4200 Miles, and zero oil

[chanlsrfer]

Hey all. The brandy new 2021 Willy's 3.0 is in the dealer's lot as of yesterday.

It's been cold here, but not anything below 15F. When remote starting this morning, I noticed that the initial idle was REALLY rough. Had a different pitch than normal.
I went out there and pulled the oil dipstick, and it was covered in soot. Wiped it off, sunk it back in, and pulled it out BONE DRY.

I have no idea how long it has been running dry like this, my last oil check was done at 2K miles. Everything seemed fine at that point.
The engine seems to have been running pretty well, and I didn't notice any power differences. Maybe a bit more of a rough shifting, but figured it was just the engine marrying to the transmission and getting in its groove.

The only other indication was 24 hours before my oil check and drive to the dealer. The oil temp (my main display is always on oil temp) was running up to 112F, instead of the normal 203F that I'm used to seeing.

Here's hoping that the dealer finds a simple fix. I'll be checking the oil every 10 miles or so from now on.

This is the second time I've got a Wrangler with oil issues. My JK had a rear main seal bust TWICE.
This diesel has never left the pavement (yet), and I'm kind of a fuel hawk, so I drive it nice and easy unless I'm merging onto the highway.

Dealers diesel tech (yeah, they said diesel tech...like singular) is busy for at least today, maybe the'll get to look at it by tomorrow.

At least I have a Ram 3.0 courtesy vehicle. It's making me appreciate the power match of EcoDiesel to Wrangler all the more.

Keep yer fingers crossed for me...I love this engine/wrangler.

Sponsored

 

[JbuckTN]

Please post what they found! It does not take a diesel tech to diagnose an oil leak. Hopefully, they gave you a loaner vehicle and trying to make you happy.?

 

[Capricorn]

Hey all. The brandy new 2021 Willy's 3.0 is in the dealer's lot as of yesterday.

It's been cold here, but not anything below 15F. When remote starting this morning, I noticed that the initial idle was REALLY rough. Had a different pitch than normal.
I went out there and pulled the oil dipstick, and it was covered in soot. Wiped it off, sunk it back in, and pulled it out BONE DRY.

I have no idea how long it has been running dry like this, my last oil check was done at 2K miles. Everything seemed fine at that point.
The engine seems to have been running pretty well, and I didn't notice any power differences. Maybe a bit more of a rough shifting, but figured it was just the engine marrying to the transmission and getting in its groove.

The only other indication was 24 hours before my oil check and drive to the dealer. The oil temp (my main display is always on oil temp) was running up to 112F, instead of the normal 203F that I'm used to seeing.

Here's hoping that the dealer finds a simple fix. I'll be checking the oil every 10 miles or so from now on.

This is the second time I've got a Wrangler with oil issues. My JK had a rear main seal bust TWICE.
This diesel has never left the pavement (yet), and I'm kind of a fuel hawk, so I drive it nice and easy unless I'm merging onto the highway.

Dealers diesel tech (yeah, they said diesel tech...like singular) is busy for at least today, maybe the'll get to look at it by tomorrow.

At least I have a Ram 3.0 courtesy vehicle. It's making me appreciate the power match of EcoDiesel to Wrangler all the more.

Keep yer fingers crossed for me...I love this engine/wrangler.

You did not get the oil pressure warning light either?

 

[PyrPatriot]

You did not get the oil pressure warning light either?

This is what I wonder

 

[rickinAZ]

You did not get the oil pressure warning light either?

...or see any oil on the ground? Garage floor?

 

[Capricorn]

Hey all. The brandy new 2021 Willy's 3.0 is in the dealer's lot as of yesterday.

It's been cold here, but not anything below 15F. When remote starting this morning, I noticed that the initial idle was REALLY rough. Had a different pitch than normal.
I went out there and pulled the oil dipstick, and it was covered in soot. Wiped it off, sunk it back in, and pulled it out BONE DRY.

I have no idea how long it has been running dry like this, my last oil check was done at 2K miles. Everything seemed fine at that point.
The engine seems to have been running pretty well, and I didn't notice any power differences. Maybe a bit more of a rough shifting, but figured it was just the engine marrying to the transmission and getting in its groove.

The only other indication was 24 hours before my oil check and drive to the dealer. The oil temp (my main display is always on oil temp) was running up to 112F, instead of the normal 203F that I'm used to seeing.

Here's hoping that the dealer finds a simple fix. I'll be checking the oil every 10 miles or so from now on.

This is the second time I've got a Wrangler with oil issues. My JK had a rear main seal bust TWICE.
This diesel has never left the pavement (yet), and I'm kind of a fuel hawk, so I drive it nice and easy unless I'm merging onto the highway.

