Ive got an 06 5.9 cummins auto, owned it for a little over a year now.   First 5k miles, it used a little bit of oil, maybe top of safe to middle section, so lets say 1.5 quarts?.  I have a leaking front crank seal(only visible oil leak), so I assumed it to be that.  I didnt care, wasnt using enough for me to worry at this point.

Previous owner had no issues, and was using Lucas long drain 15w-40 synthetic.  I changed the oil back in april to Rotella T6(5w-40) since the lucas stuff wasnt available in the area I lived.  Truck started mysteriously consuming more oil, no leaks visible anywhere on engine.  I havent done a proper compression check on it, but the ones you can do in your garage(oil cap test, and checking crank case breather), and both of those check out, no smoke, no air bubbles, and this is with a hot engine idling at 1500rpm.

I have fulled the charge air cooler boot in front of the turbo and it's bone dry.  Engine has amazing power, and starts in -30C degree wheather with no block heater without a problem.

Towards the end of the summer, I started loosing a lot of oil. maybe 2+ quarts every 500 miles.  The only thing I've noticed with the increase in oil consumption is that when I hit the accelerator with the window open it stunk like rotella t6 from the engine compartment(not the exhaust), a really strong smell of it.

 

With that said I can only assume I would see blue smoke with that much oil consumption if it were rings?  I have a turbo back exhaust so there no cat to catch any form of smoke. 

 

I spoke to the cummins tech at the dealer and he mentioned trying using 15w-40 Valvoline Premium Blue, which is the original oil for this engine, and run it for awhile watching the oil level before coming in for any expensive tests.

I have so far put on 150 or so miles and havent seen the oil level go down noticibly, my only concern with doing this is that I'm now running a 15W oil when temps can get below -30 here.. so I'm expecting to see harder starting this winter..Thinking of getting an oil pan heater, but I would much rather fix whatever is causing the oil consumption and go back to the 5W oil...

 

I've also checked the coolant for oil, and it's clean.

Transmission fluid is also clean

 

Any ideas as to what the problem is?  My only recourse at this point would be a compression and leakdown test in the event that the problem really is rings without smoke... or could I just be losing THAT MUCH oil from my front crank seal?  

 

Additionally the only problem I have had with the engine so far is that one day it threw a hole bunch of codes at me, FCA circuit open, fuel rail pressure too high, the limp mode code and #1 cylinder misfire. It turned out that the FCA wiring harness had come lose somehow, so I cleaned the contacts, and plugged it back in, did the same with the valve cover gasket wiring harness, I shot some electro contact cleaner in there and plugged them back in.  Those codes to this day have not come back, but during that time the engine ran like a bag of crap and belched out smoke like it was running on super overfuel, not sure if the smoke was blue or black, as it didn't last for more than a minute or two.

Edited December 23, 201311 yr by Joe989

After rereading your posts I do not think you understand oil terminology.  Forget about the 1st number, the actual weight of the oil is the second number.

 

10w30 / 0w30 / 5w30 is 30 wt oil

5w40 / 10w40 / 15w40 is 40 wt oil

5w20 / 10w20  is 20 wt oil

so on an so forth.

 

get the point now?

 

Unless you run fully loaded in 70*+f temps all day every day a 30 weight oil is 100% acceptable unless you run syn then you would have no worries at all.

 

The wives tales / miss information and such about synthetic oils are mind boggling to say the least. Synthetic oil gives superior unmatched performance in extreme heat and use conditions more than it does with cold starts.

Edited December 24, 201311 yr by Wild and Free

When I ran a 30wt synthetic I didn't run as heavy as I do now, and did a lot more empty driving, my UOA showed more wear than I have ever seen with 40wt synthetic and more hp/towing. They do work for some people, but not for me.

I would just start by putting some 15w40 back in and see where you sit, if you havent already. I have seen some weird stuff happen when switching oils, even if its the same viscosity. My dad did some experimenting in the old Kenworth. He is running a CAT 400 hp and it will go through a quart every 1000 miles if he used rotella but not burn a drop with delo 400. Both were a 15w40. Go figure.

