Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Burnt oil smell at idle....New 02

[AFacey]

Have a new 02 and ONLY at idle with the interior fan on I can smell burnt oil. I can also open hood and smell it. There is no visible smoke or burning of oil on engine parts or etc. . If I shut the engine down -- no smell.

There are no leaks around any of the drains or fillers. I have 750 miles so far and I would think all the funky new truck smells would have cleared by now. The only thing I noticed, the oil level is 1/8" above safe mark. What happens if the engine oil is to full? Does it go into the turbo and burn?



Took it to different dealer and both said put 1500 miles on it and then bring back if it still smells...



Any Advice?

 

[socal_rattler]

It is very common to get a strong smell of oil when you have new oil... . this happens to me every time I change the oil but it goes away after a few hundred miles. I think I read somewhere it is because of some type of additive.



You might also check the cowl seal to make sure it hasn't come loose... . it's pretty common.

 

[jwilliams3]

I would not worry about the smell, unless you notice a peformance issue.

I have smelled the burning smell with a newer HO engine, I would say this is common until it gets broke in a little better.



You might try changing the oil after about 1000 miles to Rotella T, Cummins Premium Blue, or Delo 400 15w40, this might change things.



1/8" over the safe mark is fine, you do not have too much oil in your engine. "IF" oil level was too high in your engine (lets say 8 quarts high, total of 20 +/- quarts) then your blow by/crankcase pressure would be through the roof and it will blow out a seal and start spraying oil everywhere!



In my opinion, you have an engine that is operating correctly, and you have nothing to worry about.



Bye the way, congratulations on the purchase of your new Cummins!



--Justin

 

[jerrethomas]

proly just the new smell burning off yet. mine was the same way when i got it.

 

[mikel]

Don't worry about the smell it'll go away once the oil gets a few miles on it.



I always put 11qts of oil in mine, no matter where it lands on the dipstick. I take a file and mark the dipstick for 11qts after the first change. I think I'm about 1/8 to 1/4 over what the factory marked as the full line.



I use Delo 15/40 and it smells at first, so at least I can assure you that switching to Delo won't fix the smell issue.



Mike

 

[sdalton]

If you still have the blow-by bottle in the original place, yank it out, and extend the hose down and behind the cab. That way you dont have to smell that smell for several hundred miles, and your engine will not be covered in that black crud. This was one of the first and best fixes I did. Very easy. Do a search on the subject and all the instructions and comments will be there.

 

[Crazy Horse]

sdalton is right, you are getting fumes sucked into the heating system from the engine compartment. To tell if this is the case turn your heater/ac system to "max" and it should go away. I just relocated mine on the 2002. Smell Gone! Here is a link on the subject w/ photos. Breather Bottle.

 

[dmurdock]

here's a step by step i posted with a bunch o pics. .



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52817

 

[andrewkoperdak]

AfACEY,

I get the oil smell each and every time I change my oil. Someone said something about the oil additive. That is correct. You are smelling the oil vapor coming out the breather bottle up front on you engine. I have 30K on my engine, like I said every oil change the oil smell is back for nearly two tank fulls or 1000 miles.

 

[Huff N Puff]

Ive had 3 cummins diesels since 1990 its characteristic of the engine if you BOMB it it will make it worse,When its new its worse cause the rings are still seating, cause its blow by gasses venting engineers need to come up with a pump that recirculate it back into the combustion chamber. Im sure EPA dons't approve of it blowing into the air.