Truck Driving Jobs

TomB985 · #1 10-14-2008, 09:36 PM

I just got this truck(company truck, not "mine" but...), it's an '06 KW with a 435 HP Cat ACERT C15...and it's got 435,000 miles on it. Seems to run just great. I made my first run on Sunday, a whopping 240 miles. Yesterday morning, I checked the oil, and realized it was over a gallon low! So I bought some Rotella, dumped it in, and all was well, or so I thought. I then ran about 465 miles for the day.

This morning, same thing again! In utter disbelief, I checked the oil twice, then drove it out to the fuel island, checked it a couple more times, all with the same result! Went in, bought another gallon, dumped it in, and went on my way. Called my company's road service number, and explained what was going on, and they told me that they would route me immediately to Joplin, MO to their home terminal to get it looked at.

Tonight, after a slow, 250 mile day, the oil level is right on the "add" mark again.

I have only driven for about a year now, but I've never had a truck consume anywhere close to this much oil! Obviously, something's very wrong here, and I'm very curious to see what the likely culprit is...I'm thinking a turbo, or an internal engine problem....

What do you guys think?

bob h · #2 10-18-2008, 02:12 AM

A leak that size would be quite obvious. Does it smoke during startup, idle, or hard acceleration? Check for oil/smoke from the crankcase vent tube.

GMAN · #3 10-19-2008, 04:06 PM

You may want to check to see if you have oil in the radiator.

Kranky · #4 10-19-2008, 06:45 PM

Cat did have some issues with incorrectly marked dipsticks, leading to the engine actually being overfull when the dipstick shows full.

When an engine is over filled with oil, the excess can get pushed out thru the crank seals, or burned off by getting pushed past the rings into the cylinders.

Check with a Cat engine shop and see if that may be the problem with yours.

GMAN · #5 10-20-2008, 11:06 AM

I know a shop foreman who told me that he prefers to fill the CAT engines to the add mark, which is a gallon low on the dip stick.

randyc · #6 11-04-2008, 11:06 PM

My truck does the same thing, only I can go about 1000 miles before I have to ad. I've been told that I have bad fuel injector o-rings. Check your fuel, if it has oil in it then that's what your problem is.

Roadhog · #7 11-04-2008, 11:22 PM

I've heard with Cat motors, if you change brands of oil, they will drink oil bigtime. Don't know how much truth there is to that, but I always made sure I didn't need to find out.

Rev.Vassago · #8 11-05-2008, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadhog

I've heard with Cat motors, if you change brands of oil, they will drink oil bigtime. Don't know how much truth there is to that, but I always made sure I didn't need to find out.

That holds true for all engines. I made the mistake once of using BRAND X in my Cummins engine. It drank oil like there was no tomorrow.

TomB985 · #9 11-05-2008, 12:27 PM

Well, this one hasn't been very consistent, that's why I haven't posted until now...

At 434,441 and 434,895 miles, 3 weeks ago, I added two gallons in two days...both times after I filled it up, the level on the dipstick read at the "full" mark. Since then, it used only ONE gallon, which it took at 441,978.

I don't understand...the only way I figure this could happen would be for the first day I put oil in it, it was still really low...but I checked it 3 times!!! I'm very particular about checking my oil every day...before I start the engine, unless I have to idle the thing to stay warm/cold.

BTW...the only oil my company uses is Rotella...and that's all that I've been putting into it.

Don't understand it.....:surrender: