Questions and Answers
Caravan Losing Oil
Q. After an hour on the internet with no answer, I hope you can help, shouldn't be hard. I have a 1994 Dodge Caravan (auto transmission) with 93,000 miles on it. At 78,000 miles we had an oil leak and the shop replaced the valve cover gasket (it's a V-6, so I guess there's two of them).
Now, it is using oil between oil changes. We have the oil changed every 5,000 miles and I had to put in 2 quarts between the last two changes. The shop now says the valve cover gasket needs to be replaced again. If the 1st gasket lasted 78,000 miles, why would the second one only last 15,000 miles. The technician wouldn't really give me an answer. How long are they supposed to last?
Thanks!
A. Yes, there are two valve cover gaskets. I'd be hard pressed to give a life expectancy of a V/C gasket, but it should last a bit longer than 15,000 miles. That much is for sure.
It is possible only one was changed and the other one is now leaking or the V/C gasket was installed improperly. A two quart per 5,000 mile would be a noticeable leak however. Those Chrysler 3.0 liter V-6's are known to start burning oil at the milage you're at now, so I would be sure the leak is, indeed, the cause of the oil loss.
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