Chrysler 3.3l losing oil

[dieseldude]

For the past couple of months now, my moms minivan has been mysteriously loosing oil. Not a lot, about a quart every 3 weeks. After checking the usual culprits, I have nothing. No oil in coolant, so I'm assuming heads and head gasket are ok. No puddles or spots on the ground, so no bad leaks. No blue smoke on acceleration, assuming rings and cylinders are ok. I suppose it could be burning it but the exhaust smells normal. I'm lost on this one.

Engine is a 3.3L v6 w/ just over 90k on the clock.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[hodge]

If it isn't leaking it, and it isn't in the coolant, it has to be burning it, or you misread the dipstick.
It can burn a steady, small amount and not blow blue smoke or smell bad. Some engines burn a small amount of oil their whole life, and you don't notice it at the tailpipe. It could be rings, valve seals, etc. How many miles are on it?
When you say a quart every three weeks, how many miles is that?

 

[dieseldude]

Misreading the stick is definately not it. A little over 90k mileage wise, just started this "losing" in the last 6 months or so. By a quart every 3 weeks, thats about 500 - 600 miles. I guess with it's mileage it could be burning it. Just seem odd to start all at once.

 

[hodge]

Many of the 3.3's burn oil when they get miles on them. My parents had one that never gave them a moments trouble- they seemed to be either lemons or bulletproof. I would suspect valve seals- that seemed to be an issue with them.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Sounds like an Oil Thief to me LOL

 

[rednecklimo85]

A lot of the Chrysler car motors are known for head gaskets, and the older truck motors(318, 360) crack heads. My 318 had a cracked head but I luckily caught it before it become a problem.

 

[dieseldude]

An oil thief..I wouldn't doubt it around here. After reading through the post here, I'm fairly sure it's the valve stem seals starting to leak. As long as it isin't excessive, we'll just keep adding a quart every couple weeks.

Rednecklimo, I would have though head gasket also except I have none of the usual symptoms such as low compression, oil in coolant, or excessive cooling system pressure, but thanks for the info.

 

[kc8fbl]

I've noticed a lot of chrysler minivans that when they sit at a stop light, then take off, sometimes there is a pretty good puff of blue smoke. I'm going to agree with the valve stem oil seals as well.

Could try using that high mileage oil. It's supposed to help with seals. Just have to keep using it though.

 

[dieseldude]

KC8FBL,

I never really paid attention, is there a high mileage 5w30?

On a side note, I assume by your user name you're a amateur radio operator as well?

"73"

 

[skeets]

OH Lord a few most and we can have a HAM fest,,lol
The unit 150, coal country said that,,, 73's

 

[kc8fbl]

KC8FBL,

I never really paid attention, is there a high mileage 5w30?

On a side note, I assume by your user name you're a amateur radio operator as well?

"73"

They should have 5W30 in high mileage. Yes, am a amateur radio operator. And skeets, a hamfest sounds like a good idea!

 

[dieseldude]

It's almost been long enough to forget what a hamfest is like.

 

[skeets]

I was at Moms and I found Dads old National NC60 Special,, well anyway I took it to a friend that is a member of the local Pittsburgh Antique radio club, and they worked on it repaired the oscillator crt and filter cap and some other things , the 5 tubes are still good after 50 some years.
I tossed a wire up in one of the pines for a long line. and while there's not as much on the AM freqs as I remember, that old super het brought back a lot of memories. Surprising how quiet 10 meters is

 

[dieseldude]

National, now's theres a name I haven't heard in a while. Even if vacuum tubes are to electronics what steam engine were to equipment, hot, inneffiecent, and maintence headaches, There's something to be said about the sight and smell of and old tube set. Might be why I wont part with my Swan 350B or heath HW16.

Whats the old saying, dip the plate and peak the grid, and tune for maximum smoke.

 

[skeets]

LMAO,, I haven't heard that in,,,, well,,, in a long time,, that old Knight linerar burned out one or 2 base loaded antenna coils after I started rolling them out of 10awg I never had a problem after that,,lol And Lord hide the women and children when the old Collins got cranked up we could talk any place any time any freq with that monster

 

[kc8fbl]

10 meters has been kinda weird. I usually have the best luck in fall on 10. I think most people are using USB or LSB. Not a lot on AM. I actually haven't been on in quite some time either.

 

[dieseldude]

Around here I live in a 10 meter black hole, nothing gets out on 10. My radio club has meeting on the air on 10 every couple of weeks. The nearest member is about 8 miles away, he cant hear me at 150 watts! If I go up the road a 1/4 mile all works perfect at 15 watts. I don't know.

Skeets, Speaking of monsters, My club has a full sized, 2 element 20 meter beam. 33 feet across with a 7 foot boom. we put it up at 75 feet for field days. This thing has work the US lying on the ground. I'm convinced if a cw carrier was transmitted into a pile up, it would burn a hole through and make contact.

 

[rednecklimo85]

An oil thief..I wouldn't doubt it around here. After reading through the post here, I'm fairly sure it's the valve stem seals starting to leak. As long as it isin't excessive, we'll just keep adding a quart every couple weeks.

Rednecklimo, I would have though head gasket also except I have none of the usual symptoms such as low compression, oil in coolant, or excessive cooling system pressure, but thanks for the info.

Totally depends on where the head gasket went bad. If it's a small Tear around an oil passage you may not see any other symptoms. Subaru's are known for them and they would give all kinds of symptom's. Anything from external oil/coolant leaks to once a month random over heating fits.

I'm just not sure how close oil passages run to the combustion chamber on that motor.