I have a 1995 dodge dakota 5.2 liter V8. The trucks been acting up latly. I was driving home tonight and the engine cut out three different times. I put a quart of oil in it and on the start up it smelled like burning oil. The truck uses oil but its never been that bad. Does anyone have any input on what my problem could be? Thanks in advance.

 

Welcome to DodgeForum!

For the oil burning issue, there are two very common possibilities. Open the throttle body and look into the intake with a flashlight and see if you see pools of oil. If you do, your plenum gasket (intake valley pan) is blown. If that looks clean, look behind the intake manifold at the oil pressure sending unit and see if any oil is leaking there. If both those check out, its probably valve seals or piston rings.

For the cutting out issue, we need a bit more info! Where you cruising on the highway when it cut out, or sitting at a stop light, or deaccelerating to a stop, or accelerating from a stop? Does this only happen when the truck is cold or hot or does temp not matter? Does the engine start right back up after it cuts out? Does your computer throw any check engine codes? You will probably have to run the codes because the light doesn't always come on when there is a problem.

 

did you spill some oil over the valve cover and on to the manifold ? as for the fact of using oil do a compression check. my guess it will fail.

 

Thanks 95 318 slt. As for more info I was in town, decelerating, the truck was in operating temp., the engine fires right back up after it dies and there are no codes at all. It did this to me once before, the oil gauge drops all the way down at the truck shuts off and doesnt come back up until its restarted. i think the reason it smelled like burning oil was because i put a quart in and it might have been over full. I hopes that this info will help a little bit more.