I recently discovered the engine oil reading on the dip stick reading high by about two quarts. I immediately suspected the head gasket... No water in the oil, however. So, something in the tube being picked up at each check? What could be used to clean the dip stick tube to eliminate an error reading? With this condition, I cannot tell if the oil level is correct, high or low.

2011 3500 with 12,000 miles.

 

"Making oil" is not a good thing. Smell the oil; it probably smells like fuel. Common cause is a cracked injector. I'd send an oil sample to Blackstone for piece of mind, and send the truck to the dealer for warrantee work. 2 quarts at 12k miles is pretty high, IMHO.

 

My son's truck 2011 3500 G56 has made oil from new. The dealer pretends to not know what "making oil means". I don't think his is a bad injector as it only does it when the weather turns cold. It also puts on the check engine light. The first time around in the spring they replaced both O2 sensors and it was good for the summer the dealer also installed a fast idle system for him but the problem returned then the weather turned. He's at the dealer right now with the check engine light on and his DPF plugged. He idles his truck but he says it will not maintain heat even with the fast idle, I think this is part of the problem along with not being able to drive the truck hard enough to complete the DPF regeneration cycle.

 

My pickup would "make oil" when i still had my emissions stuff on. it would be one quart over after 5000 miles. the engine would run fine, but it made oil. After the deletes it doesn't make oil anymore.

 

Thanks Guys! I hadn't thought of an injector. The oil level has been solid until a week ago when it was high. I'll check for fuel and let you know.

 

This is a common occurrence on the 6.7L engines. The reason is when the regen is taking place the software program calls for an injection burn in the exhaust. This added burn is needed to burn off the soot that has accumulated in the DPF. This can occur as little as once in 700 miles if all highway driving or as many times as required in 300 miles in city driving. The extra fuel that is un-burnt during the regen process will find its way back into the engine oil. As long as the fuel percentage is under 5% than your engine is operating normal.
Do a search in the 3rd gen forum under the 6.7L engine for making oil to read more on this subject.
Jim W.

 

Thanks Jim, good explanation on what causes 'normal' for making oil. The OP was estimating 2 quarts over, which is about 16%, and seemed to come all of a sudden. Blackstone will send him a free test kit if that is where he wants to go with this. Many folks on this site use their services.

 

Thanks Guys! Real education!

 

Jim is spot on. The 4th injection event for regen is what causes the cylinder wash and growing oil. Deleted trucks with tuners do not have any issues with this. Because, the way that the regen function is deactivated, is by shutting off the 4th injection event.

Win win

 

Is there a way to turn off the forth event without doing the whole delete thing. I really would love to delete, but Illinois envirowackos are screaming for full state wide inspections. If I could sell my place, I'd move back to Texas in the morning.

Larry

 

Why is it that my 2012 VW Golf TDI with DPF, EGR and no DEF has beautiful golden oil with 10K oil change intervals? I don't get where the difference is. Honestly, I don't know if the TDI has a fifth injector so the cylinders are not washed down, but that's really the only reason I can think of that they might be so dramatically different. Seems like that change would be a no-brainer for Cummins!

 

On the big Cummins ISX 14 liter engine that's exactly how it's done. There is an injector just ahead of the DPF. However, I expected that the cooled EGR was what was doing most of the dirty work. So much for that theory.....

 

Correct me if I'm wrong (not unusual!), but don't the EGR/DEF systems and the DPF deal with different pollutants? NOx is minimized by the EGR reducing cylinder temps and the DEF using ammonia as a catalyst to lower NOx while the DPF's sole function is to capture particulates and hold them until the regen burns them off as something other than soot?
I kind of liken our diesel emissions situation to the gasoline emissions situation of the mid 70s. We are in the infancy, but progress is being made. I don't think anyone would disagree that gas motor emissions today are WAYYY less obstructive to performance and efficiency. 500+HP from the factory? Lower emissions at something like 1/1000? I may be sticking my head in the sand a bit, but with heavy equipment and trucking at stake, I think many bright minds are working to advance our cause as we speak!