I noticed the other day (about 4 days after I changed the oil) that the oil level had gone up. I drained it back down, thinking maybe I put too much oil in it. And now, less than 100 miles later, it has risen again by about 1/2 qt.

What could be causing this ?? The oil won't burn (but I'm not sure if that trick works with diesel like it does with gas), and there are no signs of water in the oil or vice versa.

My limited oil burner smarts tells me it may be an internal pump leak, or maybe a bad injector.

Anyone care to point me in the direction I need to go to find & fix it ??

 

Send an oil sample to the lab. That would remove all doubt.

 

check out your lift pump

 

Smell the oil. Does it smell like diesel?

We have a tractor that is making oil right now. The injector pump seal is leaking. You can pull the dipstick, and smell the diesel in the oil.

 

Leaky diaphragm in the lift pump, bad seal in the injector pump maybe. I would get a sample immediately.

 

I second that.. check it checked out NOW. Fuel can wipe the bearings..

 

OK..how do I go about getting an oil sample analyzed ?

 

Most Cummins, Cat or John Deere dealers will provide you with a sample bottle w/ instructions. Just turn the sample back into them for results within a week.

You should be able to smell if it's diesel in your oil. As already said most likely a internally leaking lift pump or bad injector.

 

When I changed the oil, I let it drain for a long time, and then I had an extra quart of oil that came with the truck, so I poured it in thinking I could wash some more stuff out, but I never saw that quart of oil come back out. I figured maybe it came right out and I missed it, but now, I'm thinking not. how much oil will these heads hold ??

The oil doesn't really smell like diesel, or at least not very strong. It does smell like the exhaust, or soot tho.

I'm gonna make some calls tomorrow and see if there is a place local that can check the oil sample for me.

Funny thing is, tonight, the oil level is back down about 1/2 of what it was up last night.

 

Maybe you're not letting it sit long enough after running it when you check the oil. It takes a good 15 minutes to get all of it drained down.

 

I know this is a dumb question to ask, but you are checking the oil with the engine OFF aren't you?
Sounds stupid but I can't belive how many people I see in gas stations checking it with the engine running.
You are seating the dipstick all the way into the tube each time?
Leaking diaphram would be the most common way.
Does the oil look diluted in any way, (thinner viscosity).
You should be able to smell 1 quart of diesel in the oil.
Gas engines are easier to determine and if you let it go on too long besides washing down the cylinders, then there was the old " pan explosion"
Jim.

 

Not trying to be a smart a**, and I understand your concerns, but did you see the sig ?? If I (yes me, not shop built) can build a competition level (albeit it beginning level) rock crawler, I think I know how to check the oil. I'm new to diesels, but not to mechanical devices, or internal combustion engines.

No, the truck 's engine was NOT running, and yes, it sat at least 30 minutes each time.

No, the oil does not smell like diesel to me, but it does have a soot smell to it. No, it is not noticeably thinner than when it was poured in the engine.

I have a sample kit here, and am gonna mail off the sample today.


I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't 'hideout'. IE, the heads hold oil, but it doesn't always show up in the oil pan.


Like I said, when I drained the engine, I poured a full qt in to wash the pan bottom, but never saw it come out.

And yes, I did put it in the 710 cap. Isn't that where it goes ??

 

FWIW It takes around 2 hours for the oil to drain out of the p7100 inj. pump, which holds around 2 qts. Try checking it in the morn. before you start everytime to get a good baseline reading.

 

you can check it right now with a simple tool to see if you have diesel in your oil , it requires one sheet of paper from your printer , get your dipstick and put a drop of oil on the paper from the dipstick , you will see the diesel seperate from the oil around the circumference of the oil drop and you will see it is clear with the oil being dark in the center. now this test is only good for about 5 mins. because then the oil just saturates the paper and then you wont be able to see nothing.

 

I also had a case of this about a year ago. It turns out that I was just checking the oil at different times after shutdown. I checked it right after shutdown and then in the morning and it was a pretty big difference, probably a 1/4" on the dipstick. Try checking it every morning, just like DZLPWR said. I think the hideout you are talking about is the injection pump.