption rate.

You could try changing the PCV valve, but Chrysler knew about this common problem with the 3.8L, telling me that long term, it seems futile to even rebuild it which leaves just continuing to top off the oil with something cheap or selling it.

Quote
The engine runs fine no driveability issues.


This suggests that now is the perfect time to sell it.

 

[krismoriah72]

Probably bad valve guide seals.. Use cheapest oil with a starburst..and save the money for a catalytic converter and or 02 sensors later down the road.

 

[Geeorge]

I agree with changing the pcv valve, and check to make sure the pcv hose isn't plugged up too. I would start running 20w50 conventional oil in it, might slow it down some

 

[danez_yoda]

Get the 6qt havoline box and mount it on the roof like an IV bag.

 

[eljefino]

Run cheap diesel oil, 15w40 in the summer, 10w30 in the winter. My saturns loved the stuff.

 

[kc27]

Thanks for the advice, it pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. I will replace the PCV valve and check the hoses, but also switch to a lesser oil. And hope the catalytic converter does not get cooked.

I am not in a position to replace the vehicle at this time, so I will be doing "clunker management" as someone mentioned above. However I do keep the van clean and regularly maintained so that it is reliable, and does not look too much like a clunker.

 

[Jimzz]

I run 10w30 High Mileage oil in my inlaws Toyota and other customers cars that use oil. If it uses a lot I might top it off with 15w40 or 20w50 during warm weather. If not much usage or still cold then 10w30 HM.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Shell Rotella 15w40

 

[slug_bug]

My 2007 GC oil burner with the 3.8 just died at 188K. It burned a quart a month and I had started doing oil change at 20k with Fram Ultra filters. I figured since I was refreshing with a new quart every month I didn't need to change the oil too often. Guess I was wrong. It threw a CEL and started running rough. Shop said cylinder four had low compression (47lbs?). The van is rusting badly, so, off to the boneyard. Hope you have better luck with yours!

 

[HemiBenny]

In 2007, the JK wrangler with that same engine had a lot of oil consumption issues. I had a 2007, but I was very fortunate as I never experienced this. If I remember correctly, they believe that a ton of these engines that were assembled in Mexico had piston rings installed incorrectly causing oil consumption. They all reported no drivability issues either, just the aggravation of having to keep oil in them, some at a rate similar to yours. I was a member of a JK forum and some continued driving and wheeling them for a long time. I would assume that maybe you're having an issue such as this since it's the exact same engine and none of your mechanics can find anything obvious.
Cheap but quality oil, that's what I would say. The advice about saving for cats and O2 sensors is sound advice if you're keeping the van.

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted by andyd
So in 10 wks, the engine has 5 qts of top off, Forget oil changes , just top off. change the filter whenever.. or not Hve you tried 10w30? cheapest you can find, This is clunker management, not maintenance.


This - the 3.8 is famous for using oil. Several threads on here about just topping off, one guy went 10k, then 20k then 40k and the UOAs showed the oil was good.

Put on a Fram Ultra, change at 20k, and keep it topped off with a low cost oil. Engine will be good to go.

 

[benjy]

highest viscosity oils tolerated by your weather conditions of decent quality, 15-40 diesel comes to mind, 20-50 is fine in the summer but forget starting it in colder temps. a 5-40 helped girlfriends 13 2.5 quart on a thou malibu, but trading for a nice 8 thou kia that uses none was a good move on her part by my suggestion! chances are your cat-s + other items will be short lived with high consumption!

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by kc27
2007 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.8L engine, 165,000 miles. The engine runs fine no driveability issues. No oil drops under the van when it is parked. More than one mechanic has looked and not found any leakage, plugs look clean, so they do not think ail is being burned.

Then where'd it go?..A qt a week is too much for evaporative loss and unless you've got no filler cap, it's being burned. It's either being sucked down the valve stems past worn seals or via the piston rings.

Use the thickest API approved conventional and keep topping it off. I would not stop changing the oil and filter every 3 or 4k miles.. that's a good way to get the particle population, sludge, deposits and potential acids out of control which will not only hasten the degradation of any new oil added on top of but also the demise of the engine. It doesn't take that long to change oil.

 

[tiger862]

My suggestion is Havoline conventional 6qt box for 14.97 with free shipping. Order several boxes to be added as needed.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by danez_yoda
Get the 6qt havoline box and mount it on the roof like an IV bag.