Just bought this truck right after my divorce, tonight the oil gauge went down to low and then went back to where it should, it did this a couple of times. I pulled into a gas station and checked the oil. the dip stick was showing no oil. I added a quart still showing no oil. added another quart. still showing nothing. so I called my dad he said to add another quart and check again. so I did still showed nothing on the dip stick. after adding the 4th quart it started to show on the dip stick. took it back home we added one more quart which 5 quarts total. it is not showing just a little about minimum.

My question is could it have just been so low on oil that we needed to add that much or is there a bigger problem.

There are no oil leaks and no smoking and the slight noise it was making has stopped and it seems to be driving fine.
any help would be greatly appreciated. I am disabled and cant afford to have someone look at it.

 

Sounds like the previous owner let the oil run low over time and never checked it.
You bought the truck and did not check it.
The oil level apparently was at a point the oil pump pickup was just beginning to draw air.
If your lucky, little or no damage was done if you stopped it quick enough and got another quart in.
Get the oil up to the top of the cross hatch area and see what happens.
Best you can hope for at this time.
My guess it the filter has not been changed in a long time.
If the oil pressure stays up after the motor is up to temperature and there is no leakage, watch the level at least once a week to see if it is dropping that fast for some sign of an issue.
The spec oil is 5w20.
When you make such a purchase you have to be sure your not buying some one's problems right off.
Good luck.

 

Thank you, I purchased it from a car lot and the oil was checked when I got it, which was a month ago
Thanks for you help maybe I got lucky

 

If they said they checked it a month ago, I doubt it.. If you checked and know it has used 5 quarts in ONE MONTH, that is not good. It must be burning it. Have someone look at the exhaust as you drive away... any blue smoke ?

 

Also check the front and rear Mains ,wow 5 qt is too low . keep an eye on the heat.

 

Here is a case of some one not awhere or not quite telling the whole truth about the oil level and where it is going.
Good luck.