4.3L Vortec Engine "Hiding" Oil

[jrd929]

Hello everyone, I have a 01 Silverado 1500 with a 4.3L V6 engine which has 147,000 miles on it, and I recently did a lower intake manifold gasket on it with good results. Yet on my way to work on Friday, my "low oil" light came on. So after some choice words I pulled over off the highway and into a parking lot to get away from the morning traffic to be safe, as I'm sure I wasn't the only person driving down the highway half awake. So i checked the dipstick, and yep it was very low. So I added 1 quart after turning off the engine obviously, and then checked it again and it was in the okay range. So I started the engine and let it run for a minute and shut it off again to check the oil. This time the dipstick showed the oil being much higher than it was suppose to be. Now I have had this problem once before a few years ago but that time I added 4 quarts as i figured the engine was dry, not knowing that I was really adding 4 quarts on top of the 4 already in there.

, yeah I know. As soon as I found out the next day, I changed the oil ASAP for fear of blowing gaskets and seals. Then I have never had that problem until last Friday. now when I did the gasket job, i noticed moderate sludge build up. I also have lifter noise on cold starts but it has gotten better since adding a quart of Lucas Oil Treatment to the oil. So I can't figure out what is causing this mysterious oil problem, my oil pressure has been reading in normal during the "low oil" situations so I don't think anything is plugged, but I'm not a mechanic either. I haven't been loyal to any brand of oil, I just try to use name brands. I am not the original owner either as I bought it used, so I don't know what the previous owner did. I'm a little hesitant to use synthetic as I've heard because it's an old engine and it will start leaking through the seals. So I appreciate any advice anyone has to pass on.

Jon

 

[ls1mike]

I know the oil pressure sending unit and/or the guage in those can be flakey.

 

[demarpaint]

I have a feeling the oil is very thick [because of the Lucas] and the returns from the head might be plugged up with sludge causing the oil from the head to slllllllllloooooowwly return to the oil pan. That would explain your over fill condition after adding oil due to a low reading on the dipstick. I'd suggest you pull the valve covers and have a look. I would also get the Lucas out of there, and try Kreen or MMO and clean things up a bit. JMO

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I know the oil pressure sending unit and/or the guage in those can be flakey.


Yeah, I'm aware of that problem but my oil pressure gauge seems to be working alright as I see it moving freely during normal driving. My speedometer is another story..... No tickets yet though.

 

[jrd929]

Well I had this same problem loooooooong before I started using Lucas. I have taken off the valve covers and only see a light brown coating of what I assume is oil coating the engine parts.

 

[demarpaint]

Did you check the oil returns? The oil is going somewhere and staying there. It could be pooling in the head, I've seen it happen. Thicker oil certainly isn't helping.

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Did you check the oil returns? The oil is going somewhere and staying there. It could be pooling in the head, I've seen it happen. Thicker oil certainly isn't helping.


Umm, I checked the oil return lines inside the valve covers and I ran a piece of wire down them, and was able to get all the way down on the passenger's side but not on the driver side as the wire kept hitting what I assume was the engine block half way down. I don't know if it's a straight shot or not on that engine down to the pan or not.

 

[jrd929]

If I don't use the Lucas Oil Treatment, I get really bad lifter noise for about 5 or so minutes before it starts to finally dissipate. With the additive I get lifter noise for a few seconds and it goes away quickly.

 

[chubbs1]

Lesson here...don't use Lucas Oil Treatment. There are MUCH better products out there. When you do your next oil change try some Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra. I swear to you, it really can help clean up your engine and I seriously doubt you will lose any more oil than you already do if any.

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: chubbs1
Lesson here...don't use Lucas Oil Treatment. There are MUCH better products out there. When you do your next oil change try some Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra. I swear to you, it really can help clean up your engine and I seriously doubt you will lose any more oil than you already do if any.


I'm not so sure to throw Lucas under the bus so fast as my neighbor with the same 4.3L in a Astro van also uses the same stuff for his lifter noise with no oil flow problems.

 

[jrd929]

How about running Auto-RX through it? I've never heard of it, until I stumbled across it here. I see everyone else that's tried it has been mostly happy with it.

 

[Rand]

lucas oil treatment is basically bright stock.

its as much a ripoff as paying

2.99 for one of those 99% kerosene 12oz bottles of "fuel injector cleaner"

 

[jrd929]

Well, do you have any other ideas for getting rid of the lifter noise?

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: jrd929
So i checked the dipstick, and yep it was very low. So I added 1 quart after turning off the engine obviously, and then checked it again and it was in the okay range. So I started the engine and let it run for a minute and shut it off again to check the oil. This time the dipstick showed the oil being much higher than it was suppose to be.

Did you check the oil with the engine running??? If so it will check low as there is usually approx two quarts in the upper areas of the engine that isn't in the pan...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: jrd929
How about running Auto-RX through it? I've never heard of it, until I stumbled across it here. I see everyone else that's tried it has been mostly happy with it.


