15/40 oil in 2022 cause engine damage?

[dward]

A buddy has a new 22 3500 Bighorn SO, 68rfe.
He was told (by another buddy with a 2017) that 15-40 oil was ok for his truck.
20 miles after changing it, the truck starting making a clacking noise.
I haven’t heard it but they now seem to think it’s in the lower part of the motor or maybe transmission.
He has changed the oil 3 times with the proper oil, but it’s still making noise.
I can’t think of any damage only driving 20 miles.
Is it possible to cause engine damage not using the proper oil or likely coincidence with another problem?

 

[Learjet]

my humble opinion...no way that oil caused problems in 20 miles.

 

[Signal73]

15/40 is a no-no in 2019+ cummins. 10/30 or 5/40 syn only.

Another fine feature of the 19+ is a “typewriter tick” for the first couple hundred miles after a oil change.

Have him run the correct viscosity oil for a bit and see if the clacking goes away.

 

[BigPapa]

It’s the hydraulic lifters. The 6.7’s in our school buses still have solid tappets, so we still run 15W40.

 

[06 Dodge]

It amazes me how many people still will not read the Fing owners manual when they get a new vehicle so that they for sure know what oil is recommended for the engine if its not printed on the oil cap.

 

[AH64ID]

While it’s the wrong oil, it’s unlikely to cause an issue in 20 miles. The issue would happen mid motor, at the hydraulic lifters on top of the cam. 15w-40 is too thick for the lifters in this motor. But 20 miles is subjective, how many cold starts?

Bottom line, your buddy is an idiot. The proper oil is easy to source and identify, the fact that he took hearsay for oil over actual research/reading is his own problem.

It amazes me how many people still will not read the Fing owners manual when they get a new vehicle so that they for sure know what oil is recommended for the engine if its not printed on the oil cap.

lol… it is printed on the oil cap.

Another fine feature of the 19+ is a “typewriter tick” for the first couple hundred miles after a oil change.

I’ve only heard of this on the gas motors. I don’t have any experience with it on my 22.

 

[Rob S]

My 2019 has never had any lifter noise….
I run 5-40 full synthetic

 

[NIsaacs]

I think it is an SO thing. My '21 does it at low rpm and under no power. If you throttle it or back off, it stops. Pretty sure it is timing related, like detonation. It is not a click sound, more of a hammer sound.

 

[AH64ID]

I think it is an SO thing. My '21 does it at low rpm and under no power. If you throttle it or back off, it stops. Pretty sure it is timing related, like detonation. It is not a click sound, more of a hammer sound.

SO and HO have the same lifters, only the pistons are different.

Diesels don’t get detonation like a gas motor does, but it could be timing rattle, but that wouldn’t correlate with the comment about it only occurring within a couple hundred miles of an oil change.

 

[Timd32]

Hopefully by the 3rd change the OA won't show too poorly and just bring it in and see what's up.

Better then the alternative if something unrelated is going on.

Kinda a hard lesson to learn, but I screw up stuff all the time, it happens. As basic as this one is and is fully preventable.

Good luck with the repair, if you get a resolution post it up.

 

[Tuesdak]

I’ve only heard of this on the gas motors. I don’t have any experience with it on my 22.

Duramax engines be where the phrase "typewriter tick" was applied to Diesel engines... And blamed on bubbles in the oil.

 

[AH64ID]

Duramax engines be where the phrase "typewriter tick" was applied to Diesel engines... And blamed on bubbles in the oil.

Ok, but this is a Cummins forum

 

[dward]

Thanks for the replies.
They seem pretty sure it’s coming from the transmission.
He has an appt at the dealer next week, I’ll keep you updated.

 

[Tuesdak]

Ok, but this is a Cummins forum

Some of us had to endure some GM Diesel abuse before getting a Cummins.

 

[NIsaacs]

SO and HO have the same lifters, only the pistons are different.

Diesels don’t get detonation like a gas motor does, but it could be timing rattle, but that wouldn’t correlate with the comment about it only occurring within a couple hundred miles of an oil change.

I never even mentioned lifters because that is not where my noise is coming from. The OP's buddy is now attuned to sounds because of the oil mix up so now he is hearing sounds that were probably always there. I really doubt the oil had anything to do with this problem.

If timing rattle is not preignition/detonation, what is it? There are multiple threads about strange sounds on C/F, seems to always be SO's. I assume from the higher compression.

 

[AH64ID]

I never even mentioned lifters because that is not where my noise is coming from. The OP's buddy is now attuned to sounds because of the oil mix up so now he is hearing sounds that were probably always there. I really doubt the oil had anything to do with this problem.

If timing rattle is not preignition/detonation, what is it? There are multiple threads about strange sounds on C/F, seems to always be SO's. I assume from the higher compression.

You didn’t mention lifters, but lifter noise is what was being talked about when you said “I think it’s an SO thing.” No other noises had been mentioned.

Timing rattle is just noisy combustion. I haven’t heard it on either of my 6.7’s, but my 05 rattled pretty good with the stock tune especially after I changed pistons and injectors. The tunes I wrote didn’t rattle at all.

I have found timing rattle to be associated with too much rail pressure for the fuel quantity and timing. Drop the rail pressure and it gets quiet.

Can’t have preignition/detonation without spark plugs.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Different but I run the 15-40 DME in my Vortec 350 in my boat and ran it many years in my 99 Tahoe Vortec 350. Both have lifters.

 

[AH64ID]

erroneous post.. deleted.

 

[BigPapa]

Different but I run the 15-40 DME in my Vortec 350 in my boat and ran it many years in my 99 Tahoe Vortec 350. Both have lifters.

Apples and grapefruits.

 

[endoscott]

The spec sheet says "...and, where appropriate, gasoline engines calling for any of the following specs.." which they then list. They also list gasoline engine service life as 2X. No idea what the oil specs are for the Vortec 350 though. 12V98 probably checked ahead of using that oil. Unless "his buddy" told him to use it.