My 92 318 Dakota was approaching 220K miles and oil consumption
was becoming a major problem. In fact, it was smoking and spark
knocking so bad that I was ashamed to drive it. I bought a 2002 RT
360 and parked the 318.
The kids in the auto mechanics class at the local high school were
looking for somthing to "repair". I told them they could put valve
stem seals in my Dakota. They did it. I changed oil/filter as soon
as they were finished and started driving it again.
To my amazement the truck has not used a drop of oil, since. It's been
roughly 2000 miles, the truck just turned 220,000 miles and zero oil
consumption, so far.
To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
"Leroy"
Jeff Burke - 16 Mar 2008 01:44 GMT
>To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
>and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
Maybe. More likely a combination of valve stem seals and leaky intake gasket
sucking oil from the valley area.
Leroy - 16 Mar 2008 03:53 GMT
>>To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
>>and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
>
>Maybe. More likely a combination of valve stem seals and leaky intake gasket
>sucking oil from the valley area.
Then why did consumption stop, completely, when the valve
stem seals were replaced. The intake gasket was not touched.
"Leroy"
Jeff Burke - 16 Mar 2008 18:46 GMT
>>>To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
>>>and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>Then why did consumption stop, completely, when the valve
>stem seals were replaced. The intake gasket was not touched.
that clears that up. I was thinking they would pull the heads to do the seals
and the valves while they were at it. That's what I get for assuming.
Leroy - 16 Mar 2008 19:53 GMT
>>>>To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
>>>>and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>that clears that up. I was thinking they would pull the heads to do the seals
>and the valves while they were at it. That's what I get for assuming.
Nope! :)
Just the seals, by the old "air pressure" method.
Before they started I had given up on the engine, and assumed (yep ..
I do it too) that it needed a complete overhaul. But as soon as it
had run a few miles to burn the oil off the plugs and out of the
cylinders it cleaned up and now runs great. In fact, it runs the best
it has run in several years.
One reason I am so totally surprised is because during the final
~100,000 I had not taken very good care of it. Changed oil & filter
every ~10k or ~15K until it finally became a "self changer". Then
never changed either. Would just dump in a quart or 2 of whatever was
the cheapest, and ride. :)
The rings and Cyl walls must really be tough in the 318.
"Leroy"
Griff in Fairbanks - 19 Mar 2008 01:54 GMT
>>>>> To me, this is almost beyond belief. The truck has used oil for years
>>>>> and it was 100% valve stem useage, the whole time.
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> "Leroy"
The 318 valve stem seals seem to wear out regularly and the oil
consumption goes up. Valve stem seals, the Carter BBD, and ballast
resistor were the only problems I had with the 318 in my '77 B200 van.
(Too frequent use of Heet kept eating up the seals in the BBD.)
Currently rebuilding a 318-3 from a '69 Dodge M300 motorhome chassis
... brand-new heads with top quality aftermarket valve seals.
Carolina Watercraft Works - 19 Mar 2008 13:56 GMT
Leroy, my 360 has been using quite a bit of oil just as you have
described.....being a "self changer" as well. I had already been
thinking the valve stem seals may very well be the cause and have
just been waiting for some time to have them replaced. I've already
doen the plenum plate replacement and that help initially but the
consumption has gone back up as well as the pressue seems to
have dropped. I'm sure I'll be needing a complete overhaul
eventually ut for the time being, I think valve stem seals will do
the trick just like it did on yours.

Signature
------------------------------------------
Laszlo Almasi
----Cool Toys (formerly Carolina Watercraft Works)
----Mack Daddy Trailers
----Ice Angels
> My 92 318 Dakota was approaching 220K miles and oil consumption
> was becoming a major problem. In fact, it was smoking and spark
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> "Leroy"
Ed Medlin - 19 Mar 2008 15:14 GMT
> My 92 318 Dakota was approaching 220K miles and oil consumption
> was becoming a major problem. In fact, it was smoking and spark
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> "Leroy"
That makes me feel good about my '95 318 with 175,000. Still runs great with
no smoke or oil usage between changes.
Ed