CarComplaints.com Notes: The Dodge Stratus, Intrepid & other Chrysler sedans are infamous for oil sludge problems with the 2.7L V6 engine. If someone offers to sell you a 2.7L V6 model, it's only worth the price of the scrap metal it's going to shortly turn into.
NOTE: Only the 2.7L V6 has the oil sludge problem. Our "Avoid like the Plague" designation is ONLY for models with the 2.7L V6 engine. All other available engines are very reliable with no major problems.
Even with regular maintenance, the oil sludge defect eventually destroys the 2.7L engine typically around 80,000-100,000 miles. The only true fix we know about is to put in the larger 3.2L engine, which has a great reputation. Also the 2.4L engine doesn't have the oil sludge problem.
This issue was never deemed a safety defect by the Feds, so there was no recall. In the end, Chrysler got away with FOUR YEARS worth of defective 2.7L V6 engines in their sedans.
before i purchased a 2001 dodge stratus i looked up reviews about what the customers had to say about their 2.7 liter v6 magnum car. when looking further, seemed to be a bad car. by looking back from today to the past. i remember that customers changed their oil, timing chains and had kept up to maintain a safe reliable vehicle etc. looking back into past that i didn't see was that anyone did not mention they checked both pcv and the tube that the pcv connects too and even the egr tubes and the tube below the egr tube that is shaped like a Y that 3 tubes on the y shaped tube are pen size small. these 4 parts were clogged with oil carbon sludge just to mention that i bought a chilton owners manual book for doing maintenance i had found that the y shaped tube the pcv long tube where not mentioned in the book to keep up on maintenance. only the egr and the pcv valve.. the 2.7 liter magnum v6 engines do burn oil. known too. I'm a detail oriented inclined person that my gut instinct for preventing what owners complain about sludge is the 2 parts the Y shaped tube is too small for releasing air exhaust out of the motor and down to tail pipe and out the water pump design and seep hole. and in order to do maintenance on to clean out the pcv long tube and egr or to replace them parts for preventing the sludge etc.
I will sometime post pics of some of the parts mentioned. thank you for your time, Tim
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
before i purchased a 2001 dodge stratus i looked up reviews about what the customers had to say about their 2.7 liter v6 magnum car. when looking further, seemed to be a bad car. by looking back from today to the past. i remember that customers changed their oil, timing chains and had kept up to maintain a safe reliable vehicle etc. looking back into past that i didn't see was that anyone did not mention they checked both pcv and the tube that the pcv connects too and even the egr tubes and the tube below the egr tube that is shaped like a Y that 3 tubes on the y shaped tube are pen size small. these 4 parts were clogged with oil carbon sludge just to mention that i bought a chilton owners manual book for doing maintenance i had found that the y shaped tube the pcv long tube where not mentioned in the book to keep up on maintenance. only the egr and the pcv valve.. the 2.7 liter magnum v6 engines do burn oil. known too. I'm a detail oriented inclined person that my gut instinct for preventing what owners complain about sludge is the 2 parts the Y shaped tube is too small for releasing air exhaust out of the motor and down to tail pipe and out the water pump design and seep hole. and in order to do maintenance on to clean out the pcv long tube and egr or to replace them parts for preventing the sludge etc.
I will sometime post pics of some of the parts mentioned. thank you for your time, Tim
- Timothy B., Sedro Woolley, WA, US