Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Oil consumption

[Nate]

I'm just curious how much oil you guys use between oil changes?



I've got about 4500 miles on my oil, about a month old, and I've have to add about 1. 5 quarts.



Now at inital fill I put 11 quarts. I've heard some people say it's 12... is it 11 like the book says, or 12?



My truck is a 98 24 valve with 155,000.

 

[Mundgyver]

I have used as much as 2 quarts in 1500 miles. If I am driving fast 75 + it uses it, but if I keep my speed down to 65, I don't use any. I am thinking crankcase pressure out the vent and speed.



By the book, it is 11 quarts, but since most people buy by the gallon, then 12 quarts is ok, 4 quarts to the gallon. You won't hurt it with 12, I have been using 12 since the day I bought the truck new.

 

[jeepit]

I use no oil in between changes.

 

[RustyJC]

I've never had to add oil, even towing our heavy 5th wheel in 100+ degF weather for extended distances at Interstate speeds over steep terrain.



Edit - Delo 400 15W-40



Rusty

 

[EMMETT]

i use about a quart for every 5000 miles

 

[Bandit2]

99 auto, I add no oil between changes. Change oil some where between 6-9 thousand mi. using Delo. Plenty full at 10qt. 84000mi. on truck.

 

[Grizzly]

I never added oil to my 95. Dip stick went down maybe half quart between changes. My 05 stays full between changes. Delo 400.

 

[Okie-Go]

I have 188k on my truck and I have not put oil in it other than to change it. It is in the hospital right now getting a new head gasket though.

 

[johncameron]

I usually am at the low fill line after 10,000 miles which is when I change the oil. I have never 'added' any oil since day 1.



John

 

[KKlingbeil]

never added any on 5000 mile intervals, towing or not, big or small, slow or fast speeds..... John Deere Plus 50----which is 15/40.

 

[UMPRacer]

98. 5--46,000 mi--uses no oil. change at 3000; 12 quarts Rotella since new. When its out of the garage has a 24' enclosed/with car in it usually 70 to 75 miles per hour.

 

[litespeed]

I have low miles (58,000), but I figure I will post anyway. It is well broken in from all of my towing. 98% of those miles are heavy towing. I change every 4,000 and it shows just barely below the full line. Maybe 1 half qt. in 4,000 miles? Probably a little less. Rotella 15/40. I have to use 12qts. every time to get to the full mark. At 11qts. is still on the low mark. The stick is difficult to read sometimes but I will run it, dip it and run it again to be sure it is right.



I'm thinking of extending the change to 5 or 6,000. The oil still looks pretty clean at 4,000. Other diesels I have owned..... The oil is black in 5 minutes?



AJ

 

[Nate]

I'm wondering if it's because I put 11 quarts, that I had to add to make it 12 basically??



To properly check the oil, should I run the engine for a min or so, shut it down and check... or should I wait a bit for the oil in the top end to go into the pan?



Maybe what I should ask, is should I be worried if my engine is using oil?

 

[Bandit2]

Nate, In order too check the oil correctly, the truck should be level, then check the oil after a 10-15min. shutdown.

 

[Nate]

I just ran up to Seattle to get my Jeep, about 1100 miles round trip. When I started off the oil was right around the safe line. Now it's right on the add mark... I'm guessing that's about a quart or so.



I hope this isn't a sign that things are going to get expensive! I'd like to do a compression test first of. What's a decent priced good quality tester? On the Cummins, you have to pull the injectors out to test I take it?



Should I even be worried? Engine has around 157000.

 

[JBodenhamer]

Nate,



With what you say your engine is using, I would not be worried. At that mileage, the best "test" is if you think it is not running right. If the power seems to be the same, you are not low on compression. If you have a bad cylinder, you will have a ton of blow by--check the bottle and open the cap when the engine is running and see if you get a lot of vapor out of it. I suspect you are OK.



I am in the Army(armored cavalry) and have daily contact with all kinds of diesels, and honestly from what I have seen with heavy duty engines, they all sort perform a little differently when it comes to Oil. My current bradley(has a Cummins 6VT 750HP V8 diesel) runs strong and uses little oil, but my last bradley was the fastest I have ever seen(it would go more than 50mph on flat ground) burned tons of oil but ran great. I had to add a good 5 gallons a day when operating in Iraq but it ran the entire time. My 01 Ram daily driver seems to use about a quart in 6000 miles. I see no cause for concern. I also overfill to 12 quarts--as others have said, no danger in this--so maybe it is 2 really as on changes it is usually right on the fill line on the dip stick. GM diesels in the HMMWVs seem to use a lot of oil, especially when they are new, and the CAT diesels we have in a lot of the heavy trucks varry from vehicle to vehicle a great deal.



Bottom line in my opinion: If she is running good, just keep an eye on the level and fill it up when needed. You can probably get another 150K with this approach if everything else seems normal to you.



Jon

 

[Joe Mc]

Never "need" to add between changes. Change every 3K religiously, use dino 15W40 Rotella T, Fleetguard stratapore filters, 143,108 changed oil today. Drained 11 quarts total including filter drain off. Guess I'm lucky?

 

[Nate]

I'm really not sure how the power is compared to when the truck was new since I bought it this summer with 142000 miles.



I have a decent amount of blowby. I'll grab the camera later on and video tape it.



Pulling my Jeep, about 6500lbs with trailer, up the passes in Washington and Oregon, I was in 3rd gear close to WOT and about all I could muster was 60mph. EGTs never got higher than 1150*, water temp around 190*. I wasn't thinking it was too bad, espcially with 3. 55 gears and 35" tires... . but then a newer Cummins passed me pulling a big horse trailer (probably around 30' empty though) doing at least 75-80mph. :{



Just makes me wonder... oil consumption, blowby... hmmm. I'll run it until it's dead either way. Guess I'm going to need to find a big mayonaise jar to start my engine replacment fund haha.

 

[mpwalker]

I have never had to add oil between changes adn most of my millage is towing a heavy 5iver, have 37,000 miles on the truck and change oil every 5-6 K and with filter it takes 12 quarts for the oil change.

 

[Jeepmullet]

my truck uses 2-3 qts in 10k miles.