Engine Oil Loss - Diesel Forum

BadAndy · 09-16-2003, 10:06 AM

With 16K+ on our 2002 it seems that about every 1000 miles the oil level seems to drop between 2/3 and 3/4 of a qt.

Anybody else have this problem?

Dealer says there is a buletin out for it and the "fix" is to cut the dipstick tube about .25". This is because he claims that the 7.3 likes to "blow off" about 3/4qt. so they drop the dipstick down so that it reads full sooner and doesn't have that extra oil in it.

????

Comments?

Andy

dmftoy1 · 09-16-2003, 01:45 PM

Sounds like a load of crap to me. JMHO. Mine will blow off about 1/2 a quart every 1200-1500 miles. I"m convinced that the majority goes out the CCV but that's just based on what I'm trapping.

Regards,
Dave

Bruce1954 · 09-20-2003, 12:29 AM

Interesting thought Andy, and it makes sense to me, I have never had any problem with oil consumption, it uses a half of a quart to a quart and half at the most in the summer heat and only if running very hard (fast) in 4K so I hardly ever add any. But last time we changed it my youngest was helping and we over filled it a bit, close to a quart. I did not think it would bother it so I checked during a long drive right after and still high but no foaming so I let it go. Now the interesting part after about 1000 miles the extra oil was gone, right at the full mark, and now 2k after that it is down just a bit more, very normal. Your dealer may be right I would try leaving it a ½ quart or more low and see if it stays there however you are just now fully broken in as mine used a several quarts between changes when new and did not “level off” till about 20K I would not expect it to go back up till well over 200K or more as I have had gassers that did almost that good, except for a little blue smoke on start up when they get about 175k on them. I don’t think I would worry about running it a little low, a friend of mine took his service truck to the dealer and got it back with a note that it was 6 quarts low, he never figured out how that happened but it did not seem to bother it. The mark on the stick is for 2 quarts just try it in the lower half and see if the dealer is right.

rock_doctor · 09-20-2003, 07:54 AM

Repost this in the main engine group. I am interested to see what the others say about this... I suspect they are yanking your chain and personally I would not let them cut anything. I have about the same mileage, use Rotella and do not have to add anything between the 5k oil changes. So it may be the oil you are using. It may have more "volatiles" that boil off during use. If you don't add the oil will it continue to drop below the add mark or does it stop after a qt. If it continues then you are dropping it or burning it. If it stops then it is possible they are correct but I doubt it. I have come to realize after owning this truck for a year, that if it were on fire and you took it into the dealer, they would say it is ok just running a little hot.... There are several FD mechanics on the main group if such a buletin existed they would know about it.

good luck,
mark

psychostroker · 09-22-2003, 08:47 AM

The 7.3 doesn not like to "blow off" oil.

Are you driving the engine hard or not? If it's not fully broken in, your oil usage could be higher. Light driving will prolong the break-in period.

The dealer is feeding you a load of crap. I wouldn't let them cut anything off the dipstick tube.

Ken