I have to admit... I did not know that it was a pressure indicator and not a level. When I spoke with the dealer about it, he did agree that he was surprised that there was so much oil gone and the light did not come on once, but did not correct me.

Can you give me an idea of how low on oil you can be before it starts to be a real concern? what is the real danger or what will wear out first? (Dealer seem to not be able to comment on the level.)

 

You got me wrong on this... and you said it yourself there is no standards, it is just and oral thing people say.

What my beef is... Dodge will state it is according to the "Industry Standards for Normal Engine Oil Consumption". Nice capital letters, very formal, and when discussed verbally it is just as formal. They meet the guide in the "Industry Standards" so no issue. In my line of work "Standards" is a document made by a collaboration of different companies and users.

So I had to ask, they customer service rep take a day and comes back to me and says I found the "Industry Standards".. here is the link.

Now my beef is they even go as far as putting a web page up so when people search for it they have something to find... the "Industry Standards for Normal Engine Oil Consumption" and they hope it is the end of story. They don't even put their "Dodge" name on the web page, but will point costumers their when they inquire, saying "this is the "Industry Standards" definition" word for word as told to me by the customer service rep. I asked the rep where did you find it, she said "she goggled it" and it is right there. I asked who published the data, she responded it is the "Industry Standards". I asked who owns the web page, and she stated she could not comment on that.

So I asked her manager to find me the ""Industry Standards", the manger said "sure, I will do this for you", called me back the next day and said that there was "trouble finding it" , let me call you tomorrow. I got a call back the next day... Ends up the rep knew who owned the site and was told not to discuss it by her manage. Finally the manager told me that 'yes, there is no official standards', we were the only ones to claim the guide lines.

All my beef is why lie about and official standards. That is it.

The web page they point you to is the Dodge "customer connect" page... you have to click thru a few links before you find anything about a Dodge name.


http://customerconnect.custhelp.com/...tion-standards

 

Well I have an 2004 dodge grand caravan with the 3.8l v6. I baught it in 2011 with 51,000 miles on the clock and 1 year later it has 69,000 miles and it eats about 3 to 3.5 quarts every 3 month almost on the head on time. So every 3 month when i drain the oil I only get 1 to 1.5 quarts. I always question were does that oil go? I baught the van used so no warrenty so I'm afraid that I'll have to but a new or have this one rebuilt which might help the oil consuption issue.

 

First thing to check is the PCV system and make sure that is functioning properly as it CAN swallow oil if it has problems. Otherwise, WHY are you not checking oil levels at every gas fill up? Even every other would help you catch it and then you'd add it when needed. I'm not understanding why people don't seem to even want to catch a low oil level as noone seems to ever check the level.

 

Even every other would help you catch it and then you'd add it when needed. I'm not understanding why people don't seem to even want to catch a low oil level as noone seems to ever check the level.

well that would be fine if this was the 1920's but in todays engine's if there isn't any leaks or drips or blue smoke out the tail pipe then were would it go,espeicely an engine with less then 100,000 miles on clock. i could under stand if the engine was woked really hard or in poor mainteance condition but my cars are maintained every 3 to 5000 miles like clock work. I've read about the pcv valve and also read that only helped for a few thousand miles then goes back. I'm going to try the pcv and change to regular or convetional oil and see want that does.

 

Switching to 10W-30 would also be a good idea. I did, no drop in MPG. I know I'm losing oil, but it is 50% leaking and 50% burning. I only lose 1 to 1.5QTS per 5000 miles though.

 

[quote=b1lk1;2931893]Switching to 10W-30 would also be a good idea. I did, no drop in MPG. I know I'm losing oil, but it is 50% leaking and 50% burning. I only lose 1 to 1.5QTS per 5000 miles though.[/qu

how many miles do you have? In my other post I only have 70,000 mi. Are you using full sythetic or sythetic blend?

 

We own a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, 3.8 engine with about 80,000 miles. It's driven by my wife.

In October as we were going on a small trip a few towns away, I checked the dipstick and couldn't find any oil. Albeit keeping cool in front of my family, in my mind I was freaking out. No oil spots on the driveway, no visible leaks. I had to add 3.5 quarts to get it to safe.

The oil had been changed about 2500 miles before then. I initially assumed the vendor didn't add the right amount of oil.

Well, I've been watching it and adding it every week or two. I just find it hard to believe it is losing that much oil.

I've never had a vehicle lose oil like that. I have a 2007 Durango Unlimited - which is perfect. My 2000 Wrangler 4.0 with 120,000 uses half a quart every 3000 miles.

My wife's van is dropping a quart every two weeks of in town driving. Just hard to believe that the engine is losing that much.

 

Just though I'd add that if you did have the oil light come on at any time, for any reason and you continued to drive for ANY distance, you increased your oil consumption in the future by starving the engine of lubrication.
My name for that little light is it's the "you're too late light". When it comes on, you're screwed unless you turn off your engine NOW.
To those that never read the owners manual and never check their oil and fluids, you get what you deserve.

 

This standard as to what constitutes excessive oil consumption is nothing new. I still own a '92 caravan with the 3.3 engine. Went thru the whole dealer test bit when the car had about 55,000 miles, but it never would drop below the 900 mi/qt they said would prove there was a problem. Got very close, but never quite met their standard. At 130,00, it is using the same amount it did back then, so at least it never resulted in a blown engine.
By the way, there IS a difference in motor oils. Some makers use a cheap viscosity improver that shears down quickly, leaving you running very thin oil, which obviously goes thru the engine faster. I don't know what the list is nowadays, but many years ago Castrol GTX and Phillips 66 were two oils that used a quality VI that didn't shear down. As I remember, at that time (20 yrs ago), Pennzoil and Quaker State were really bad about shear down.