Q: I own a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. Since the vehicle had 5,000 miles on it, the engine has been consuming about one quart of oil per 1,000 miles. It now uses one quart of oil for every 900 miles of driving. The dealer has been doing all of my oil changes and they have been monitoring the oil consumption for the past 25,000 miles. They say nothing is wrong. I also noticed that the engine has a slight ticking or knocking noise. I think this is not normal. What can I do to get this taken care of because I have been getting no satisfaction from my dealer? -- P.E., Oconomowoc, WI

A: P.E., one quart for 900 miles is excessive. Plus, the engine tick or knock is not normal. If the service department at your local dealer is not meeting your expectations, you might want to contact the general manager at the dealer. If that gets you no satisfaction, then call Chrysler's customer assistance department at 1-800-992-1997.

Q: I own a 2000 Chevy Blazer (4.3-liter V-6). In the past fourteen months, I've had to replace the distributor cap and rotor three times. Now it's starting to act up again and my mechanic said he just found out that there's a vent at the bottom of the distributor that could get clogged and cause this to happen. I'm not too sure about that and was wondering if you could offer me any other explanation? It currently has 54,000 miles on it. -- D.M., Montgomery

A: D.M., your mechanic could be right. While I did not find a service bulletin regarding a clogged distributor vent for your vehicle, I am familiar with this being a problem for other vehicles that have distributor-ignition systems. I've also seen oil contamination inside the distributor cap due to a worn distributor shaft and/or worn distributor shaft oil seal. If that's the case, the distributor may need to be replaced. I'd also make sure that the replacement distributor cap and rotor are good quality components and not inferior no-name units.

Q: I own a 2002 Chevy Prizm. When should I replace the timing chain in my vehicle? -- A.L., East Hazelcrest

A: A.L., there is no recommended replacement interval for the timing chain in your Prizm. If your Prizm's engine utilized a rubber timing belt instead of a metal chain, it would have a replacement interval. Timing chains last much longer than timing belts. If you change your engine's oil at the recommended intervals, it's possible that the timing chain will never need replacement.

Q: The electric cooling fan in my 1997 Ford Escort locked up. It cost me a fortune to fix it as the fan motor wasn't the only item my mechanic needed to replace. He also replaced the fan relay module and the 40-amp fuse. Have you ever heard of this happening? -- G.S., Chicago

A: G.S., yes, I have seen faulty cooling fan motors cause relays and fuses to fail. It would have been a bit less expensive if you Escort utilized a separate, replaceable relay for the fan. Instead, your Escort uses an expensive relay module that contains relays for multiple items.

Questions for Ira Siegel? Call the Auto Adviser Hotline at 708/633-6839 or e-mail Autoadvisr@aol.comAutoAdviser: Ira Siegel is an Automotive Instructor and ASE Certified Master Auto Technician