Went to check my oil today and it is low on the dipstick. I'm close to being due for an oil change, but even in the past at 4,000 miles the oil level has always been at the full mark. I also have another catalytic converter that went bad. Do you think these problems could be related? I heard something about oil getting into the manifold(s) and traveling down to the CATs causing them to burn up in trucks with the 5.4. Is this possible? I cannot find a leak, but maybe I am not looking in the right place. Any help would be appreciated.

 

How many miles? The 5.4s use oil, not unusual to lose a quart between oil changes

 

45,000. Wouldn't it slowly progress to using more oil though? Up until now it hasn't used a drop, and its under the fill line now.

 

You are worrying WAY too much. Oil consumption is not excessive if it's less than a quart in 1000 miles. I'd worry if it DIDN'T burn a little bit of oil, I'd be concerned that the oil isn't getting to where it's supposed to be.

 

I agree, but if his truck did indeed jump from using almost zero oil to a whole quart in one change, isn't that abnormal?

 

acceptable....

 

Guess thats why they call for 7 quarts then. Every now and then cold start mine puffs some smoke on the start so I figured it burned some.

 

I agree that he's worrying way too much, but if I were burning a qrt per 1000 miles, I'd be rebuilding the engine, lol. That's a lot of oil. I burn about 1-1.5qts in 7,500 miles between oil changes.

 

So you guys are saying that you wouldn't worry if you never saw any noticeable oil consumption and now after at 4,000 miles the oil level is a few centimeters below the fill line? That has to be at least 2 quarts down. I'm sorry but that is not acceptable to me. Not for a truck with 45,000 miles on it that retailed for $40,000 new. I had a Buick Century that I used for a commuter car in college and even at 165,000 miles when I got rid of it the thing still never used any oil. I beat the **** out of that car too. I like the truck, but I'm not going to make excuses for it. I just dropped it off at the dealer so it can get its 3rd set of catalytic converters. They are going to look at it tomorrow and give it a closer inspection. I will report back when I receive new information. I'm just glad it is still under warranty.

 

Ain't you the feller whut like to idle his truck fer a long time? Lotsa blowby in that mode - not enough cylinder pressure fer optimum ring sealing.

Secondly - yer basing it on a dipstick reading - NOT actual xx quarts of oil added to bring it to full? The dipstick only reads the very top of the oil level it's not a 0-7 quarts measure.

How do you know it wasn't underfilled at last service?

You know what I'd be worried aboot? THREE cat changes. Sumptin' ain't right with yer fuel system to be burning 'em up / plugging 'em....

good luck
MGD

 

3rd set of cats?!

 

Just got back from the dealer. They figure that it was down over 3 qts of oil and are starting it on an oil consumption test. They think that it could be PCV valve related. They also have never seen a truck with so few miles eat that many CATs either. Going to hold off on replacing them until this problem is fixed. Apparently the dealer agrees with me that a few quarts down at every oil change is not normal.

I'm going to see how my job goes, and if all is well a new 6.2 or Ecoboost might be in my future. I was just looking at all of my service records since I've owned this truck and I cannot deny that it would be 'nickel and diming' me pretty bad if it wasn't under warranty. I may keep it longer, but I definitely will get rid of it before the odometer rolls over 100,000 miles. At least the truck has never left me on the road. I'd try a Chevy/GMC but I know that they are worse. RAM is a 100% foreign owned company now. Tundra / Titan = garbage, and the Honda Ridgeline is not a truck by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Your truck doesn't have a PCV valve . . . did they say that? I wouldn't be going back if that came from one of their tech's mouths. No 3V 5.4 has a PCV, that's why it has VCT and all the cam phaser issues.

You've had a lot of problems with that damn truck.

 

Technically it is part of the valve cover. . . . its not like a $5.00 valve that old vehicles have.

 

Oh! Well that would explain burning oil if that's what it's a part of.