Looking at a 2002 Dodge Diesel 5.9 TURBO 3/4 ton pickup. There is an oil leak on the drivers side that you can see if you look over the tire, that the owner says comes from an overflow out of the oil pan. Never heard of it. Owner says it loses about 1/2 qt. oil at every change at 3,000 miles. Do I need to run real fast?? Thanks for your comments
Run? No, you don’t need to run. Just turn, walk away, and don’t look back.
That is up to you! .5 qt at the 3k level for oil change does not sound too bad, but it will get worse over time. Pony up the bucks to have an independent mechanic check it out and go from there. Maintenance record are available?
The only “overflow out of the oil pan” would be the crankcase ventilation system, and any oil coming out of that would be getting pushed out by overpressurization of the crankcase due to worn out rings & cylinders and subsequent “blowby”. Blowby is combustion blowing by the worn out rings and cylinders and pressurizing the crankcase.
My vote? Walk away.
If you decide otherwise, be sure to get it thoroughly checked out by a shop knowledgable in diesels, and get a full written report. The $100 will be well spent.
PostScript: be wary of any verbal claims.
“be wary of any verbal claims.”
Ditto!
When buying a used vehicle, it is best to ignore the puffery and the lame excuses or alibis mouthed by the seller. Also, ignore their claims that the vehicle has “been well-maintained”.
You should only believe what you observe about the vehicle with your own eyes, what your hear under the hood with your own ears, what you read from hard copies of maintenance records, and what your own mechanic tells you about the vehicle after he inspects it.
Or, do you think that folks who sell used vehicles never lie, cowboy?
THANKS FOR THE ADVISE, KINDA THOUGHT THAT IS WHAT YOU EXPERTS WOULD SAY.
THANKS FOR THE ADVISE
BEEN LIED TO BEFORE, EVEN BY GOOD FOLKS. THANKS FOR THE ADVISE.