I just bought my first Dakota and I think my valve seals are bad. It is the 3.9 liter with 143 thousand miles. My truck smokes like crazy I know its oil smoke cuz its blue but it does it all the time. I want to know if anyone has any other suggestions on what it might be and how I can find out for sure what it is. And if i should just rebuild the motor or what i should do.

 

Remove your spark plugs.. Check to see if one is black and soot covered
This will tell you if you have one cylinder with a dirty, carbon-ed valve.

BTW way I wouldn't put the old spark plugs back in. They are probably over do to be replaced.

Do an oil change... but before you do try a crank case cleaning additive. ( read the label on how to do it)
I would also try an intake cleaning.
All this cleaning may free up any carbon that maybe in your heads causing your valve to not seat properly resulting in oil burning.

Visit the Introduction forum here and say hi and introduce yourself.

 

Something I have found that works really well. Put a quart of Marvels Mystery oil in your next tank of gas. It really helps clean it out. Also put about a half a quart in with the oil. Drive it till, empty, then change the oil, filter, and spark plugs, I've done this to several trucks that burned oil, both from rings and valves, and then proceeded to drive them for a few years with not another problem.