Oil Consumption?

[BarryP]

I know this has been discussed before, but would like to touch on the topic again. After an oil change my Duramax will use aprox. 1qt of oil the first 1500 miles and will continue to use oil till next oil change (5000 miles) averaging about 1qt every 1000 miles. The dealer tells me this is acceptable. Is anyone else expierencing oil consumption similar to this?

[Maverick]

I have but not that bad. I was 1qt to every 2000-2500 miles. I was using Shell Rotella 15-40. I switched to Amsoil Diesel Synthetic Series 3000 5w-30 and now it is 1qt to every 4500-5000 miles. I like the Amsoil. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Zapper]

BarryP, My truck now has 7500 miles, changed the oil at 3500 miles the first time. I work with three guys who have D/A's, mine has never consumed or lost one drop of oil, according to the dipstick. I have not pulled any thing heavier than 5000lbs though, and won't for a couple of years until we can afford are dream camper. My co-workers use are similar to mine recreational pulling or farm use with no complaints of oil consumption. I don't know what is considered normal, (maybe I should not of posted if I didn't have any input huh), but I can not imagine that kind of usage being acceptable. Maybe I don't run mine hard enough. I feel extremely lucky with my truck. I love her already, (it usually takes me at least a year). Not one problem, I had one SES light when I forgot to plug the wires back in after checking the air filter, I drove her about an hour and light went off it did scare me though it ran like crap with that plug off. One question I have about viscosity though, do you folks run 5w30 year round? The manual seem to insist on 15w40. I do not want to give Generous Motors any reason to not warranty my truck.

[midwestdmax29]

Watch it really close, my 2001 started doing that at @13,000 miles and also smoked white/grey when it was cold. As it turns out, a faulty injector was the cause, and was fixed at the dealer I traded to. By the way, it never used oil all summer with heavy towing. It picked up the habit in the fall.

[srubrn]

To my knowledge it has always been almost all manufacturers idea that using a quart oil at even 500 miles is considered normal. I don't agree, but you won't get anywhere with them on that subject.

[bdarrah]

Day one thru 30,000 miles my Duramax has averaged 1 qt oil to 1300 to 1400 miles. Well below my expectations!!! Oil consumption is best represented with fuel consumption. Different load factors can cause different results. Running empty vs pulling a trailer. Based on that statement, I'm using 1 qt oil for every 70+/- gallons fuel. GM hasn't provided the dealer with any guidelines. One inspection showed some dirt getting past the air filter. My have to take a stand as this could have caused ring scratches.


'01 Chevy 2500HD Extended Cab with Allison

[LarryM]

I have been concerned about oil consumption for a long time on my truck. It seemed like the oil consumption was intermittant. It would go for a long time and then suddenly use a lot. Just recently I think I figured it out. This is what is happening on my truck, yours may very well be different.

If I change the oil and filter and put in 10 quarts of oil, the level will be way above the top notch on the stupid dipstick. Because of the dipstick design, you can not easily see the overfill. There is some question whether or not this is actually an over fill, but that is not a concern for this discussion.

Since you cannot easily see the level above the top notch, I thought I was not using any oil at all and then suddenly use some. Recently I painted the end of the dipstick with flat white paint and carefully add oil until its at the center notch. It only takes a little over 9 quarts to reach this mark after a drain and filter change. That's measured after running the thing for a bit and then letting it settle for a long time.

Watching it closely over the last few thousand miles has shown it to use a quart in 3000 miles very regularly. More than I like, but not enough to be concerned with. To those who I have corresponded with about oil consumption, I just came to these conclusions in the last week after reviewing data from the last several thousand miles. I'll put another 3500 miles on it next week and will report back on those results.

I would suggest that those concerned about oil consumption look at the dipstick and fill levels very closely. You may not have what you think you see.

[mark45678]

I just got to the 15K mark and mine finaly stoped useing oil.... It would use 3Qts every 5000miles!last oil change 1.2QTs in 5K.I would try to hook up to a heavy trailer and put the thing to work to seat the rings!!!!! I would say if you could pull around 8K for at least a few hours with lots of up hill pulls would take care of things!!! Deisels have to work to get high clynder pressure. besides if you havent tow with it yet you are missing the reason why most of us bought them

[Diesel Brad]

I regularly check the fluid levels on the Max and haven't noticed any oil consumption. The truck has close to 10,000 miles on it. In fact, the oil stays pretty clean even at 5,000 mile change intervals.

Fuel economy has been about 17.5 mpg combined city/highway driving with a highway mileage best of 21.3 mpg. The truck is a 2500HD ext. cab short bed 4x2.

Needless to say, no complaints here.

[mguebert]

My truck still uses approx 1 qt per 1500-2000 miles. Has since day 1, it now has 25000 miles on the clock. Ticks me off, my Powerstroke and NA 7.3 Fords never used oil.

