How much oil is normal to burn between oil changes?

Enoch · Apr 23, 2014

Last time I changed my oil I was 7qrts low. This time I had trouble on the hwy, it lost power, so I took it to get checked out and the only thing they could find wrong with it, is it was a gallon low on oil.
It has no leaks, very little blow by and I change the oil about every 5-6k miles. The only thing that is really done to the truck is I upgraded to the Garrett Powermax GTP38R turbo, Motorcraft AIS and an SCT tuner.

Is this normal to burn this much for a 7.3l with 280k miles between oil changes?

ToMang07 · Apr 23, 2014

I'd say mine burns/leaks a quart ~3,000 miles. I add a gallon or so over a 12,000 oil change interval. Definitely make sure it's NOT getting that (gallon+) low, it WILL damage internals.

Enoch · Apr 23, 2014

Yeah, definitely wasn't my intention. I really had no reason to think I would be that low on oil with no leaks and changing that frequent.
But will be checking every 1k miles from now on.
Only thing I really do different is drive it about 150+ miles a day now.

ToMang07 · Apr 23, 2014

I noticed that mine seemed to lose it quicker at highway speeds. Sitting, it has almost no drip-leak spots. But if you get under it, it's clear there is a leak/seep somewhere. So I'm not 100% if it's leak or burn, but it does lose oil at the rate I mentioned earlier.

ju015dd · Apr 23, 2014

Enoch said:
Last time I changed my oil I was 7qrts low. This time I had trouble on the hwy, it lost power, so I took it to get checked out and the only thing they could find wrong with it, is it was a gallon low on oil.
It has no leaks, very little blow by and I change the oil about every 5-6k miles. The only thing that is really done to the truck is I upgraded to the Garrett Powermax GTP38R turbo, Motorcraft AIS and an SCT tuner.

Is this normal to burn this much for a 7.3l with 280k miles between oil changes?

More than likely it is your injector Orings. Have injectors every been out?

CurtisF · Apr 23, 2014

ju015dd said:
More than likely it is your injector Orings. Have injectors every been out?

^^^^^^ This.

Check your fuel bowl and see if there's oil in the fuel.

ghohouston · Apr 23, 2014

Enoch said:
Is this normal to burn this much for a 7.3l with 280k miles between oil changes?

You running some space age oil that mever has to be changed? Lol, never heard of a 280k mile interval.
All kidding aside, you're injector o rings are probably done for. That's the easiest check anyways, if your fuel filter looks black, and the fuel in the bowl does too, its the injector o rings.

d7es3l · Apr 24, 2014

I go through about 1qt every 3,000

golfer · Apr 24, 2014

Enoch said:
Last time I changed my oil I was 7qrts low. This time I had trouble on the hwy, it lost power, so I took it to get checked out and the only thing they could find wrong with it, is it was a gallon low on oil.
It has no leaks, very little blow by and I change the oil about every 5-6k miles. The only thing that is really done to the truck is I upgraded to the Garrett Powermax GTP38R turbo, Motorcraft AIS and an SCT tuner.

Is this normal to burn this much for a 7.3l with 280k miles between oil changes?

that's pretty excessive...

I'd recommend to run a compression test on the engine.

Dan V · Apr 24, 2014

golfer said:
that's pretty excessive...

I'd recommend to run a compression test on the engine.

I just did a compression check on mine. high 380, low 365....New injectors from PIS. Just completed a 1600 mile trip from Mpls to Ellensburg WA. When I left, I topped the oil off...it has 2500 on the oil....When I arrive, I check the oil, down two qts. That's 1qt/800 miles.

Doesn't seem to be a turbo shaft seal. What about valve stem seals? Thoughts?

Bobs 7.3 · Apr 24, 2014

Did you check and see if the fuel filter is black with color?

Enoch · Apr 24, 2014

ToMang07 said:
I noticed that mine seemed to lose it quicker at highway speeds. Sitting, it has almost no drip-leak spots. But if you get under it, it's clear there is a leak/seep somewhere. So I'm not 100% if it's leak or burn, but it does lose oil at the rate I mentioned earlier.