Edited December 26, 201311 yr by Ilikeoldfords

I personally don't get wrapped up with all the hype of synthetic oils. I look at what standard the engine needs to meet and for lubrication and give it that. So if the API Standard calls for CI-4 or CJ-4 engine oils that what it needs. As for weight of oil this gets rather messy but the first number xxW with the W stands for winter or (cold start) this is viscosity the oil will behave like at cold temps. The second number is the viscosity of the oil when at normal operation temperature. 

 

More here. (Attached file)

engineoilguide_march2010.pdf

I like synthetic for a couple of reasons, it clings better so dry starts aren't as hard and has better high temperature stability which is good for modified engines. Even my new Dino 15w-40 Premium Blue builds oil pressure slower than used Amsoil 15w-40, the quicker the pressure the better.

 

I also prefer to run a CI oil, and I don't believe there are any dino CI oils left. Dino CJ-4 oil is barely adequate on ZDDP for flat tappet cams, and some of the cheaper CJ's just don't cut it.

 

The OEM fill is now synthetic as well.

 

Something I thought was interesting is that the bottle of Valvoline Premium Blue says it's approved for 5,000 miles on Cummins yet the Cummins change interval is longer??? Premium Blue is a formulation developed with Cummins.

 

I will be running Premium Blue for the first 9K miles on the motor, with a ZDDP additive, and then switch back to Amsoil AME CI-4+ oil.

Pretty hard to find a new vehicle that has Dino oil in it anymore, most major mfgs run synthetic or syn blend and most recommend or require it anymore.

 

My BIL had a newer GMC Acadia that had been on an amsoil diet since its first oil change and the dealer started offering dirt cheap service programs so he just had them do the service, he switched back to Dino and it started swalloing about a quart every 500 miles, dealer documented for a couple service intervals but would do nothing as it was within specs yet, he said enough is enough and switched it back to amsoil and oil use quit again but he was leary after that and traded it in.

Edited December 26, 201311 yr by Wild and Free

I like synthetic for a couple of reasons, it clings better so dry starts aren't as hard and has better high temperature stability which is good for modified engines. Even my new Dino 15w-40 Premium Blue builds oil pressure slower than used Amsoil 15w-40, the quicker the pressure the better.

 

I also prefer to run a CI oil, and I don't believe there are any dino CI oils left. Dino CJ-4 oil is barely adequate on ZDDP for flat tappet cams, and some of the cheaper CJ's just don't cut it.

 

The OEM fill is now synthetic as well.

 

Something I thought was interesting is that the bottle of Valvoline Premium Blue says it's approved for 5,000 miles on Cummins yet the Cummins change interval is longer??? Premium Blue is a formulation developed with Cummins.

 

I will be running Premium Blue for the first 9K miles on the motor, with a ZDDP additive, and then switch back to Amsoil AME CI-4+ oil.

I understand what you're saying here, but aren't they basing this off of filtering with the OEM FF only???  Both you, I, Mike, and others here run some type of bypass oil filter in addition to the OEM filter.  IMHO, you can at least (easily) double the change interval!!!

 

When I had my '99, I had a buddy that got me 7-8 gallons of synthetic engine oil for free.  He owed me a favor or three, and this covered it. He worked at a school bus maintenance garage, and somehow wound up with the stuff.  It was new also, not used.  I don't remember the brand now;  but the only benefit I can recall from the synthetic, was much easier cold starts in "cold weather.  I do think the engine was louder after warm up…………..even with the straight pipe.

 

Just saying.

I am not sure on the filtration, Cummins wants at least 30um full flow and 10um bypass.

 

With modern oils it is very hard to keep all the soot out of the oil, even with a bypass. Soot is generally what kills oil pre 2007, and fuel post 2007.

 

CJ oils also run a lower TBN number, because they plan on the oil being fuel diluted prior to out of TBN so why make it high TBN when it's not needed.

I like synthetic for a couple of reasons, it clings better so dry starts aren't as hard and has better high temperature stability which is good for modified engines. Even my new Dino 15w-40 Premium Blue builds oil pressure slower than used Amsoil 15w-40, the quicker the pressure the better.

