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How Oil Consumption Affects Your Turbo Diesel’s Exhaust System

Written by Charleen

How Oil Consumption Affects Your Turbo Diesel’s Exhaust System

Mark Nyholm|

Ever wonder why engines have that long wiry thing with the small plastic handle? A.K.A. the dipstick?

“Come on, Mark, it’s for measuring proper engine oil volume,” you say.

Sure, but here’s the million-dollar question: How often should you pull the dipstick and check your oil level?

Survey the masses and you’ll find that most people only touch the dipstick after they change oil to verify the oil level. Shame on you, masses. Don’t you care about your engine? Continue reading to find out why checking oil frequently is important to protecting your engine.

All engines burn oil

Yes, they do, whether you realize it or not. It’s a natural function of lubricating the piston ring/cylinder liner interface. The rings must seal against the liner for the engine to build compression. Compression builds the horsepower we all love so much. Without that oil film, we’d turn the key, back the truck out of the garage and – BANG! – there goes your engine. Some of the oil film, however, burns with every piston stroke.

Ask yourself again: why do engine’s have a dipstick?

Is it really just to verify the proper oil level after an oil change? Or should we be checking oil more frequently as part of our daily driving routine?

Now that we know all engines burn some oil, we should ask ourselves how long it has been since we lasted checked oil. Pop the hood and pull the dipstick to ensure the engine oil level resides in the safe area on the dipstick. Top-off as needed lest you become that unfortunate person who spills coffee on himself when the engine goes BANG while backing out of the garage.

So, where is the oil going?

Maybe you’re wondering what happens to the oil that burns in the combustion chamber.

If you own a diesel pickup built in or after 2007, listen up.

The oil burns and is pushed into the exhaust stream, just like the byproducts of burned diesel fuel.

All 2007-and-newer trucks are equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). If your truck was built in or after 2010, it has a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. These two devices manage the byproducts of diesel combustion and reduce emissions.

How does a DPF work?

The DPF collects and separates the partially burned byproducts of diesel fuel, similar to how an air filter separates and removes airborne dirt particles from the air. These particles collect in the filter until they begin to restrict airflow. At that time the engine reacts and dumps fuel into the exhaust stream to raise the exhaust-gas temperature and help burn the soot byproducts. The system effectively reduces emissions and is built into nearly every diesel application these days.

Example of a diesel particulate filter.

What happens to the burned engine oil as it enters the exhaust stream?

Unfortunately the burned byproducts of engine oil lodge in the DPF and remain there forever. Alternatively, you can remove the DPF for cleaning or replacement.

The problem with oil consumption in diesels is that it can prematurely plug the DPF, rendering it useless.

So, let’s reiterate: all engines burn oil, which can plug the DPF.

That’s the reality with today’s technology. That’s another reason why it’s important to pull the dipstick on a regular basis and track your oil consumption.

The other unfortunate part is that you can do very little to affect how much oil your engine burns. Design tolerances and engine manufacturing affect oil consumption the most.

Your choice of engine oil can make a difference, though

All is not lost, however. Some engine oils offer better protection against oil consumption than others. AMSOIL synthetic diesel oils, for example, have low rates of volatility (burn-off), reducing oil consumption. AMSOIL Signature Series Max-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil provides up to 76 percent less oil consumption than required by the API CK-4 standard in the Caterpillar-1N oil consumption test. AMSOIL synthetic diesel oils are formulated to protect not only your engine but your exhaust after-treatment system.

So, if you are a diesel burner like myself, your choice of engine oil is important. Choose AMSOIL synthetic diesel oil and start protecting your exhaust system.

At the very least, check your oil on a regular basis to ensure the appropriate level.

FIND AMSOIL SYNTHETIC DIESEL OIL FOR YOUR TRUCK

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Toyota ‘Workhorse’ Clocks More Than 500,000 Miles

Written by Charleen

Toyota ‘Workhorse’ Clocks More Than 500,000 Miles

Fraser is a satisfied long-term PC who uses AMSOIL lubricants in all of his vehicles and equipment.

Preferred Customer Brock Fraser of Las Vegas counts on his 1998 Toyota Tacoma to keep his business on the road.

“This is a pickup I use primarily for work,” Fraser said. “I own a commercial printing and mailing operation. Frequently, I make runs to Phoenix and Los Angeles (600-mile round-trip runs each) to pick up loads of printed material to bring back to customers in Las Vegas.”

The truck, with its six-cylinder engine, and five-speed tranny, is a workhorse that consistently hauls heavy loads through hilly territory, he said. It had 70,000 miles on the engine when he bought it in late 2005. The odometer recently turned over to 508,000 miles.

Fraser first learned about the qualities of AMSOIL lubricants from a chemist friend. “(He) did a bunch of research and was telling me how highly he thought of AMSOIL,” Fraser said. “That is all it took for me to become a fan. That had to be a good 15 years ago.”

Fraser installed AMSOIL Signature Series Motor Oil when he first bought the truck.

“They say it’s impossible”

“I have always maintained oil change intervals of 25,000 miles with filter changes at 8,300 miles and 16,700 miles using EA15K51 filters,” Fraser said.

Every 100,000 miles he services the transmission and differentials with AMSOIL 80W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube. “The transmission has never been opened up and performs flawlessly,” Fraser said. “This engine has never been opened up. The heads are bolted in place as they came from the factory. The bottom pan has never been removed. She passes smog every year without fail and uses very little oil between changes.”

“You pay for the oil’s ability to clean and retail its detergents”

He is a satisfied Preferred Customer, he said, and now installs AMSOIL products in his lawn mower, his ‘86 Mercedes Benz 560 SL and his 2002 Toyota 4Runner.

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