making oil?

[Randomrunner12]

Hey yall,

second truck I have notice this with. first was my 4th gen but anyways. Just did an oil change. manual says 12qts so that's what I used ( 11qts of oil and 1qt of hotshots oil stiction). However, when checking the dipstick, my oil level is above the O-ring marker. like 1-2" above.

On my 4th gen, when I noticed this, the next oil change I only ran 11 qts and the oil level always stayed in the safe zone. Never had any issues with low oil levels or anything.

Do these trucks make their own oil to some extent? Should I be worried? There's no foaming, blow-by or any issues oil or engine related.

 

[bcbender]

I chased what I considered a "weird" oil level issue on my 04 5.9 (305/555), Some times it was high, some times not.. What I found was in some cases the oil filter was draining back allowing the level to be "higher" ( I found this at an oil change when I looked into the filter and it was really low.... It usually was high after driving, stopping and checking it long after it had sat for awhile. If its high... Start it up.. let it run a min or two, then shut it down and check again after about 10~15 min.... I did this method for awhile and then quit worrying about it. Best is to drain it out for 30 min...(HOT), spin on a new filter and add 12qt. Check the level as stated above and move on...

 

[Randomrunner12]

Thanks Bender. I’ll do just that.

 

[AH64ID]

Yes the filters drain back into the pan after shutdown, it’s why I let the oil drain for over and hour before changing the filter.

Is there something going on with your engine to run an oil additive instead of just a quality oil?

 

[Randomrunner12]

Yes the filters drain back into the pan after shutdown, it’s why I let the oil drain for over and hour before changing the filter.

really!!! Between the 2 of you so far I didn’t know the oil filters drained back but that makes sense. Either way oil is high first thing in morning or after driving for hours. Haven’t really worried about it was just rather curious more than anything.

 

[AH64ID]

It’s 1.25” on my dipstick from add to full, which is 2 quarts. So 5/8” per quart.

1-2” is a huge range and quite overfull, I think you need to let it sit on a level surface overnight and see where it’s at. The contraction from cooling and the oil filter draining will put your overnight level really close to operating temp range with a full filter and a drained block.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Here is a picture of my dipstick. This is oil leave after sitting for 8 hrs level surface. Or driving the 1.5hrs to work.

 

[AH64ID]

Here is a picture of my dipstick. This is oil leave after sitting for 8 hrs level surface. Or driving the 1.5hrs to work.

View attachment 139218

View attachment 139219

Got a photo of it clean?

There should be a noticeable difference warm vs cold, as the oil expands and also takes a while to drain back to the pan.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Yeah I can get one tonight before I leave for work

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

Are you sure no other fluid is making its way into the oil?? Smell to see if the oil has a diesel fuel smell.

 

[Jim W]

Or better yet take an oil sample and send this into a lab. The lab can tell you what is in your oil and the percentage of diesel that could be in the oil. I believe that Cummins allows up to 5% by volume of diesel in the oil between changes. Or it could be some other fluid that is showing up an OA is the best way in finding out what is on the oil.

Another question I have is how long do you let your oil drain before you reinstall the drain plug. I let my truck drain over 1/2hour to make sure all of the oil gets out,

On my 08 I have never had more than 1% of diesel in the oil by volume in 6,000 miles between changes.

 

[AH64ID]

Or better yet take an oil sample and send this into a lab. The lab can tell you what is in your oil and the percentage of diesel that could be in the oil. I believe that Cummins allows up to 5% by volume of diesel in the oil between changes. Or it could be some other fluid that is showing up an OA is the best way in finding out what is on the oil.

Another question I have is how long do you let your oil drain before you reinstall the drain plug. I let my truck drain over 1/2hour to make sure all of the oil gets out,

On my 08 I have never had more than 1% of diesel in the oil by volume in 6,000 miles between changes.

UOA is a great tool to determine if something is in the oil.

I’d still like to see where it’s actually sitting on the dipstick. I don’t recall what my dipstick looked like on the 05 to see how high his oil actually is.

Why only 6K miles on your oil? Does it age out?

 

[Randomrunner12]

Here are some pictures after 5 days of not running. Oil level is below the add line on the dipstick. However, if you see the other picture of the clean dipstick after driving the truck the oil level is well above the o-ring part number area.

sorry the pictures are so bad. Couldn’t get my phone to focus right.

 

[AH64ID]

Here are some pictures after 5 days of not running. Oil level is below the add line on the dipstick. However, if you see the other picture of the clean dipstick after driving the truck the oil level is well above the o-ring part number area.

sorry the pictures are so bad. Couldn’t get my phone to focus right.

View attachment 139238

View attachment 139239

So I’m going to say you’re not overfilled, but rather there is oil in your tube and it’s giving you a false high indication.

I’d add oil to get it to the middle of the safe zone with a long sit, you’re probably 1.5 quarts low.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Thanks AH64ID. will do!!!!

 

[cerberusiam]

I have seen situations where a sludge builds in the tube and you cannot get a good reading. A quart of MMO in the oil a couple hundred miles before changing will clean up sludge pretty well.

 

[CharlesinGA]

With engine hot, shut down, open hood and pull the stick out a foot or so and walk off and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour. Pull it out, wipe if off, push it in, pull out and read it. Oil gets airlocked in the dipstick tube (like putting your finger over a straw and lifting the drink with the straw.) Pulling the stick breaks the air lock of the dipstick seal. Give it time to drain down and you get a good reading.

Some engines, (Mercedes diesels for sure) will make oil when run on bio diesel. It washes down the cylinder walls past the rings and into the oil. Benz cautions to watch the oil level carefully for this. Don't know if a Cummins could or not. I avoid Bio in mine.

Charles

 

[Randomrunner12]

With engine hot, shut down, open hood and pull the stick out a foot or so and walk off and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour. Pull it out, wipe if off, push it in, pull out and read it. Oil gets airlocked in the dipstick tube (like putting your finger over a straw and lifting the drink with the straw.) Pulling the stick breaks the air lock of the dipstick seal. Give it time to drain down and you get a good reading.

Some engines, (Mercedes diesels for sure) will make oil when run on bio diesel. It washes down the cylinder walls past the rings and into the oil. Benz cautions to watch the oil level carefully for this. Don't know if a Cummins could or not. I avoid Bio in mine.

Charles

whelp this was it. Let sit for 30 minutes, no oil on dipstick, cleaned off and rechecked all the way in and sure enough oil at the safe mark. Thanks everyone!!!!!

 

[Rowdy Dalton]

Anticlimactic. But, I'm glad it was something so simple.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Anticlimactic. But, I'm glad it was something so simple.

hahahaha yeah but I’ll take it lol