"normal" engine oil usage?

[Pit Bull]

New to diesels, want to get a good baseline. Bought used, had 35K miles on it. Uses 1 quart of oil (Rotella T 15w40) every 5000 miles (my normal oil change interval) is that about normal oil usage for a diesel engine? Truck is stock (see sig).

Thanks

Denny

 

[Royal]

My 99 2500 with 20+K miles has never used any oil. Doesn't leak any also.

 

[HC]

My 2001 seems to be ready for a quart about filter-changing time (7. 5k). Doesn't sound like yours is out of line to me.

 

[alaterreur]

The Ford I had before always used One quart every 5,000 miles also since new. That is normal for some of these diesel engines. just remember, if your on the low mark that is 2 quarts low.

 

[DEZLPWR]

Hmm mine doesn't use a drop of oil...

There must be something wrong with my Cummins. Can someone help me out here? I have 82,000mi on mine and it has never used any oil!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Mine uses a bit of oil, I would say a quart every 10k. I would prefer an engine to use a bit of oil vs. none at all, otherwise I'd fear the oil control rings are keeping things a bit dry at the tops of the cylinders. But I don't think our Cummins are suffering from lack of top-cylinder lube.



I had a small leak on the drivers side that would get the pan pretty moist, about mid-engine, but in the last 2-3 months it has almost completely dried up. Must be the Amsoil.



Vaughn

 

[chuck3]

Mine does not burn any, change it every 4k miles. Oo.

 

[LSMITH]

I have gone 8K miles and not used any that I can tell, has about 90K on it now. I think zero to nearly 2 quarts in 5K miles is just fine and would not worry about it. I would suggest you fix or at least identify any leaks so you know where it is going, and do with that information whatever you want. I think you could burn a quart per tank of fuel without much problem other than filling it all the time.

 

[CUMAPART]

Just changed mine today. It's the same all the time doesn't burn any and doesn't leak any. At work we had a 1 ton Cummins dump that would use about 2 quarts between changes. Go figure.

 

[Mel Fuelling]

My 93 is down to the add mark at a 5K oil change. 3 gallons of

Rotella T only brings it up past the add mark a little, so after

priming the new filter, I usually add another 1/2 gallon to bring

it up to the full mark. According to some posts, I'm probably

overfilling it, but it makes me feel better????

 

[PRout]

I know if I fill it to full in the driveway, (front is slightly higher), when its on level ground, it shows slightly overfull.



Hasn't used any oil thats noticable so far.

 

[DavidD]

I have at last change 110,000 mi. i use about a 1/4th quart at 8,000mi interval. No leaks! None. Never had one and never will dont like them, I dont think 1 quart every 5K is acceptable usage.

Just my humble opinion. Dave

 

[Pit Bull]

Mine isn't leaking any. Just had to add 1/2 quart at around 2500 miles (like to keep it at the full mark) I realize that there are 2 quarts between the add line and the full line, guess I should just leave it alone since it would never get down to the add line within my 5,000 mile change interval, just anal I guess. I think I will start changing it every 4,000 miles. That way I won't have to add any between changes. I understand that synthetic oil will make your engine use less oil. Anyone else hear that?

 

[DavidD]

Big Toy, Did you read my last post, Dave No oil used between changes !

 

[Lurch]

Not a drop in 83K.



Lurch

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by DaveD

Big Toy, Did you read my last post, Dave No oil used between changes !

Thanks for the input Dave. Based on the responses I feel better now about mine using 1 quart every 5,000 miles then if it used no oil at all. I think it might be a problem if it used more than 2 quarts in 5,000 miles. There must be a reason why Cummins has 2 quarts between the add line and the full line. Makes me now think that Cummins designed this engine to use some oil between changes.

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Denny

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

My '91 will use VERY little oil running empty - but out pulling our 5th wheel in lots of grades and such, it's not unusual to see it down a quart in about 1500 miles - dunno if it's the natural result of blowby under heavier loads, oil bypassing turbo seals, or what, but it's ceratinly not enough that I worry about it...