It seems like this is a common enough complaint to label it a problem. But GM has a very convenient Cover their A$$ statement of it's normal. Arggggghh

Don't even get me started on the launch slack I feel in the drivetrain every time I take off. It feels like a bad u joint. Two different dealers blew me off telling me it was also normal. It plain ticks me off that I have to deal with these problems on a very expensive and otherwise perfect truck

[ 05-21-2002: Message edited by: mguebert ]</p>

[JEBar]

mguebert...had the same u-joint feel with my 3500, dealer said caused by springs settling and flexing on take-off...installed sometype of spring rubber spaces that GM provides for this reason...wasn't sure at first but after 400 miles seems to have pretty much resolved problem...do not know if the above would apply to your 2500 springs, just thought any info may help

[Dave_WB3FYV]

Well, MY truck has 12,000 miles and hasn't used any oil to date. Dealer changed at 3,000, and 7,500 miles - won't be able to get into the shop for a while longer this time. Dipstick still shows at the top notch, right where it is when I check it after the drive home from the shop.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong? According to other postings, it should be down 2 quarts by now.
Haven't had a chance to tow anything with it yet, however, it did get a hard break-in run from Texas to New York in 26 hours with only 1,000 miles on it when new. Figured the extended time at high temperature seated everything quickly. I didn't drive it like it was stolen, but didn't baby it either. Runs great, averaged 24 mpg on that drive. Still getting around 18.5 up here with mixed highway and 2 lane mountain roads around West Point. No tick, no smoke, but the oil does look a little dirty now. Using factory filters and whatever oil the dealer puts in, at least it's 15w-40! I need to get a Fumoto drain valve so I can change it myself, then be able to measure how much comes out compared to what goes in. Dealer just drains it into a huge drum, no way to measure quantity.
Hope nothing changes, I feel pretty lucky so far!

[Kent Tuttle]

"dealer said caused by springs settling and flexing on take-off...installed sometype of spring rubber spaces that GM provides for this reason"

JEBar,

Do you know where they installed these rubber spacers? I have this what feels like drive line slack on my truck. I need to take it and complain about it.

thanks

[56Nomad]

Hi BarryP,

My truck has just over 10,000 miles. I've
just done my third dino oil (Delo 400) change and each
time 10 quarts of oil come out of the engine.
I have a Fumoto valve and recycle my oil in
a 2.5 gallon jug.

Half of the mileage has been driving with our
Lance camper average 70 mph/HWY and 13 mpg w/camper.

As per the recommendations on this forum,
I drove my truck very hard after the first 500
miles - 80-85 mph interstate drive from Texas
to Oregon. I don't know if a good break in
has something to do with mimimal oil consumption down the road.

I love this truck!

[ 05-22-2002: Message edited by: 56Nomad ]</p>

[Mic]

The accepted rate of oil consumption for the 6.6L Duramax? Diesel engine is 0.946 liter (1 qt) within 379 liters (100 gallons) of fuel used. This rate only applies to vehicles under warranty, maintained in accordance with the appropriate maintenance schedule, driven at legal speeds and within design intent of the vehicle.

[JoeyD]

I have read about oil consumtion problems on the TDR and the answer was always tow something heavy. It should cure it unless something mechanical is wrong.

[Jumbo Jet]

63,000 miles on my CTD and never used any oil.

I change oil according to the season and my driving habits. Generally change between 5,000 and 7,000 miles.

I pull a 9,000lb. 5th wheel occasionally probably about 16,000 of the 63,000 miles.

I use Rotella T 15w40 exclusively. First oil change was at 1,500 miles.

Made my first loaded pull when truck had 600 miles on it. Waited till then to just make sure the ring and pinion gears in the differential were mated good. Then drove the truck and trailer between 65 & 70 mph - 2200 to 2400 RPMs for 300 miles.

Blow-by bottle on CTD never has more than a few drops of oil condensate when I change oil.

You need to heat those trucks up to set the rings correctly and don't use the synthetic lubes until you have several thousand miles on them.

[GrayMax]

Mine consistently uses 0.5 - 1.0 quarts between 3,000 mile oil changes. This really annoyed me at first but have come to live with it for now.

[biglou]

I noticed my truck using oil when I had 10k miles on it. By 21k miles consumption was about a gallon and a half between oil changes. Dealer found an injector with bad o-rings. They replaced the o-rings, then the injector (it developed a short). That took about 30 days for them to trouble shoot and repair. Since their work my truck has no power. Shop can't figure it out, GM Field Engineer can't figure it out, GM will not let the shop do their own troubleshooting. It appears to be a fuel pump problem or a turbo problem that the field engineer refuses to acknowlege. He actually ordered a new Allison transmission which was installed this week to no avail. It has now been another 30 plus days, I really want my truck back, I love it when I have it, but will shortly be hiring an attorney to protect my large investment.

[letsgo]

Have 12000 miles aprox. towing 10,000 lb 6000 of those miles, on 2nd oil and filter change, and havent lost or added any oil in between. Driving consisted flatlands, mountains, 93*F heat.

Good Luck

GMC 2002 DURAMAX SLT EXCAB SHORT BOX 2500HD 4X4 AUTO