I could use some help, please and thank you in advance y'all! I've always owned Dodge Ram trucks but recently bought a 99 Durango and the problems began! Like I never expected out of Dodge! I'm using oil but it's nowhere to be found. I was told I'm burning it out if my exhaust, that's no lie! It'll kill anything within a country mile! The truck doesn't run hot and the oil gauge never goes but slightly below half but I do have to keep an eye and add oil because it's using/burning it. I was told that it's more than likely a seal if some sort that costs like $7.50 and I should be glad it's only that. I like to have more than one or two thoughts on things tho before I go running with one idea. V8 Magnum 4 wheel drive. Thanks again y'all!

 

I assume you are saying it smokes alot. You should check your compression in each cyl. If its a high mileage motor it could be blowing by the rings or valves in which case its a gonna cost ya a lot more than $7.50. But hey hold on to the dream as long as you can right.

 

If its a seal leak its either the rear main seal or a valve cover gasket.. The rear main seal and the oil pan gasket are all one seal.. Pretty cheap part but a bitch to replace.

 

Plenum leak maybe?

 

+1, that was my first thought. If its not leaking out anywhere visible take the air hat off. Look down the throttle body. If the plenum gasket is blown, and by how bad it sounds, you will see a lake of oil down there. Mine spontaneously started to use oil, good compression and all. Sure enough the plenum was blown. Do a quick search there are tons of threads especially in the 2nd gen ram section.

 

http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/p...=&partid=27091

There is a link to a thread on the whole install there from another fine dodge website that i cant mention here.....

 

But can be provided in a PM

 

My thoughts:

#1 - Cylinder blow by. Bad rings, cylinder wall (or sleve), etc.
#2 - Bad gasket/seal. Plenum, rear main seal, valve cover, etc.


Run a test on your cylinder compression, if you've lost compression, it could be time to cut you losses, it'll be expensive unless you know how to, and have the equipment to rebuild an engine. A quick estimate would be like $1,000-$2,000. Hope I'm not downing your spirits, but white exhaust smoke in that quantity is really really bad.

If not, then it ought to be just a seal, carrying from like $10 to $300 I believe on the durango.