Hello Dodgeforum!!! Happy to be here posting looks like a lot of knowledge can be obtain through this site! I recently purchased a 1995 Dodge Ram Van 1500 with 167,000 miles on it. It runs good but I am noticing a few things that I would like to ask about in hopes that I can pinpoint the problem before it gets out of hand.

1. At times when I am driving I small a tiny amount of burning oil. I don't see any smoke coming from the car, underneath the car, or under the hood. It's just a noticable but faint smell of burning oil. Was wondering what I should check before the problem gets bad.

2. The previous owner told me that the CPU went out, and his brother sent him a chip to replace the old one. The chip worked, but later to find out...it's not the correct one. So now the gas meter does not read, and some of the lights inside (ceiling) do not work. Can someone point me in the direction of getting the correct chip to make the van whole again?

I plan on living full time in this van and every month create projects to fix up the van. This summer I would like to get it painted, and get the dents out by the driver side panel. All in all...I love this van!

Ohhhhhhhh P.S. any tips on repairing the sliding door? Mine will not open or slide or unlock. It's just stuck!

Thanks in advance!

 

Have you noticed less oil on the dipstick? If so, it could be a couple things. Plenum gasket could be sucking up oil into the intake. Or the valve seals could be leaking, but these usually cause smoke to come out the exhaust. When you get on it does it smoke at all?

 

#1, the valve covers might be leaking onto the exhaust manifolds causing the oil smell. Combine thisw with imperfect dog house seals, or an open window and you can smell oil burning.

#2, I can't help, sorry

 

When I first start the van a lot of smoke comes out of the exhaust, but it has been cold as **** here lately. I'm going to check the dip stick later on today. I think landyacht318 may have hit it on the head! I will check on all. Thank you guys so much!

 

Agree, with Landyacht318 sound like valve cover(s) leaking on to exhaust manifold.