oil usage-towing-best type

[tgrudzin]

99 Ram Van 1500. 5.2 liter engine 65,000. Bought used with 60,000

When towing a 3,000 lb. popup camper on during summer vacations, fully loaded with a family of 4. I am using about a quart of oil every 250 miles. This was using the recommended 10w30 from the owners manual. While talking to other campers and people who tow, I switched to 20w50 and found I used no oil on the return trip.

Should I use the 20W50 during the summer towing season? I couldn't get a good indication of gas mileage because the return traffic was terrible. Average 13.5 on the outboard trip.

This engine also uses up oil during the non-towing season or when the trailer is removed. I live in the Chicago land area so I can't use this oil year round, as it would be too thick in the winter. I also plan on using slick 50 when I change the oil for the winter, as I heard this can help oil consumption.

I have tried synthectics and found no difference.

[Greenblurr93]

umm, you shouldnt be burning oil like that no matter what kind you use.... sounds like you have bad piston rings or valve seals

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by Greenblurr93

umm, you shouldnt be burning oil like that no matter what kind you use.... sounds like you have bad piston rings or valve seals

I agree. Adding more than 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles is considered excessive consumption. Are you actually burning the oil, or is it leaking out?

Have you pulled the spark plugs? If you are burning oil, they will be black and sooty/greasy. If they are a tan or brown colour, you are losing oil somewhere else.

If it's burning oil, thicker oil is less able to scoot past your rings or valve seals, so it burns less oil.
However, the oil thickness you put in should be determined by oil pressure, not oil burning. If your oil pressure is too low, when using 10w30, then you should step up to 10w40, and try that.

Using thicker oil will cut down on burning, but its just a band aid to cover up a more seious problem.

You might have a stuck or broken piston ring or bad valve seals.

If its leaking, thats usually an easier repair. Thicker oil is also less likely to leak past bad gaskets or oil seals, and will reduce your oil loss.