Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) I have a baffling question! Please help!

[3atatime]

Jody, my '96 with 123K miles totally stock, seems to be using some oil and get this MAKING it too! I know what ya'll are thinking, but just hear me out. He IS NOT leaking oil. I am very paranoid about oil problems in trucks because I've always had trucks with them, but I check and watch Jody very closely. Sometimes whenever I shut him off and get out I can smell maybe a little burnt oil. I changed his oil at about 121K miles. I have it wrote down just forgot my book that I write stuff down in. Anyway, I watch him like a hawk to make sure I got everything tight and all. I checked his oil several times and about 300 miles later the oil was halfway in the safe area. Then I checked him last night, two days later and the oil was just a fraction above the safe mark! I ALWAYS check his oil on a level surface AND I check him cold, as in many hours after I've driven him. So what do you guys think?



Please help,

Kat

 

[Dave Remillard]

So what do you guys think?





You really don't want to know.



All kidding aside, no offense but could it be human error? I have caught myself checking the oil level a time or two and realized I didn't have the dipstick pushed in all the way. Is this what happened to you by chance? From what I read, I seriously doubt oil can be produced by one of these engines. Horse Power, yes, oil, no. But in the event I am overlooking something which is possible, continue to monitor. I'll be interested in what others have to say on this one.

 

[3atatime]

I swear to ya'll. I'm extremely careful. I was kinda being sarcastic about him actually making oil because that is impossible, but something is definitely going on. I promise I make sure the dipstick is pushed in all the way. I swear I'm real careful.

Kat

 

[csevers]

Other fluids?

Is the coolant level going down? Check to see if the level is changing in the overflow bottle,and check the blow by tube for sludge at the end and the oil filler cap for sludge on underside. If you are running extended life coolant the oil may not change color at all even with coolant in it. Good reason to talk oil sample and have tested.



Good Luck

Craig

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

If you had a messed up injector line you could leak oil in to the crankcase and the level would go up, very similar to the new powerstroke. I know you said you check it after it sits but are you positive you checked it after it sat when you got the low reading. If you check when you first shut it off and then the next morning there will be over 1/2 inch difference in the oil level. I would give a sniff of the dipstick and make sure it doesn't smell like diesel.

 

[3atatime]

Hmmm. I haven't changed the coolant. Now the overflow bottle is a little lower now, but it has been a while. The blow by tube is always nasty. I try to clean it when I can. The oil filler cap is clean.

 

[3atatime]

I swear I swear. I'm jumping up and down right now. I check it about 12 hrs. after I shut him off, like I get to work at 12noon and check it at 11pm and then shut him off at home in the late afternoon and check it late in the morning! I PROMISE!

 

[Forrest Nearing]

does the oil smell like diesel?



I'm hoping for your sake that it doesn't and that this was just a fluke!



good luck with it,



Forrest

 

[3atatime]

Hey ya'll when does the oil smell like diesel? All the time or after you run it?

 

[3atatime]

OK. I just checked Jody. He has now been sitting for almost 2 hrs. There is no diesel smell in the oil (dipstick) and the oil is just right, completely full. I got a witness this time. A guy from facilities was walking by as I was checking the oil and he watched me and smelled it himself. BTW, I also had a witness when I checked Jody's oil 4 days ago when it was halfway on the safe mark.

 

[lil red cummins]

well my first thought was fuel getting into the engine. i believe there are at least 2 ways it could get in. i see someone else has mentioned it already. i dont even like to think about the water thing. not sure what else could get sucked in.

power steering or auto trans - not likely.



jim

 

[BV]

I have heard that the injector pump can take several hours (like all night) to drain off all the oil so you might be seeing it change levels based on how long it sits and drains down. Try checking it 5 minutes after shut down a few times and see if the reading changes.

 

[Joe G.]

The proper way to check it is when the engine is stone cold and the truck is sitting level. The P7100 pump drains slowly so if you check it shortly after you shut if off it will check low. I only check mine in the morning before starting it.

 

[WadePatton]

SCMOC

Yeup, The stone cold morning oil check is also quicker. No wiping. Just pull, look, stick it back in.

 

[MMeier]

What do you guys think of an oil seal in the turbo being bad and allowing oil to go over to the compressor side and being blown through? Just a thought! Mark

 

[lil red cummins]

if a turbo oil seal went bad, you would lose oil not gain it. it would show up as blue smoke in the exhaust or if it went to the intake side, it would still loose oil, but through the intake and then burned out.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by 3atatime

Hey ya'll when does the oil smell like diesel? All the time or after you run it?

Only if you have diesel getting into the oil. It will be obvious.



The 12V injection pump takes about two hours for the oil to drain out. I don't know if that effects checking it but it sure does changing it. I let mine drain overnight to change and I let it sit overnight to check it also.



I also hold back one half a quart when I change it as it just blows it out anyway. I see this in bigger Cummins engines and in Cats too.



Has your fuel mileage changed? What does your coolant look like? Follow Craig's advice, get the oil analized. Is the engine clean so you can see leaks?

 

[1dslram]

It sounds like a problem that happens regularly with gas burners, The problem could be blocked oil return keeping the oil in the valve covers. Sludge is usually the cause of this problem. I have never seen this in a diesel but it could be. Carefully check the oil when you first shut down the engine and then 2 hrs. later and again 4 hrs. later and then another 4 hrs. do this 2 or more times and see if there is any change from one to the other.

Bruce



R. I. P. Nowel

 

[johnrv4]

What do you guys think of an oil seal in the turbo being bad and allowing oil to go over to the compressor side and being blown through? Just a thought!

I've seen that happen to a couple of trucks, and the results weren't good . The turbo had failed and it pumped engine oil in the compressor section and the engine "ran away" burning engine oil with the key shut off. Ended up doing major damage to the engine by the time he got it shut down. The sad thing was he knew it was pumping some oil out the exhaust, and he had the truck shut off. He decided to start it up again, and away it went.

 

[MMeier]

Yeah , but say it is just starting to leak, not enough to "pour" it in but say a small amount only, possible is it not?