Posted in Van and Ram sections since it is an engine specific question.

I have searched the forum and found quite a few posts concerning low oil pressure but none about oil consumption so here is my problem and a few questions.

I have a 1996 3500 Van (camper) at 40K miles with a 360. The engine runs fine but consumes a quart of oil about every 600 miles. There is no obvious leaks (and at a quart every 600 miles it should be obvious). This leads me to believe it is being burned. There is no obvious odor or smoke (exhaust or other). I have been given a few suggestions from co-workers (non-mechanics) that I should change the PCV and look at the intake manafold gasket (obviouls change if I remove the manifold). Is this reasonable? What else should I be looking at?

Thanks,
Bob

 

Your problem is due to the intake pan gasket being blown out. This gasket is at the basse of the intake manifold, accessed by removing the intake from the engine. To verify, remove the PCV valve from the RH valve cover (leave it connected to the intake manifold), remove the breather tube from the air cleaner that goes to the LH valve cover. Start the engine, plug the hole in the RH valve cover where the PCV valve used to be with your finger, place your other finger over the breather tube that goes to the LH valve cover. If a vacuum is drawn (pulling your finger into the breather tube), then the intake pan gasker is gone for sure. It was a very common problem until around 2001 when they replaced the paper pan gasket with a metal one.

To do the job you will need:

Intake Manifold gasket set
12 Intake manifold bolts (not resueable)
Intake Pan gasket
15 intake pan bolts (not reuseable)
Antifreeze
Engine RTV
Oil and Filter (in case any coolant goes down into the oil pan.

Hope this helps you on your way to solving your problem.