Why does a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 use so much oil when towing a camper?

Answer 1

Look for an intake manifold plenum gasket leak. This causes engine oil to be sucked into the intake. Useually a ping under load will be present. Check to see if a vacume is prisent in the crankcase at idle. Do this test by removing the pcv vale on the pasenger side of the engine pluging the hole in the valve cover and installing a vacume-pressure gauge to the hose connected to the air cleaner on the driver side. If a vacume present gasket is bad. If there is positive pressure present it's ok. If you don't have the gauge you can use your finger to cover the hose on the driver side for a couple of seconds to detect the vacume or pressure. The gauge is by far the better way to go. I found the price to have this work done was around 750.00 at general auto repair shops and 1,000.00 at the dealer. If you go to a auto repair shop I would suggest that you still use dealer parts. They have a repair kit that has new gasket and bolts included. I think you can get a new replacement pan made of aluminum as well to replace the old tin one. If you havent done a tune-up lately its the perfect time to get to the distributor. Good luck

Answer 2

Towing a heavy load puts a lot of strain on the engine, causing it to work harder and use more oil to lubricate internal components. Additionally, older vehicles may have worn piston rings or valve seals, leading to increased oil consumption when under stress. Regular maintenance, such as checking and changing the oil more frequently, can help mitigate excessive oil use during towing.