I have an interesting dilemna. I am losing oil over time, about a quart between oil changes. I have a 2002 Ram QC 4x4 with the 4.7l. I can not find a single leak, there is never anything on the garage floor. There is also no smoking. I had a friend tell me sometimes the cat can burn the oil if the motor is using and it won't smoke but even then it will smoke for a little bit when you first start itbefore the cat is hot. I checked it first thing the next morning nothing, you can't smell any oil in the compartment even after my 20 minute drive home from work. It has done this ever since I bought it at 59,500 and it hasn't gotten any worse. It is up to 96,000 now. I wouldn't worry about it too muchbut this is my wifes daily driver and I am afraid I'll miss a refill and bye bye motor. Any help offered would be appreciated thanks.

 

How often are your oil changes?

 

go to a shop, have them do a compression test and a leak down test. That will tell you if oil is getting past your rings. If both of those check out ok, put the vehicle up in the air and look for ANY signs of oil. From the fan belts all the way back to the transmission. Oil dont just disappear, it has to go somewhere.

 

I change the oil every 4 to 5 thousand miles, whenever I can fit it in.

 

Yeah I figure it is using it, you would think it would get worse over time though. I thought maybe someone new of some secret slow leak.

 

My first place to check would be as suggested above. Do a GOOD compression check. If the oil is leaking past the rings there is a good chance its getting burned up. You might also want to pull the plugs and check them. burned oil on the plugs will make them very dark if not black with an oil residue--very slight, but a residue.. You might want to consider starting the truck up, bring it to full operating temp---including the oil, then have your wife run the RPM's up to around 2000, crawl under it and inspect any oil cooler lines and the like for leakage. It may only be leaking when they are under pressure, and the oil is thinned out---just be careful!!!!!!

 

Buring one qt. to 4 or 5 thousand miles is normal for higer mileage engines. I work for a company that will test engines for Ford Motor Co. Fomoco says its with in specs. Our fleet vehicles are the same, We put on about 10,000 miles a day in our fleet. Thats 2 oil changes a day so I get to change a lot of oil in a weeks time. Our fleetvehicles are fordE-250s with 4.2L. I've had chevys, a ford, and now a dodge. If i were you i would still check for leaks but untill you start using more dont worry about it. Just my 2 cents.

 

That is good advice with all the other crap that is wrong with this peice I think it may be time to just get rid of it. Go back to a minivan at least they will run past 60000 miles.