Could someone please tell me where my oil is going?? Last oil change was about 4k ago with Valvoline Blue and a Wix gold Filter. Checked oil this morning after truck had sat overnight on level ground. Pulled the stick and nothing, did it again, same result. Truck does not leak, has good oil pressure, anti-freeze looks good, no oil underneath, it does have a little blow-by and there is 147k miles on motor. I do have a oily residue on my exhaust tip that does not easily remove with soap and water. I run a 200:1 ratio of 2 stroke oil(TCW3) in my fuel, not sure if that could cause the residue. Could the turbo be blowing the oil out? Any ideas from the great minds?? Please guide me.

check least invasive first: oil sheen in coolant? (would lead to oil cooler in rad) oil residue in turbo hose? leaks in filter housing?

Turbo seals are leaking... It would be pumping the oil into the exhaust pipe. As for 2 cycle oil no it will not leave a oily residue on the tip of the exhaust pipe because its completely consumed in the burn.Another thought... Are you having issues starting?

no starting issues, starts after three or four turns of motor. I have no sheen in anti-freeze, or visible leaks anywhere. How can i be positive it is the seals in turbo, tell-tell signs. Thanks for the replies!!

Some say you can see the oil coming out the back of the turbo. The housing will be wet looking after like starting up driving easy and shutting down... But that's the best I can give...

I'm sorry guys; but, if he's losing that much oil in 4k miles............IMHO, it's none of the above.If'n he was losing it that fast in the turbo, valve guides, etc., he'd have major "Blue Smoke" out the tail pipe. I get just an occasional drip from my vent tube; but I never see "smoke or steam" out of the vent tube. With the Valvoline Premium Blue engine oil I run now, I get a lot more "Oil Smell" from the front of the truck.............but I've got no leaks and am maintaining consistant oil level.When I had that front "gear cover gasket" leak, it coated the bottom, passenger side and rear of my truck...........as well as the front of my trailer!!!To the OP............are you the original owner of this truck????? If not, do you know how the previous owner "kept" this turck???I think we need more info..............and not saying the OP hasn't given us any............this one is confusing.

I am not the original owner, and do not know the history. I do have some blowby out the tube on bottom of motor, and it does steam or smoke but not excessively. I have not noticed any oil around the turbo. Could my rings be hot? What about the ccv, could it be plugged causing some funky issue?

I am not the original owner, and do not know the history. I do have some blowby out the tube on bottom of motor, and it does steam or smoke but not excessively. I have not noticed any oil around the turbo. Could my rings be hot? What about the ccv, could it be plugged causing some funky issue?

There is a CCV filter under the plastic cover on top of the valve cover under the hood. It's possivle this is shot, but I've read of trucks with 10x the mileage never replacing this "filter"!!!! My guess would be the pistons rings or valve guides as of now!! If'n it were the turbo, wouldn't it smoke nasty upon cold start up???

Open the oil fill cap and rest it on the hole with the motor running. Is there a lot of pressure?Heavy towing lately?I know Micheal doesn't think so, but my exhaust was stickier when I ran a low dose of 2-stroke on my 05. It's back to normal soot now that I don't run it.

I tried the oil cap thing within the last week, there was not enough pressure to make cap dance or move. I have towed heavy within the last couple of weeks. Only twenty miles to and from campground. Steep and really steep hill to get home. Camper weighs about 9500 or so. I am ready to go crazy, on vacation with family, all I can think about is my truck. No, I am not driving it.

I would add the oil back to the full mark and drive it. Check it every few miles for a while to see how quick it's going down. Did the dipstick tube come loose from the block?

I am assuming by every few miles u are meaning, in the morning before leave for work, and the afternoon when i head home. It's about a 10 mile drive

I think he means more like once a day at those milages. I would check it with the truck setting on level ground cold.It takes awhile for the oil to completely drain back into the pan after driving.

Yeah with mileage like that I would check it every morning, so the oil is at the same temp. I just wouldn't get in it and go 500 miles with the trailer hooked up without a stop or two to check it until you know the usage rate.

One good thing is you're reporting you don't have excess crank case pressure... that's progress.

I don't know much about the 01's; but, does the engine have the crankcase vented to atmosphere? I thought the systems were closed with a positive crankcase ventilation system. If it is a closed system, then what is the smoking tube?Try two things.1 can you put a thin layered rag secured to the vent tube and drive it under load to see if excessive oil is coming from it.2 Look post turbo but prior to the intake to see if there is an oil residue, there should be none in the intake system.

Thanks for all the replies! I will do more checks when I get back from the beach. what causes excess crankcase pressure, what is it, and what damage can it cause?

All engines have blow by (there has to be some clearance or the pistons wouldn't move). Excessive blow by could be caused by worn rings, cylinder wear, damaged pistons. Diesels don't have a throttle plate, don't make vacume. There is a vacume pump which mounts to the block behind the PS pump. A bad seal on the vacume pump could pressurize the crankcase. Later models have an electric powered vacume pump, off engine. Not sure when the change over occured. Consider the possibility of tappet cover leakage as well...

Where is the tappet cover located on a 2003? Okay, don't answer that question, suffering from analysis paralysis.

Tappet cover is same place on all Cummins, behind the freakin IP on the driver's side. Hopefully you can inspect without removing the IP. Guys end up removing the injection pump if the gasket needs replacing.

Tappet cover is same place on all Cummins, behind the freakin IP on the driver's side. Hopefully you can inspect without removing the IP. Guys end up removing the injection pump if the gasket needs replacing.

Great call Russ. One that was overlooked by everyong!!!