Save your time and your money, if you really search the site you'll see mixed reviews, more negative IMO than positive. Give Kreen a shot, it will do the job in 1000 miles or so. If you can't get Kreen then use MMO instead, run it for about 3000 miles, repeat if needed. A-Rx will need at least two clean and rinse cycles, totaling 10,000-12,000 miles or even more, if a third treatment is need. Odds are you'll be in the same shape you are now after all that time and money is spent on it. JMO

MMO and Kreen work very well for lifter noise. Please note if the cam is bad or the lifters are bad all bets are off.

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: jrd929
So i checked the dipstick, and yep it was very low. So I added 1 quart after turning off the engine obviously, and then checked it again and it was in the okay range. So I started the engine and let it run for a minute and shut it off again to check the oil. This time the dipstick showed the oil being much higher than it was suppose to be.

Did you check the oil with the engine running??? If so it will check low as there is usually approx two quarts in the upper areas of the engine that isn't in the pan...


Nope, I always check it with the engine off for my own safety mostly.

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: jrd929
How about running Auto-RX through it? I've never heard of it, until I stumbled across it here. I see everyone else that's tried it has been mostly happy with it.


Save your time and your money, if you really search the site you'll see mixed reviews, more negative IMO than positive. Give Kreen a shot, it will do the job in 1000 miles or so. If you can't get Kreen then use MMO instead, run it for about 3000 miles, repeat if needed. A-Rx will need at least two clean and rinse cycles, totaling 10,000-12,000 miles or even more, if a third treatment is need. Odds are you'll be in the same shape you are now after all that time and money is spent on it. JMO

MMO and Kreen work very well for lifter noise. Please note if the cam is bad or the lifters are bad all bets are off.


Yeah, I've never run a detergent through the engine other than whats already in the oil. So I'm naturally skeptical of anything, but I know for a fact that I have a sludge problem. I have seen negative reviews of the product too but from people with pretty much blown engines or oil burners. Now my engine does not burn oil so I know the seals around my pistons are probably still good. I am never down any oil unless it is due to the problem in my OP, which in this case it turns out the oil was still in the engine, and I've never been down anything during regular oil changes or during regular checks.

 

[jrd929]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: jrd929
How about running Auto-RX through it? I've never heard of it, until I stumbled across it here. I see everyone else that's tried it has been mostly happy with it.


Save your time and your money, if you really search the site you'll see mixed reviews, more negative IMO than positive. Give Kreen a shot, it will do the job in 1000 miles or so. If you can't get Kreen then use MMO instead, run it for about 3000 miles, repeat if needed. A-Rx will need at least two clean and rinse cycles, totaling 10,000-12,000 miles or even more, if a third treatment is need. Odds are you'll be in the same shape you are now after all that time and money is spent on it. JMO

MMO and Kreen work very well for lifter noise. Please note if the cam is bad or the lifters are bad all bets are off.


I'm still learning the abbreviations here, so excuse me if this sounds like a dumb question, but what MMO? Also during the summer I don't run any additives in my oil and I get no lifter noise, so i assume my lifters and cams are okay, it's just a matter of getting lubrication to them that is somehow being restricted. Thanks.

 

[demarpaint]

MMO= Marvel Mystery Oil. The thicker Lucas takes longer to pump and could actually be starving the lifters in that engine, especially during the winter time.

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: jrd929
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: jrd929
How about running Auto-RX through it? I've never heard of it, until I stumbled across it here. I see everyone else that's tried it has been mostly happy with it.


Save your time and your money, if you really search the site you'll see mixed reviews, more negative IMO than positive. Give Kreen a shot, it will do the job in 1000 miles or so. If you can't get Kreen then use MMO instead, run it for about 3000 miles, repeat if needed. A-Rx will need at least two clean and rinse cycles, totaling 10,000-12,000 miles or even more, if a third treatment is need. Odds are you'll be in the same shape you are now after all that time and money is spent on it. JMO

MMO and Kreen work very well for lifter noise. Please note if the cam is bad or the lifters are bad all bets are off.


I'm still learning the abbreviations here, so excuse me if this sounds like a dumb question, but what MMO? Also during the summer I don't run any additives in my oil and I get no lifter noise, so i assume my lifters and cams are okay, it's just a matter of getting lubrication to them that is somehow being restricted. Thanks.


Best thing to do is start out with the very basics. I would recommend a quality HDEO oil like Shell Rotella or Mobil Delvac hopefully these high quality high detergent oils might help solve the problem.

I would NOT recommend you put ANYTHING like MMO, Lucas, ect into your crankcase. Period. After all if these things were so great the auto makers would be recommending them, BUT THEY ARE MOST CERTAINLY NOT AND ACTUALLY DISCOURAGE OWNERS FROM USING ANYTHING BUT A HIGH QUALITY OIL WITH THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS.