synthetic oil/ Oil reading

[Jim's slt]

This is actually two parts, I had my oil change done yesterday my first one since buying the truck, I questioned the fact of them using a non ch-4 rating oil (castrol) and my first question. is the ch-4 important for the cummins, I am a chevy transplant, and that is required. I wanted syn. The dealer ship said you can't put syn. oil in the cummins. :--) then... I smelt burning oil every time i stop at a idle. I don't see where they spilled it on exhaust. All though I am sure they would have cleaned most of it off. My seconed question,

I checked my oil this am and it shows over a quart over the safe mark on the stick. I was wondering if this is normal while cold or could this be the oil smell from over filling.

thank you

JIM

 

[Elite1]

Jim, you shouldn't use synthetic until the motor is properly broken in, at least 20,000 miles, IMHO. The dealer should have used a properly formulated Diesel oil CH-4, or better. Yes over filling is a no-no, I would drain off a Qt.

The oil smell seems to be a problem on the 3rd generation trucks (03'&04'), I suggest you use the recirculate switch on your fan blower. see this thread... https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=89359

 

[Tony T.]

I also questioned the fact of oil smell at first, when truck was new,but there again it was not really a oil smell or did'nt seemed to be. I though there might be some sort of coating they used on the engine from the factory. I stopped noticing it around 8 to 9 thousand miles. And like Elite 1 said use the synthetic after 20,000 miles unless you do a lot of towing to break in the engine, like some do. I use the Chevron Delo 400 15w/40, and there's other good dino oils to use also. That running a quart over can be as bad as running to low. When my oil pressure gauge stabilizes (truck getting warmed up good) it's just past the 40 mark on the gauge (probally could call it 45psi). Idling when warmed up just little above the safe marks, way out of the red. Oo.

 

[RowJ]

Jim,

You need to go into User Control Panel; than Profile; than fill in your truck yr, model, trannt type, etc under Signature. That way it shows up on any threads you post and lets any who answer be more specific.



You mentioned in another thread that your truck was a 2000.

Assuming reasonable miles on it, you could switch to synthetics anytime.



Definately need at least a CH-4 Oil. I would recommend the newer CI-4 rated diesel oil required by Mack and some others. It has additives that reduce soot formation in a diesel engine-something that can make a big difference to all of us at 200,000 miles +. Why not use it since its now available and there is no down side I know of compared to CH-4?



Not good to over fill.