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Stupid oil changing question

Mac

Member
Jun 13, 2020
43
12
Truck Year
2016
Hey all, I have a really dumb question for you all. As a diesel rookie, having owned this 2016 eco diesel for three weeks now, I have been watching the oil-change indicator drop along with the oil level indicator. It occurred to me that as the oil level indicator dropped i could/should add oil to top it off as it burns the oil down. I figured it would refresh the oil as it burns and extend the life of the oil and length of time between when I would need an oil change. I asked the dealer about it when I was in for the EGR cooler recall. They said to not worry about the oil level and just get the oil changed in time, which I am happy to do. So my question is, if I add oil as it burns will I be able to go more miles between oil changes? Would that be good for the engine? Or should I not worry about it and just change the oil on time? Thanks
 

Mac

Member
Jun 13, 2020
43
12
Truck Year
2016
Haven't been burning much at all. Or at least I think so? So far i have put 2500 miles on the truck and watched the oil level indicator drop at the same rate as the as the oil change indicator. Since I have bought the truck, both indicators have dropped from about 3/4 full to 1/2. They seem to be right in sync with each other. So, at this rate, the oil level indicator will be low right as the oil change indicator will show it is time for an oil change. Is that unusual? Should I not be dropping oil at that rate? Please don't tell me it's the spark plugs. Jokes over. 😂
 

Mac

Member
Jun 13, 2020
43
12
Truck Year
2016
Good point. I was just looking at the oil indicator in the dash, I should look at the dipstick.
 

CAVEMANN

Active Member
Jan 5, 2020
388
129
Truck Year
2017
I've had my 17 since December, did an oil change in February and my dipstick is still at the full mark, no obvious oil consumption at all. It's at about 6000 miles since the last oil change & the oil life monitor is at 50 something percent, I haven't seen an oil level indicator on the dash & if I had I would still ignore it in favor of the dipstick. IMO if your engine is using oil at that rate you have a problem or leak, I check mine before every trip. The actual condition of the oil is not monitored, just the distance and maybe the operating conditions/parameters, the oil life monitor goes by mileage speed etc.
 

Brady

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2015
1,051
424
Truck Year
2015
Take pictures and post what you are talking about.
 

CAVEMANN

Active Member
Jan 5, 2020
388
129
Truck Year
2017
Mac, please come back, inquiring minds want to know to what you found/ figured out.
 
Last edited:

Mac

Member
Jun 13, 2020
43
12
Truck Year
2016
Ha! Yes, I am back. It took me a minute to take a picture of the gauge. You didn't scare me away. And as the thread states, this is stupid. Anyway, this is the gauge I have been looking at, I have only had the truck a month. I thought there were two discernable lines in it, one bold white line I took to be the "oil change" gauge, and then I thought there was a grey line that I took to be the oil level gauge. This truck is so smart I thought that technology had found a way to monitor the oil level digitally on my dash. Alas, as the good ol' dip stick had confirmed, my oil level is fine.
 

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Ecopete

Active Member
Dec 27, 2019
166
28
Truck Year
2014
Yeah, these trucks are maybe just a little too smart for some people! But unfortunately not smart enough to have a gauge for engine life left. Years ago we used to have something called an odometer that you could actually go by for that lol!
What you're looking at there is exactly the same oil life reading as the main center screen oil life readout just a different location. You can change the 4 corners of the dash to whatever gauge or reading you want to see.
Hope that helps understand what you're seeing
 
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