 

I also prefer to run a CI oil, and I don't believe there are any dino CI oils left. Dino CJ-4 oil is barely adequate on ZDDP for flat tappet cams, and some of the cheaper CJ's just don't cut it.

 

The OEM fill is now synthetic as well.

 

Something I thought was interesting is that the bottle of Valvoline Premium Blue says it's approved for 5,000 miles on Cummins yet the Cummins change interval is longer??? Premium Blue is a formulation developed with Cummins.

 

I will be running Premium Blue for the first 9K miles on the motor, with a ZDDP additive, and then switch back to Amsoil AME CI-4+ oil.

I am wondering the same thing....I have used Series 3000 5W-30 since 35K miles with a BMK21 110 bypass filter for 03 Cummins no Cat. Now at 185K. I see it is a CI-4+ oil but thinking I need to go back up to a 5W-40 which they only offer in CJ. The reason is that I was towing about 16K + for 2 days in a row, 100 miles over the summer hauling hay and noticed it burned up about 2 qts or so. Was told by Amsoil support that I need to use 40w due to load and it was normal to burn that much. Never had that before over the years. Little concern over the CJ verses the CI. Any suggestions? Did I put my engine through un needed wear and tear?

Edited January 10, 201411 yr by CumminStrong

Amsoil AME is a 15w-40 CI-4 oil, and I think the best CI oil you can buy.

 

I ran the Series 3000 and was not impressed with the UOA compared to AME, and AME is cheaper.

 

The HDD Series 3000 is thinner, so when you are working it hard its not surprising you would burn more. The HDD does meet the Cummins requirements for running a 30wt oil, but it doesn't exceed them like the AME does.

You are referring to the 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and Marine Motor Oil, right?  I get down to about -20 ambient and a -42 wind-chill factor at times in Colorado. You think it will be ok with the thicker winter 15? I know it says -44 pour rate so on paper it sounds ok? In theory unless I get below -44 it will perform just as good as a winter 5. Let me know if I got it wrong.

 

Good to know that it is Cummins approved for a 30w. With the TBN at 12 just like the 5w-30, it would ensure it lasts just as long. I think the longest I had it in had a TBN down to 5.8 at about 36K miles.

 

I just changed everything this summer so I guess I am at least good until this coming up summer.  

Wind chill does not effect sitting oil, it cannot make the oil any colder than ambient.

 

The pour point of Rotella T6 5w-40 is also -44°F, so I would think that it would be good. If you are using a block heater it certainly won't be an issue. 

 

It's too bad they don't test the CCS at the same temp, but at -4°F the AME is a lot thinner than the T6 at -22°F. I know, not a great comparison but it's all they give us to work on.

 

I don't see too much below 0, but have been in the -20's and don't worry about a thinner oil.

Guess I wanted to make sure we are talking about the Amsoil 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and Marine Motor Oil?

 

Or the Rotella T6?

I run the AME, and don't worry about the cold weather. Above -30 it's plenty thin.

I run the AME, and don't worry about the cold weather. Above -30 it's plenty thin.

The same as I run.

Thanks Just wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing. I will be changing up to the Amsoil 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and Marine Motor Oil (AKA = AME).

 

Thinking of using the ELF filter for my high flow vs the Amsoil AE ones that cost more since I believe it is the same filter.

 

Thinking of using the ELF filter for my high flow vs the Amsoil AE ones that cost more since I believe it is the same filter.

Yes, same filter different paint.

Check out this website. http://www.filterspro.com/

a thought on oils and drain intervals.

our trucks say 7500 mile drain intervals. but these were based on CI-4 oils not CJ-4 oils. so might we be hurting things with the longer run times then should be obtained from the good CI- oils.

here in Flagstaff i'm unable to find CI-4 oils. they are all CJ-4 oils. hence why i drain at or around 5K mark. every study i can find and read pertain to the shortened drains of the CJ- oils from the CI- ones.

CJ oils typically have a lower TBN than CI oils, but the 2013 Cummins is still rated for up to 15K miles on the oil.

Yes, but my 02 does not. I'd imagine it doesn't run as clean as the new ones.

Just thoughts