Disappearing Oil And Hard Cold Starts

Whiskey · **Posted:** Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:12 pm

Hi guys,

I'm new to this so please bare with me.

My Liberty is an 06 CRD, elephant hose mod, cleaned the MAP sensor about 3000 miles ago.

I checked my oil yesterday and it was below the low line, so of course I put a quart in and it brought it up just above the halfway between the "high" and "low" marks. Now normally this wouldn't alarm me a massive amount for a vehicle with 161,000 miles on it but since I just put a quart in the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving, that makes me REALLY worried. I'm new to diesels so I'm not sure were to look for places it would leak out of or signs that it's being burned. Doing some reading I know to be looking for smoke coming out of the tail pipe, which is kind of hard to do right now because it's been quite cold for the last 2-3 weeks (+9 to -16, plus wind chill) up here on the north end of nowhere. So when ever I start up I'm getting what I think is just vapor coming out of the pipe. Whatever it is it's white and dissipates pretty quickly. I checked the elephant hose today and besides being caked in sludge it was clear. When I pulled the hose off the CCV the vent puked out sludge (or oil it's hard to tell the difference at 6 degrees) at a steady rate for maybe 5 minutes, is that normal? When it was warmer out I didn't see this oil use issue, is it possible that the cold is what's causing it?

While I'm at it has anyone had to cold start their CRD in the temperatures I'm talking about here? The same day before Thanksgiving that I added the oil I could not get the engine to fire, it was probably around 9 degrees with 20-30 mph wind. I ended up getting a jump and finally got it started and since then I have been parking between our buildings to try to keep the wind at bay and going out at breaks and lunch to fire it up for a while and keep things as warm as I can. The other day wasn't able to make it out for during morning break and when I went out to start it at lunch time it wouldn't play ball (temp -10 or so). So I tried again at afternoon break and it kicked right over (temp -4).

Anyone have any ideas?

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:44 am

Use your block heater. Seriously. Also you may need a battery and/or an alternator.

Your hose mod is causing you to lose some oil, but it shouldn't be as much as you are describing, nowhere near.

The first place I would look, having had everything apart, is by the turbo oil line. Also take the intake hose off of your turbo and check the shaft for any play in any direction. If your turbo goes and shats out all your oil, you'll be in dire straits way too fast to be of any help.

Whiskey · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:49 am

I'll get some breakfast here and hope it warms up a little outside, and go look at the turbo.

I use the block heater every night and keep a trickle charger on the battery, but unfortunately I don't have that option at work. I took the vehicle to NAPA after I had problems starting it in November and they tested both the battery and alternator and said they were fine.

ColoradoCRD · **Joined:** Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:25 am **Posts:** 60

In addition to the block heater, you probably need anti-gel additive to treat your fuel as temperatures approach or fall below 0F.

This last significant cold snap was the coldest and longest cold spell since I bought my 2005 CRD with night time temperatures falling to -10 to -17F for 5 days. When the temp first went below -10F I seemed to have enough juice to turn the engine over but it would not start. After several days and daytime temps exceeding 20F, I got the engine to start temporarily. It turned over easily but obviously wasn't getting fuel. For several days more I couldn't start it until I finally figured out I needed to reprime at the fuel filter, and bingo, a quick start!

The moral of the story is get anti gel into the system before a cold snap. I use white PowerService. Once fuel gels, the only solution is warmth.

On the oil, there are threads that describe fast oil loss when filling to the "full" level. General advice is fill to the halfway point.

Whiskey · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:09 pm

I've been using PowerService faithfully since probably early November, long before we got all this cold. Every fill up gets some when I get back to my apartment and the places I get my fuel from have charts right on the pump as to what date they increase their anti gel additive and change their #1 and #2 diesel ratios and what temps they are supposed to be good to. I need to get fuel today so I'll check what the pump says, but a old chart I found is saying "Dec 15--80%--- 80/20 (uses 50% #1) -40" and before that is -30. Right now it's -13, it's gone up 2 degrees since I got up at 9 and I'm sure it was even colder over night.

As far as the oil level goes, unless the dipstick marks are in the wrong places I'm only filling it to the halfway point.

Whiskey · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:17 pm

Tried to get the intake hose off and couldn't. I went to pull the air box out to give myself some more space to work with and the cold grommets would not let it go. It's supposed to get up in the 20's the next few days so I'll try again. After that I put everything back together and went and filled up, had my Torque engine monitoring app running while driving and was making 17 lbs of boost when I put my foot into it a little. Hopefully tomorrow after work I can have someone run the accelerator for me so I can try to take a listen to the turbo above idle. Can anyone describe what their turbo sounds like? I know what a typical turbo on a semi, Duramax or Cummins sounds like, does this Garrett on ours sound any different?

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:28 pm

I put on a conical filter and it sounds different than the larger turbos. Sounds smaller and like its really working to move that air.

tech57 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:38 am

Whiskey - a few members here at Lost have reported the MIN or ADD line on the dipstick is full capacity for their CRD.
Next time you change the oil, use a stock capacity oil filter (not oversized) add the oil quantity specified in the Owner's Manual.
After starting the engine to verify no leaks, shut it off and after about 5 minutes check the oil level.
Yours might be one of the CRD's which the ADD mark is actually the FULL mark.
Our VM 2.8's really blow through oil when filled over capacity.

joelukex4 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:54 pm **Posts:** 386

Whiskey- If you have the opportunity, I would not use it for work where it sits for long periods of time. My son is up there with his Cherokee and it is difficult to start when 20 below. Keep it plugged in and use it where you can plug in at your destination.

It is going to warm up this week, high in the 20's but then back into the cellar.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:09 am

Accuracy of the oil dipstick or lack of varies between vehicles. Actual full fill capacities are 6.3 qts with a stock size filter or after market like the WIX 51516 or 7 qts with an oversize filter like the WIX 51515. Do one of those fills and check your stick. Of course amount of time sitting for the oil to drain and slope you are parked on matter also.

NAPA sells essentially the same filters with similar part numbers but stick with NAPA Gold ones not the cheaper ones. I have no personal opinion but a number of folks don't like Fram filters.

Another filter option is the Mobil 1 M1-211 but I don't know if it's the stock size or larger.

Disappearing Oil And Hard Cold Starts

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