My F350 with 240K miles has been using ~quart of oil when I go to our property which is 180 miles round trip, 3 trips 2 quarts of oil. The last 1.5 miles is a dirt road through a pasture. I have been holding her in 1st and 2nd (automatic) @ 1500 rpms through the pasture thinking that would be better on the transmission. Once at the property the truck usually idles 10-30 minutes then another 1.5 miles out to the main road. When I leave and get on the highway she blows blue smoke for 1/2 mile. Enough smoke I though something broke the first time. I left. Anytime I am in the pasture and goose her a big cloud of smoke come out.

The last 2 trips I have left her in drive through the pasture so she is 1500 rpms up the hills and idle for the other 3/4 of the pasture. I checked my oil again and she used a 1/4 quart for the last 2 trips.

Has something gone right with my engine or do they just not do well with no load at 1500 rpms? I cleaned the CDR valve before I started making the trips. It checked good before cleaning but continued to weep soot from the vent hole after cleaning and no longer worked properly. Could CDR valve have dried out and started working? Even when it was not working it was open the let the blow by gassed through. The engine has no blow by through the dipstick or oil cap at idle.

Thoughts, should i just enjoy the good fortune?

 

Sorry I don't know for sure. When I bought mine had similar oil use symptoms. Replaced CDR with new. Could definately notice difference. Then started to do it somewhat again. Might be your brand of oil. But I have no idea what kind to tell you to use. I think it's somewhat the nature of the beast with this CDR design.

 

what oil do you use? I recommend delo 400 15/40 and moble M1-601 oil filter, it is a power stroke filter, it is bigger and filters much better, some engines just use oil, however to much idleing can gum up the rings and make them use more oil, if you have exceded the time frame on oil change, or used poor quality oil, also run it like you stole now and then to keep the carbon burnt out.

 

Have you tried different brands of oil? Are you using synthetic or conventional oil? I've heard that some individual motors are really picky about the brand / type of oil in them. I use conventional Shell Rotella in my engine and it doesn't burn a drop in 3k miles, but I've heard plenty of people say that their motors devour the Rotella until they switch to a different brand.

 

CDR valves rarely fail. In fact I've never seen one fail, although they are erroneously replaced ( bad diagnosis as to root cause of an oil consumption problem).

All the CDR is is a spring and diaphragm. The spring doesn't fail, and the diaphragm is pretty bulletproof.

I suspect your truck needs rings.

 

I think I used Havolene 10-40 diesel rated, it was name brand and on sale. Delo 400 is my default as I used it when I was a farmer. I bought a gallon of Fleetguard at TSC for $10 when I though she khad a drinking problem. I am on my third trip and have not opened it.
I have 3000 miles on this oil and am going with Motorcraft 10-40 diesel from WalMart next.