At 08:04 AM 7/9/02 -0700, you wrote:
>So anybody have any advice to offer on my current condition?
>Sorry to be impatient, but I really need some input on what I
>should do. For those who missed my previous message, I burned
>about two quarts of oil on my way home from Jon's BBQ. As you
>can imagine, the engine now has a number of odd noises coming
>from it. I sure wish I had checked the oil level when I got gas
>during the trip (the level was fine at Jon's) . . . but since I
>can't turn back the clock, what is my next course of action? HELP!
>JY
Jason
From my experience, it's possible to lose that much oil from
a badly, blown belly pan gasket. I lost quite a bit (kept bringing
it back it) from a partial (and I do mean partial), leaky belly pan
gasket before it sealed itself back up.
I would check the following (many have been already mentioned):
1. Check the inside of your exhaust pipe/tip (once it's cooled down,
naturally). I would just use my finger and see if it's oily or how oily
it is. If quite oily, then it's probably coming through the exhaust.
2. Crawl under and see if there's oil coming from the oil filter.
You may have damaged it in your mud adventures.
3. Pull the plugs looking for oily residue (write down condition of
each plug for future reference).
4. Pull you air intake and see if the inside is oily.
5. Pull the PCV valve and see if it rattles. If it does then it's okay.
If not, then cause may have been blowby.
6. Pull the breather cap from the other side valve cover and note its
condition.
7. Do a visual or vacuum test on the intake manifold. Haven't done
it for a couple years but it involves pulling the hose leading
from the PCV valve at the intake manifold, plug the hose,
and re-attach to the intake manifold. I put saran wrap over
the intake manifold hose connector and push the hose back on.
Remove the breather filter on the other side. Cover the breather
hole something with something like a soft plastic card (palm of
hand could be used with care). Have someone start the engine.
In about a minute you should see card being held to hole by
itself or feel suction on your palm. This means that belly pan
gasket is okay. If there is no or little vacuum, then the gasket
is probably blown.
Did you get any pinging on the way back when going up an
upgrade and putting a sudden load on the engine?
8. If you have oil on any of the plugs, do a compression test on
all cylinders.
9. If none of the above gives an indication of oil loss, pull the valve
covers and look for a broken/misaligned rocker, broken valve spring
or a suspected damaged pushrod. Oil for the upper parts come
up through the hollowed out pushrods.
If you don't see anything by now, then it's probably time for pro. help
(if not experienced yourself). Sure hope not. I'm really hoping that
you'll stop at #2 above. Carry a couple of quarts (liters) of oil around
with you and drive judiciously (?) monitoring oil pressure, oil level
after adequate stop time and noting/trying to locate noises.
HTH.
Bob Tom Burlington, Ont., Canada
'97 Dakota Sport, 4x2, CC, Flame red, 5.2L, auto., 3.92SG
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