I have a 2001 Dakota with the small V-8 engine. I have about 126,000 miles on it and I change the oil regularly.

Last Sunday afternoon my engine light came on (Not Flashing) and all of the gauges on the dash were reading normal. Engine Temp, Battery, Oil Pressure were all reading perfectly.

I began checking the obvious things first and when I checked the engine oil dipstick I saw that my oil level was below the "Safe" level and I had to add about a quart and a 1/4th of a second quart to bring the oil level back up and into the "Safe" zone on the dipstick and after starting and stopping the engine a few times the engine light went off.

Today, Thursday, just four days after last Sunday, my engine light came back on AGAIN and when I pulled the dipstick today I found the oil level had dropped to just below the safe level AGAIN, just four days later.

What is weird is I don't smell any burning oil....I have absolutely zero drips of any kind of fluid under the truck....when I rev he engine and look at the exhaust pipe I don't see any smoke pouring out the tail pipe.

A year ago I was losing a little oil somewhere and I remedied that by changing the PCV valve and all was well until now.

I can't for the life of me figure out where nearly a quart and a 1/4 of oil went in the course of four days. Could it be my PCV valve needs looked at again?
Other than this oil consumption issue the engine starts and runs absolutely beautifully. I welcome your thoughts.

Thanks!

Harkdodge :banghead:

 

Unfortunately, the catalytic converter will clean the blue haze out of the exhaust, for a while, if it's burning it. Do you see any oil spots on the tail gate? It could be dripping out the bottom gaskets or oil plug and spraying out back. Your drain plug might just be a little loose and dripping. Which engine do you have?

 

You might have two problems?

Which light came on in the cluster? The one that looks like an engine does not indicate oil pressure, it's indicates a fault. It flashes for a misfire.
The check gauges light would come on for the oil pressure. Oil level is not monitored.

Pull up the codes. You don't need a reader. With the truck OFF, turn the key to RUN - don't start the truck. Then back to OFF, back to RUN, off again, and finally leave it in RUN.

Any codes will display in the odometer window. They'll start with a "P"

 

It might be leaking when the engine is running and not while sitting. A bad valve cover leak for example, is high up. Oil drains back to the pan when off. Get under it and look for signs.

 

I have the smallest V-8 engine. I believe it is the 4.7.

 

The light that came on is the orange light that looks like an engine. I did not bother to get a code reading because when I topped off the oil level to the full mark on the dip stick this check engine light went off and it stays off as long as I have the oil level at the correct level.

 

You probably have the 4.7 but I've seen a lot of carry over parts from Chrysler. I remember working on a '71 New Yorker lug nuts. The owner couldn't get them off. Left over studs were being used up even though 1970 was the last year for two different studs.

 

Get the codes REGUARDLESS of if light goes out.

Many times soft codes are still happening but not showing via light yet .

 

Thanks for all your replies. I changed out my Oil pressures gauge switch and now all is well. I found zero oil leeks anywhere under the truck. I now have no codes and the oil level is staying perfect.

 

Great to hear.
But how did the oil pressure guage switch cause so much oil to be lost ? Or burned up so fast.?