I am losing oil bad! I have no leaks.

I think it's burning it off somewhere. I am about 3-4 quarts low every 3000 miles.

Where do I start??!

I noticed that on the engine there is a small tube that is giving off smoke that looks like exhaust. Maybe that is it?

I have a stock 2006 5.9L 2500.

Someone help!

 

Get an oil sample and sent it to Blackstone Labs that would help see what is inside the motor. The other thing I can think of is the turbo spewing oil in the exhaust.

 

That's just a crankcase vent. You would know it if that were it. You'd see all the oil nearby. Most likely it's getting pulled in thru a turbo seal.

 

Be advised that if it is pulling oil into the turbo through a bad seal, it WILL treat the oil as FUEL and you could end up with a runaway engine.

You will NOT be able to shut it off unless you cut off the air supply somehow. One method that might work is a fire extinguisher into the intake.

On the older trucks there was a gap around the passenger side head light that allows air to flow into the stock air filter system, this would be the place you could discharge a fire extinguisher if the engine is running away.... I do not know if the 2006 is the same way but a quick look at it should tell you.

If you have an aftermarket air filter system, this will not help you unless it gets it's air supply from the fender as the stock system does.

I tell you this as an emergency situation ONLY...Best thing to do is DO NOT DRIVE the truck until you find out where the oil is going. If you have never witnessed a run away diesel, it is something you do not want to see unless you are out of the vehicle and behind a concrete wall a good distance away...they will indeed turn so fast that they can and will come apart.

 

One other method is to put it in a high gear if it's a standard and stall the engine.

 

Pull off the oil cap with engine running

See if it pulses smooth and regular

If there is one out of time pulse then it is time to pull the head and have a look because you have a piston or two with broke rings. Possibly

With excessive blowby and excessive oil consumption something is wrong

 

Displaying my ignorance here, but that amout of extra oil could start a runaway? I can see how it could but then it seems like it is too small amout of oil. Just curious. I don't mean to hyjack the thread,sorry but I'm an engineer .

 

Yes sir it sure can, lose integrity in the seals of the turbo and the oil is pushed right into the intake and into the cylinders becoming the new fuel source.

The Cummins isn't too picky about what kind of fuel it runs on, motor oil burns just fine in a hot motor and it will keep running until it runs out of oil (fuel) or air. Think about how small a shot of fuel the injectors deliver, it doesn't take much at such a high rate of compression.

 

Hey Top, I don't think he was surprised the oil would burn, rather the small amount would cause a runaway engine. If it were to do that (run away), I think I'll cause a leak in mine just to get the 3-4,000 MPG.

 

So if it's leaking into the turbo? What's an easy way to check that? As in what line of action should I take right now to find this leak!

 

I would think you would be seeing traces of oil being drawn into the engine by taking off a boot and looking for traces of it on the inside. Just before the intercooler may be a good spot

 

You can take the line off the out put from the turbo to the pre-cooler this allows you to look at the compressor outlet and check for oil. One hose clamp.