2006 LBZ comes up 2.5 quarts low?

[Mark Rinker]

Got an ominous message this morning that I have never seen before: "CHECK OIL LEVEL".

2.5 quarts were required to bring it back up to full line. My thoughts, regarding root cause:


EGR sticking event this winter has caused cold startup stalling once, and set PO402: EGR Flow Excessive Detected. Q: Would this cause the engine to consume oil?
Extended idling periods - as much as 12 hours sum total time since last oil change 7K miles ago - longest single period was 4hrs;
Last oil change was with Rotella synthetic, since my local lube shop stopped carrying Mobil Delvac synthetic.Not concerned about compression/rings, and there are no apparent leaks or smoking. Its got to be one (or a combination) of the reasons above...

Thoughts? (I know, I know, don't idle...its a winter/plowing/senior moment thing.)

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Are you sure the lube shop put all 2.5 GALLONS of oil in on the last change? Wouldn't be the first time a shop forgot the DMAX holds 10 and not 8 quarts. I know early on the dealership only put in 8 quarts in my truck.

Unless you checked the oil level yourself after the lube shop finished, I'm bettin' that's where you're 2.5 quarts went (maybe a 1/2 quart from the way the truck is used).

Hope it's not a engine related thing.

[Mark Rinker]

Yes, it was full, or well within the cross-hatch. I may not pull the dipstick as often with 'newer' engines as I should, but always check the day after an oil change, and at least once more after that...

At least 2qts went somewhere...

[Kennedy]

Just top it off and drive it...

And try to pull the dipstick a little more often.

[Mark Rinker]

Agreed. It was 6 weeks since last oil change, and ~7000 miles, a mix of hauling flatbed loads and plowing.

[Kennedy]

I'd be curious to see if the trend continues and then if switching back to Delvac 1 helps.

[Tough Guy]

Delvac/Rotella makes no difference. I have run both for hundreds of thousands of miles and have not seen a difference between the two other than price.

Have you checked for leaks?

Chris

[Mark Rinker]

Yeah, there are no external leaks. Fairly obvious when we park on snow up here all winter. Leaks show up - quick.

Rotellla wouldn't stay in either of my 6.5L - I was putting ~1qt / thousand miles through both trucks, until switching to Mobil Delvac. Consumption dropped noticeably - to something closer to ~1qt/three thousand after a period of time.

I'll run another 10K interval with the Rotella, paying close attention to the hash marks.

I suspect it has something to do with extended idling, combined with a stuck EGR valve, but can't defend that mechanically.

Warmer weather and no idling may solve the problem, regardless of oil type.

[Mark Rinker]

Delvac/Rotella makes no difference. I have run both for hundreds of thousands of miles and have not seen a difference between the two other than price.




What engines? 6.5L, 6.6L, or Ford listed in profile?

[More Power]

3-4 years ago I was returning from a short trip to a nearby town when the "Check Oil Level" message appeared... It had been about 3-4K since an oil change (using Delvac 1), and the last time I checked the level it was OK (probably 3-4 tanks of fuel ago). Like yours, it took 2-3 quarts to bring it back to full.... It's not done this since.... Though the engine does use about a quart in 4-5K miles. I usually need to add a quart between changes at 7500 miles.

The episode I saw may have been due to not being completely full when it was changed... it was winter (colder oil), and maybe something odd happened.... My truck doesn't have EGR. Hasn't happened since....

Jim

[Mark Rinker]

I ran this scenario past a friend of mine that is the owner of a Goodyear Tire store. He claims that SWITCHING oil brands can result in oil vaporization during the subsequent oil change, due to

"...incompatible oil additive packages, and the interaction of the new oil with the oil left in the engine, which in some cases can be as high as 15%."

Another opinion, albeit from a guy who has sold thousands upon thousands of oil changes...

[Tough Guy]

Two 6.5L's, one 6.6L, and one 7.3L never saw a difference...

Chris

[cowboywildbill]

I never had the light message light come on, but I always checked our 07 regularly. It had about 16,000 miles on it. I had just changed the oil and filter, and it was full, and it just happened to drop down over 2.5 qts after an 800 mile trip. I double checked it and waited and rechecked it, and topped it off. I change it every 3,000 miles with Rotella T Syn.
It never did that again, although I have had it be down one qt when I changed the oil before.
Who knows?

[Mark Rinker]

Had you just switched to Rotella, from another brand?
Was the 800 loaded/towing or empty miles?

[cowboywildbill]

No I had been running the Rotella Syn since 8,000 miles without incident. I had run Rottella Dino before that from new. Changed it at 500 miles then 1500 miles and then every 3,000 to 4,000 miles since. And yes I was towing loaded pulling 16,000 mostly highway and lot's of hills.
It hasn't used any more than a qt since that time. It freaked me out at first, I was all under and over the truck looking but couldn't find any leaks or problems.