What is "normal" oil consumption for a 12.7 DD with 740,xxx miles on it?

Howdy All,

I have just returned from a 6,024 mile trip and am wondering what the normal oil use is on the DD 12.7 engine with 740,xxx miles on it.

I checked the oil before I started the truck each day that I drove it, I am NOT a commercial driver I use this truck to tow a large toy hauler so it will sit for days, weeks, months between use however this trip was done within a months time. At the morning oil check it never seemed to much lower then a quart, so I did NOT add any oil, at the end of the trip it appears to have used between 3-and 4 quarts of oil in 6,024 miles. Is this good, bad or normal? Thanks for any information you can share.

Dave

 

That is OK. oil use for your truck, only add oil when it gets over 1 gal. low. past 2ed line on dip/stick.

 

It is my understand that Oil should not be consumed. If the engine is working correctly you should not have to add oil to an engine between Preventive maintenance. However, leaks and such do happen and leave an engine sitting is hard on it. So, adding a gallon after 6,000 plus miles seems to be okay. If you were using the truck all the time, I would be concerned.

 

And what oil you use can have a factor in this. Some oils have higher NOACK, or burn off rates than others. The data sheets on the oil can tell you what the NOACK of the oil is. Some are 13%, some as low as 7%. The additive package in an oil can make a difference also.

According to Detroit themselves on the Series 60, a quart per 1500 miles is in the top of "normal". Less than that is considered very low oil consumption. So, your gallon in 6000 miles is considered right at the top end of the normal category and just about into the very low category, according to the Series 60 Owners Manual. The manual considers "normal" clear down to 1 quart in 700 miles, or 1 gallon in 2800 miles, then you start to get into slightly high territory. This is on page 56 of the Series 60 owners manual I am looking at right now.

In other words. No worries. Also, make sure you are waiting for 15-20 minutes after engine shutdown to get a true reading on the stick. Considering that your engine does a lot of sitting, it is possible that oil consumption would be a little more when you run it than those that run their engines regularly.

 

Howdy All,

Thanks for the quick replies. This engine does leak a bit but I would assume that most engines do, it never leaves a puddle under it nor is anything noticbly running out of any gasket surface. There is no noticeable smoke when the engine is running, I am getting 8.2-8.9 mpg at an average speed of 63mph dragging a 38 foot trailer grossing 18,000 lbs so the truck sure seems to be running well. I have only been using this truck for about 10,000 miles so I am still getting to know how it runs and what its needs are. Just wished I had gone down this road years ago instead of wasting three times what I paid for this truck on a Dodge one ton dually.

Dave

 

Now that looks like the killer thing to do! Great setup! Now I know what to do with my 2013 Columbia glider truck with a 2000 pre-egr 12.7 Series 60 in a few years when it comes time to walk away from trucking! All I would have to do is chop off an axle and shorten the frame a little and go with something similar to what you are doing. Thanks for starting the thread!

 

Sometimes it depends on the oil used.

 

Howdy Cowpie1,

I pulled the toy hauler for 3years with my Dodge, should have listened to my friend Bruce who had been pulling his large toy hauler with a Volvo for the last 5 years. My Dodge would do the job but it was working hard while doing it, I got tired of driving with one eye on the road and the other one glued to the pyro. The Freightshaker gets better fuel mileage, is way more comfortable and quieter as well as being cheaper to insure as it is now a legally registered "Motor home". Here in the Peoples Republik of Washington, if you can sleep in it, cook in it, and it has bathroom facility's it can be registered as an RV, so my rig is now registered as a 2002 Freightliner, 27 foot long motor home.

Dave

 

Hey, that Freightshakers WAY bigger than a Ural!
Will look up your piccys, havnt read about your exploits in a long while...

Y'all take care.
Krashdragon.... now driving a straight truck instead of sitting at home reading others adventures on advrider.com

 

Howdy Krashdragon,

I have been doing a lot with the Urals over the last few years, been to Europe, went down under a while back and am now gallivanting around the USA again. Its a dirty, rotten, thankless waste of ones life but someone has to do it. :smt023

Dave