Yeah since we moved all I do is mostly hwy driving now. Never had this living in the city with a short commute.

Well I made a mistake and the last oil change was over 8k miles, which I didn't realize I've driven that much since Jan.

I have not checked the fuel filter yet, but will in the next couple days when I change it. Last time I change it, it was clear, no oil, hopefully it will be clear this time too.
Are injector o-rings a pricey fix?

ToMang07 · Apr 24, 2014

8x http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/alliant-injector-o-rings/

http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/oem-fuel-filter-99-03/

Lang · Apr 25, 2014

Can you guys post up a pick of your fuel filter? My filter is dark when I change it, doesn't have any oil in the bowl though. New o-rings w/injectors 15k ago

ghohouston · Apr 25, 2014

It will look like used motor oil has been going through it...

lincolnlocker · Apr 25, 2014

Enoch said:
Yeah, definitely wasn't my intention. I really had no reason to think I would be that low on oil with no leaks and changing that frequent.
But will be checking every 1k miles from now on.
Only thing I really do different is drive it about 150+ miles a day now.

I would be checking it daily.

ghohouston said:
You running some space age oil that mever has to be changed? Lol, never heard of a 280k mile interval.
All kidding aside, you're injector o rings are probably done for. That's the easiest check anyways, if your fuel filter looks black, and the fuel in the bowl does too, its the injector o rings.

that is the way I read it the first time too.. I think he missed a comma..

golfer said:
that's pretty excessive...

I'd recommend to run a compression test on the engine.

OP, Listen and read everything you can when this guy posts^^^^^..

Dan V said:
I just did a compression check on mine. high 380, low 365....New injectors from PIS. Just completed a 1600 mile trip from Mpls to Ellensburg WA. When I left, I topped the oil off...it has 2500 on the oil....When I arrive, I check the oil, down two qts. That's 1qt/800 miles.

Doesn't seem to be a turbo shaft seal. What about valve stem seals? Thoughts?

maybe a knicked oring on install.. possibly stem seals.. I had a motor with around the 300-320psi of compression mark and only burned a quart every 2500miles. Not sure but I thought internationals spec was a half a quart or a quart of oil burned in 2500-3k miles..

ghohouston said:
It will look like used motor oil has been going through it...

live life full throttle

Enoch · Apr 27, 2014

Changed oil and fuel filter, no oil in the bowl or on filter at all.
As I said I made a mistake and it has been over 8k mi. since last oil change.
The time before was a wild guess, trying to gauge from filling 2 empty 5qrt Motorcraft bottles with old oil. lol

lincolnlocker · Apr 27, 2014

Enoch said:
Changed oil and fuel filter, no oil in the bowl or on filter at all.
As I said I made a mistake and it has been over 8k mi. since last oil change.
The time before was a wild guess, trying to gauge from filling 2 empty 5qrt Motorcraft bottles with old oil. lol

Keep a log book so that chit dont happen anymore!!

live life full throttle

TyCorr · Apr 27, 2014

Don't be embarrassed to put a Damn yellow sticky note on your dash. If you have one of those fancy smartphones you can set reminders to do shti like that. My cts has provisions to schedule maintenance but I had the truck ten years before that, so I was kinda set in my ways.

I tried to rely on pure brain power but after 30 it's hard. Or rather you're pulled too many directions. Trying to remember when the kids martial arts payments are due, when tall sign up is. All that while being your best at work. I have a sweet Samsonite zip up binder with a calculator and note pad inside it. It really keeps my daily records together. I even have a little zip pouch to keep shti in.

Good luck getting this figured out. Hope you're records can be more helpful here out!

lincolnlocker · Apr 28, 2014

Hell, I even log how much DEF and how many miles driven I put in the new truck. I even log when I drain the h2o/fuel separator.

live life full throttle