Posted 2012-11-16 10:32 AM (#148363) Subject: serious truck issue ????
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Okay so I couldnt figure out the truck forum and like this one better anyhow :) I know most of the ways a diesel can loose oil. None seem to apply to my truck. Its a 2007 Dodge 5.9 4WD auto tranny 1 ton dually 99,048 miles (24,000 when I bought it) Pacbrake installed, no chip. Full synthetic in everything. Excellent maintenance records. I checked the oil on Nov 1st and it was fine. Almost due for a change (6000 miles). We towed our rig 740 miles roundtrip that weekend. Truck sat all week at house. Saturday Nov 10th we drove it 22 miles to town and had oil changed, fuel filter, air, etc. Took our filters and synthetic oil. Same place has serviced it since we bought it 3 years ago. Drove home, everything fine and parked in garage. Truck has sat all week. Yesterday evening I went to crank it and it sorta didnt want to start. When it did, it shuddered and the speedometer needle did this weird shaking thing and the check engine light came on. I killed it. What the heck. Tried one more time, same thing, killed it immediately. Opened hood. Engine clean and looked right. I decided to pull out dipstick. There was no oil in the truck. Tip of dipstick looked like I had dipped my finger in oil and touched it to the end of it. Friend with identical truck drove up and he crawled under it and the drain plug and filter were in place and he said the underneath and engine and all was clean, no oil. Top of engine all looked clean. Looked in tail pipe and it was dry and clean, no oil. Truck had not smoked. This truck has never burned a drop of oil and never given us a minutes trouble. So I think the mechanic got distracted or something and simply didnt pour all the oil in the truck. What do you guys think? I put in a call to the shop owner and he has sent his best mechanic out to our home today to look over the truck. I am waiting to hear back.
Posted 2012-11-16 11:03 AM (#148367 - in reply to #148363) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
You wouldn't been able to drive your truck, more than a limited amount without any installed oil. The engine would have quickly lost power and seized, before any significant distance was covered.
It sounds as if the correct amount of oil was not replaced before it left the shop, and the minimal amount that was added, was only enough to get you home.
The available oil should be immediately drained. It and the oil filter should be inspected for metal contamination. This will determine if any mechanical internal damage was done to the motor. If any metal is found, the amount and type will determine if the engine should be simply flushed and refilled, or if further mechanical inspections and maintenance should be first effected.
IMHO, I would not start the motor or drive the vehicle, until any possible internal damage is fully assessed by the careful inspection of a knowledgeable, certified mechanic. I would not soley trust the views of an oil change business, the person who may have short changed the oil installation, or a business owner who may be trying to limit his liability. Just adding more oil to the "full" mark, will not repair any potential and expensive, internal damage.
Posted 2012-11-16 12:54 PM (#148369 - in reply to #148363) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Thank you Gard so much for your insight. This is not just an oil change place. It is a private owned mechanic shop as well and they have done alot of work for us. They arent a specific diesel shop, but I believe this mechanic worked at the Dodge dealership prior. We know the owner well and I dont think he would shirk responsibility. If the truck warrants it, it will go on to the dealership or a certified diesel repair shop. I just kind of needed someone to affirm my thoughts that something didnt just happen, but they simply did not put the whole 12 quarts of oil in the truck. Due to the truck shuddering I am inclined to think something is ruined.
Posted 2012-11-16 1:33 PM (#148371 - in reply to #148369) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: Farmington, IL 61531
It sounds to me like you have a problem with the high pressure oil system that fires the injectors, I suspect your oil that is missing is probably laying in one or two of your cylinders and has not made it to the tail pipe yet. Pull the exhaust down pipe off the turbo. Only other thing I would suspect is the oil seal in the turbo let loose and the oil is in the exhaust system and not yet made it out the tail pipe because you had the good judgement to shut the truck off when you sensed something was wrong.
Posted 2012-11-17 11:45 AM (#148391 - in reply to #148363) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: high desert, CA.
This could be a case where the mechanic did NOT realize that diesels need 12-13 quarts to fill the crankcase. If he only put the 4-5 quarts in the crankcase like a gasser....well you just bought a 4000-5000 dollar engine. Don't you have an EGT gauge? That would probably show if the turbo bearing let go, and sucked the crankcase dry. Many folks don't realize also that you need to let a turbo spin down and cool before shutting down. That is why many folks have a timer to shut the engine down after you leave the truck.
Posted 2012-11-18 4:05 PM (#148410 - in reply to #148371) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Veteran
Posts: 264 Location: Sumas Washington
Originally written by Paul D on 2012-11-16 11:33 AM
It sounds to me like you have a problem with the high pressure oil system that fires the injectors, I suspect your oil that is missing is probably laying in one or two of your cylinders and has not made it to the tail pipe yet. Pull the exhaust down pipe off the turbo. Only other thing I would suspect is the oil seal in the turbo let loose and the oil is in the exhaust system and not yet made it out the tail pipe because you had the good judgement to shut the truck off when you sensed something was wrong.
Hope this helps, Paul
The Cummins Common Rail system does not use high pressure engine oil to fire the injectors. This is only used on Cat and International engines.
Posted 2012-11-19 8:41 AM (#148431 - in reply to #148363) Subject: RE: serious truck issue ????
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Well I knew you guys would want to know. Mechanic showed up and oil showed on dipstick. Now before you think I am a nut, I checked it 3 times and I do know how :) and my friend that showed up to fix our home heating unit also checked it. I have done some research and dont know why but its not uncommon for the oil to not show up properly on the dipstick, then just show up. Anyhow it did have the correct 12 quarts of oil in it and it did have the check engine light on. The mechanic ran the diagnostics and it showed a ECM/PCM error code. I know for the last few weeks it would beep and tell me it was low in wiper washer fluid and it was not and the washer fluid motor works fine. So it is now at the Dodge dealership where we bought it getting checked out because it isnt normal for the check engine light to come on:) It cranked and ran like a top the 50 miles to the dealership. So hopefully its something simple. We do have extended warranty, and hopefully Wednesday we will be on our way to our holiday camping/riding destination with good friends. If its not fixed then I guess the old 2001 Dodge 3/4 ton Cummins will just have to pitch in cause I'm not missing our annual Thanksgiving camping trip.
Thanks guys for all the input.
serious truck issue ????