Dealers diesel tech (yeah, they said diesel tech...like singular) is busy for at least today, maybe the'll get to look at it by tomorrow.

At least I have a Ram 3.0 courtesy vehicle. It's making me appreciate the power match of EcoDiesel to Wrangler all the more.

Keep yer fingers crossed for me...I love this engine/wrangler.

Not at all doubting the dipstick observation, but lack of engine oil or less engine oil than required will actually raise the remaining oil temp due to friction IMO. And the engine would have seized in a few seconds or minutes.
I am thinking the rough idle you observed may be due to higher oil viscosity due to cold temperature. Do you have an engine block heater?

Edit:
I also keep oil temp in the main display. Last month I also noticed similar temps in low hundreds instead of 200+ oil temps. But in my case, I may have pressed the right or left arrow button by mistake and was actually looking at transmission temps which rise very slowly in highway driving.

 

[Arterius2]

That's hell of a lot of oil to disappear. Hard to imagine 9 quarts of oil gone and you don't seem to notice any leaks at all on the floor? Or smell anything different. What am I missing here??

 

[rickinAZ]

That's hell of a lot of oil to disappear. Hard to imagine 9 quarts of oil gone and you don't seem to notice any leaks at all on the floor? Or smell anything different. What am I missing here??

I agree, but if all 9 quarts had disappeared, the engine would grenade (very) shorty after.

 

[Arterius2]

I agree, but if all 9 quarts had disappeared, the engine would grenade (very) shorty after.

Even if half of that gone, it would surely make huge mess, enough to notice, at least for me, I mean a few quarts of oil burned or leaked in 2k miles, would make a very greasy (and smelly) floor or engine bay.

 

[rickinAZ]

Even if half of that gone, it would surely make huge mess, enough to notice, at least for me, I mean a few quarts of oil burned or leaked in 2k miles, would make a very greasy (and smelly) floor or engine bay.

That much oil, without a trace, rivals Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance.

 

[chanlsrfer]

Hey all,
Here's the lowdown.
Looks like this dipstick only measures the first quart of oil.
Dealer called it a "short stick" style dip stick. Designed to know when the engine starts to lose oil, so it gets topped off or comes in for service.

In essence, it wasn't dry, but it was too high in the pan to measure the last quart of oil. The topped it off, and they did a compression test. No problems were noticed.

Apparently FCA expects diesels to drain between 1-2 quarts over the course of one oil change. More is normal during the break-in period. If it was more than 1q in 2k miles, then it is a concern (leak test check).

I'm advised to ask them to measure the drained oil every oil change so we can all be sure it's not losing more than expecting.

Anyone else seeing oil usage that high?

I'm honestly glad it didn't end up in the coolant or in the combustion chamber. Fingers crossed that this isn't a real issue and I'm just breaking in here...

 

[chanlsrfer]

...or see any oil on the ground? Garage floor?

No to either question...No oil on garage, driveway etc. Coolant looked clear, so the other would be combustion. Oil pressure would stay consistent, oil temp was pretty normal. I'd see 203 as the normal temp, up to 215 during some highway mild grade.

I had the wrangler rustproofed a few months ago, so the burning off smell would come and go for a few weeks depending on engine temp etc. Seeing the dry dipstick had me questioning if it was actually smelling burnoff.

 

[Compression-Ignition]

Hey all,
Here's the lowdown.
Looks like this dipstick only measures the first quart of oil.
Dealer called it a "short stick" style dip stick. Designed to know when the engine starts to lose oil, so it gets topped off or comes in for service.

In essence, it wasn't dry, but it was too high in the pan to measure the last quart of oil. The topped it off, and they did a compression test. No problems were noticed.

Apparently FCA expects diesels to drain between 1-2 quarts over the course of one oil change. More is normal during the break-in period. If it was more than 1q in 2k miles, then it is a concern (leak test check).

I'm advised to ask them to measure the drained oil every oil change so we can all be sure it's not losing more than expecting.

Anyone else seeing oil usage that high?

I'm honestly glad it didn't end up in the coolant or in the combustion chamber. Fingers crossed that this isn't a real issue and I'm just breaking in here...

Always a good idea.

 

[chanlsrfer]

Always a good idea.

Kind of surprised that this wasn't standard.

 

[Z06]

My 3.0 is at 3200 miles and I topped it off a couple weeks ago with 1/2 qt. But a short stick is picky. You need to perform the check while parked on a very level surface. Readings change with a pretty slight slope.

Sponsored