I have an 86 ram 4x4 with a 318, it burns about 1 quart of oil a week. It does smoke when I drive it but not at start up. I do an oil change every 3,000 miles but this truck has been through alot. Lots of towing/offroading. Its got 140,000 miles and runs almost perfect. How do I get it to stop burning oil without ripping the engine appart? I am building another 318 motor that im going to drop in, in a few months.

 

If it's burning while running but not at startup I don't think you do stop it without pulling the motor and rebuilding it. Sounds like rings to me.

 

I also thought about getting 20 50 oil in the next oil change, would be bad to add 10w 40 after the 20 50 oil change?

 

like what horatio102said, it sounds like your ring. luck me i have 135,000 miles on my truck and never have to add oil.

 

Yes rings are the prob no way to fix it without an overhall. As for running 20w-50 that will actually make the problem worse. the thicker oil will be eaven harder for the woren rings to scrape from the cylender walls.

 

Wll the motor's dying, putting 20/50 in it might get it to consume less oil in the short term, but start saving up for a rebuild.

 

it sounds like thegasket to mei think in order for it to burn it needs to be hot not burn at start. it maybe leaking on the exaust. pull the head gasket off and and replace the gasket then try it good luck!

 

If it is actually burning it (and not leaking out somewhere) then put in a thicker oil. Just be careful that it doesn't get cold while you have thick oil in there. If your starting system isn't great then something like 20w50 will make it crank harder. Also consider making some temporary changes to your PVC system. If your rings are what is shot it'll be blowing compression into the crankcase and that can blow oil out the breather or dipstick tube. At the very least it is putting a lot of smoke and fumes back into the carb. If you aren't worried about emissions you can open the system to the atmosphere and it may run a little better. My old GMC was going through 2 quarts of oil every 50 miles until I opened up the PCV valves, took out the crankcase breather filter, and put in thicker oil. Now it can go 100 miles or more on one quart.

Derek

 

Yes it could be the head gasket, but that is easy to check. If it is leaking there will be fresh oil on the side of the engine after it has run, and the smoaking will be coming from under the hood not from the tail pipe. You can check the PCV to see if it is gummed up but it is common for the oil control rings to be woren out befor the two copresion rings. There's two good cloue for you.

 

Change your oil an replace 2 quarts of oil with Lucas oil stabilizer. Prepare to be amazed. However, start saving for a rebuild. Depending on how bad it is, you may still burn some, but it will slow it down dramatically. I have an old Army fork lift that's easily 60 years old and it buned oil like crazy. Tried this suggestion from an oldschool farmer and I was thoroughly impressed.