2002 Oil Consumption

[sbkim]

I have noticed that I am using at least a quarter of oil every 2000 miles on my 2002 GTS. Is this normal? I have been driving the car pretty hard but no tracking etc. What may be causing this? I see no visible oil leaks and etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Larry Macedo]

Give me a call and I'll do what I can to help.

 

[ChrisGTS]

I don't think that's normal. Mine only burns oil on the track.

 

[C O D Y]

No burning oil on mine at all. Not even at the track. 3,000 miles and it doesn't move.

 

[AJ]

no oil consumption whatsoever on my 02 gts ...

alex
few cars

 

[Detlef]

Neither my 2001, nor my 2002 burned oil

 

[jrkermode]

My 2002 uses about a quart of oil per day on the track, but nothing noticeable during street use.

 

[BobK898]

My 01 burns no oil between changes.

 

[Vic]

Same here, no oil usage to speak, of unless I'm tracking the car.

Did you buy it new? How did you break it in?

 

[SF Final 286]

So why is it normal for a car to burn oil when at the track? Mine burn's oil too at the track. Approx one quart for the day.

 

[Steve Miehe]

My '01 burns no oil either.

 

[2BADD 4U]

4000 miles and never burned a drop

Dave

 

[Vic]

So why is it normal for a car to burn oil when at the track? Mine burn's oil too at the track. Approx one quart for the day.

One thing is the valve cover breathers, which are located at the front of the valve covers. Under hard braking, the oil in the top end sloshes forward, and gets regurgitated in through the airbox. This consumes oil. (I'm having my breathers moved to the top of the valve covers, and having a catch can installed, before it routes back into the airbox.)

And due to sustained maximum combustion forces, increased blowby pushing past the rings may fry the oil on the cylinder walls just below the piston rings. Higher rpms, and higher temperatures exacerbate the situation. Just a guess.

 

[2002_Viper_GTS_ACR]

I never burn oil, on track or on the street, and I drive HARD. 2002 ACR.

Jon

 

[carguy07]

Do Gen I motors burn a little oil normally?

 

[wheatgerm]

I have heard that the 2000 gts have an oil burning problem if made before a certain date? not sure if this is correct or not, can someone pls clarify?

 

[ROCKET62]

Even though many don't burn a drop - doesn't Chrysler consider 1 qt / 1000 miles normal?

 

[Streak]

My 97 burns a little oil. Depending on how I drive. I love to get on it as much as possible!!! It all depends on how you drive. I have heard and seen that a lot of vipers that hard brake throw a little oil forward and is sucked through into the intake. I am going to install some catch cans and see how much. I will make a write up with the type of driving and how much it burns in the upcoming months.
ps...no leaks on the exterior whatsoever....

 

[Steve-Indy]

wheatgerm said " I have heard that the 2000 gts have an oil burning problem if made before a certain date? not sure if this is correct or not, can someone pls clarify?"

The first 100 (or so) Vipers of the 2000 model year had a problem, by my recollection.

 

[sbkim]

Thanks for the info. Looks like I am definitely the minority here. I do drive the car hard and wasn't sure if the dealer would tell me that it's normal...

So I guess there wasn't a TSB on oil consumption in 2001 and after years?

 

[sbkim]

I would like raise this issue again. Just noticed that I burned over a quart of oil in about 1000 miles! I know I've been driving pretty hard but this seems rediculous.

 

[stinkypete]

Assuming it's still under warranty,or service contract,it would definitely be a covered repair.I am a viper tech(I know we are not very popular here,that's why I keep my mouth shut).We have sent engines to Arrow to be rebuilt for oil consumption issues in the past.My advice would be to take it in and have it documented every time it needs oil.2 or 3 times should be enough.Then Chrysler can't dispute it.You definitely should not be using that much oil.If you go this route,I'm sure you already know,that it will probably take around 2 months for the motor to go to Arrow and back.

 

[Russ M]

sbkim,

The most important question you need to ask your self is, do you consitently brake heavily?

As Vic mentioned Viper valve covers have a problem with heavy g braking and will pour oil into your air box, and then **** it in to your motor.

This is very obvious when it happens, a mushroom cloud of smoke behind you on acceleration after a hard stop and so on. Before I modified my breathers, it was not uncomon to use 1/2 quart of oil after a spirited canyon drive of say 2 hours long or so.

 

[sbkim]

Stinkypete - given that the car is still under warranty, I my consider that route perhaps during the chicago winter... Would this fix also apply to a 2002 as well??

Russ M - yes, I do moderate amount of braking but it's mostly stop light to stop light hard acceleration. Enough that once my V1 fell off the window! I just came back from about 50 mile highway cruise/moderate to heavy accerleration and sure enough didn't burn any oil - well, at least not yet. Is there a prefabricated breather offered by a vendor? I know on my old C5, we just made one ourselves. Not sure if it really helped much but I def saw some oil in the reservoir.

Thanks again for everyones input

 

[Russ M]

Sbkim,

Stop light to stop light will do the exact same thing, if you brake hard enough the oil will puke into the air box. Dodge really screwed the design of that, but I guess everything cant be perfect.

Several vendors make catch cans, or you can just do it yourself. Nothing dificult, and the car is speed density so you dont need to worry about unmetered air as you did with the c5.

My recomendation is try to drive several hundred miles without extreem braking and see if you loose any oil. If not you know its go nothing to do with your motor.

 

[sbkim]

Russ M - thanks again for your help. Your recommendation just reminded me that a couple months ago I did a 600 mile hike with no oil use probably since there was no severe accerleration/decleration. My dyno numbers about 3 months ago seems like it was right on (420+rwhp/465rwtq) so I presume I don't need to be pushing compression/leakdown tests?

 

[Russ M]

Does not sound like it, your car is strong and if you didnt burn oil on a 600 mile trip that means you dont burn any.