just got burned---help

shorty

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Emory, Texas
Just bought my first SRT-10, 2005 quad cab, a real beauty but a major problem. Seems it is using oil. I just got into too big a hurry and did not check it our properly. My fault but could use a little advice. Can’t see any exhaust smoke and no leaks. Runs really well. Here are my questions.
1. If it needs an overhaul I might as well do it right. I have read a lot on the racing modifications on the rods, pistons etc. Keeping it street legal, as I will drive is every day, what do you guys recommend replacing?
2. Who would your get to do the work? I have two options locally. One is an everyday hometown mechanic that happens to build fuel rail jobs for his son to drive and the boy does win here in Texas. Second is a diesel mechanic that clocks his Chevy diesel in the low 9’s. Both should know what they are doing but would you refer it out to an SRT-10 specialist?
3. Last, what other mods would you do keeping in mind it must remain street legal and hopefully get similar gas mileage.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really got the bug and am looking for a second, hopefully a yeller one. That way I can switch out every other week. At 65 years old my bride thinks I might be going thru a second childhood. Oh well, if I gotta go would not mind it being in a Viper.
Shorty (6’5â€￾ tall) some ole childhood drunk hung that name on me.
 
just so you know some of these trucks do burn a bit of oil so it might not be an issue how much oil are we talking about? i know if i go over 3kmiles mine starts burning the oil. and others have posted about it also. as far as engine builds i wouldn't trust a local mechanic i love my local mechanic but for building these engines find a mechanic that knows these engines. just my 2 cents.
 
just so you know some of these trucks do burn a bit of oil so it might not be an issue how much oil are we talking about? i know if i go over 3kmiles mine starts burning the oil. and others have posted about it also. as far as engine builds i wouldn't trust a local mechanic i love my local mechanic but for building these engines find a mechanic that knows these engines. just my 2 cents.

You are so right.
 
Welcome and sorry to hear about your bad luck. First thing is to find out what's wrong with the engine now, next what sort of budget are you looking to stay with? If nothing else have the short block done by someone that knows vipers. With a 10k ish budget I'd go with a pretty much stock short block and ported heads with a cam and tuning. One thing to remember is that when you get your new engine together its probably gonna kill the trans as they are a weak point in the QC
 
thanks for the come back.
not sure the amount of oil being used. went 5K miles and it was not reading on the dip stick. somebody put regular oil in it at the dealer rather than the synthetic that had been used for 49K miles. I went back to Mobile 1 and looks like some down on the stick after 300 miles. I will go another 1K and add to see how much. Any recomendations on a rebuilder if it seem necessary?
thanks again,
 
If that much oil was being "burned". you'd see it. Check for leaks, ala oil lines to the cooler, etc... Stock re-build would be fine, but if you'er going to the hassle and such might as well spend the coin and forge it, just hold off on the back-up truck a while;)
 
one quart every 1000 miles if the engine has under 50k miles on it is considered normal oil consumption by Chrysler.
 
Mine was losing about a quart every oil change (5k miles) when I first got it. I replaced the factory oil cooler lines with ones from JTSVP and haven't seen any drop in oil level since.
 
where you located i dont know if i missed it or if it wasn't said but that will help a lot as far as what builders are available around you that someone here might know/recommend or closest :). also shouldn't go 5k miles on an oil change in these trucks i highly recommend 3k normal oil change rule even though its synthetic. :)
 
Oh, and you wouldn't be the first that got an RAM SRT-10 from a dealer who didn't know how much oil these things hold and short filled it (just sayin)
 
If you're worried about your motor do a leak down test from cylinder to cylinder to see what percent is getting by. if there's one that is it's getting a larger percentage by let's say 10% more than the other cylinders then you can want to go ahead and take a look at that cylinder itself. whether it's taking head off or scoping down through the spark plug hole to see if you can see any problems. best of luck to ya :)
 

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