No oil on dipstick

[Dustin Jackson]

A little disappointed in myself. Went on vacation this weekend 1.5 hours through the mountains to the Humboldt beaches. Tahoe performed amazingly throughout the journey, was on 3rd gear most of the time climbing or descending steep incline hill action at 60mph. Confident in saying I was working it pretty hard. Oil pressure gauge didn't show any indicator that the motor was losing oil pressure. At the end of the trip we arrived at home and the motor was purring like a kitten but was 2 quarts low on oil apparently.

I didn't check the oil before leaving for the weekend and when I got home I pulled the dipstick and wiped it off and went for another reading and there was no oil on the dip stick. I did this about 10 times because I couldn't believe that there was not enough oil to reach the dipstick. I added 2-2.5 quarts of oil and its showing near the top of the hash lines now.

I'm not sure where the oil went, I usually only use about 1 quart over 5k miles. I'm confused why this happened and surprised at the durability of the 5.3.

Just wanted to share with you all to see what your thoughts are. So far the motor seems fine, I plan on changing the oil soon and seeing what comes out of it.

Pic from the trip:

 

[Marky Dissod]

I'm not sure where the oil went, I usually only use about 1 quart over 5k miles. I'm confused why this happened ...

Compared to what normal people consider normal operations, how much of this drive did your truck spend NOT level?
That's my 1st guess.
Here's my 2nd guess:
How much engine braking did your engine do on the way down?
Engine braking tends to consume oil.

 

[Doubeleive]

you were most likley on the very edge of a low oil warning, typically that is 2qt's low
I would say you are fine. If it is of grave cocern take a sample when you change it and send it to blackstone labs.

 

[donjetman]

@Dustin Jackson
Install a catch can and see if it being sucked out of the engine and burned.
Other places to burn oil are rings and valve guides.
Or its leaking out from seals and gaskets.

 

[89Suburban]

you were most likley on the very edge of a low oil warning, typically that is 2qt's low
I would say you are fine.

 

[B-train]

A little disappointed in myself. Went on vacation this weekend 1.5 hours through the mountains to the Humboldt beaches. Tahoe performed amazingly throughout the journey, was on 3rd gear most of the time climbing or descending steep incline hill action at 60mph. Confident in saying I was working it pretty hard. Oil pressure gauge didn't show any indicator that the motor was losing oil pressure. At the end of the trip we arrived at home and the motor was purring like a kitten but was 2 quarts low on oil apparently.

I didn't check the oil before leaving for the weekend and when I got home I pulled the dipstick and wiped it off and went for another reading and there was no oil on the dip stick. I did this about 10 times because I couldn't believe that there was not enough oil to reach the dipstick. I added 2-2.5 quarts of oil and its showing near the top of the hash lines now.

I'm not sure where the oil went, I usually only use about 1 quart over 5k miles. I'm confused why this happened and surprised at the durability of the 5.3.

Just wanted to share with you all to see what your thoughts are. So far the motor seems fine, I plan on changing the oil soon and seeing what comes out of it.

Pic from the trip:
View attachment 423959

I agree with all that was stated thus far. My guess is that you have some cylinders that are a little glazed if you still run with AFM active. Now that you are aware, just keep a Murphy repellent kit in your truck with extra fluids and basic tools

Also, I like the roof rack. Is that off a previous gen z-71? I put a 2005 one on my 2008, way better than the basic Denali rack.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Compared to what normal people consider normal operations, how much of this drive did your truck spend NOT level?
That's my 1st guess.
Here's my 2nd guess:
How much engine braking did your engine do on the way down?
Engine braking tends to consume oil.

@Marky Dissod i would say that 1/3 of the trip was going uphill, 1/3 was going downhill, and 1/3 was flat ground.

On the way back I just left it in 3rd because I would climb a hill and wanted the acceleration or descend a hill and wanted to engine brake. I did a lot of engine braking on the way back.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

you were most likley on the very edge of a low oil warning, typically that is 2qt's low
I would say you are fine. If it is of grave cocern take a sample when you change it and send it to blackstone labs.

@Doubeleive Damn that’s not good. I am going to check my oil more often. Engine runs great I have no concerns really and any damage that was done isn’t worth opening the motor for yet. I’ll drive it till it breaks and then fix it and repeat.

 

[Doubeleive]

@Doubeleive Damn that’s not good. I am going to check my oil more often. Engine runs great I have no concerns really and any damage that was done isn’t worth opening the motor for yet. I’ll drive it till it breaks and then fix it and repeat.

i'm pretty sure a little low on oil is not going to affect anything otherwise the low oil level tolerance would be much less
and the warning comes up so it's not trying to suck in air instead of oil based on a minimum established during engine development.
I wouldn't say this makes it "ok" to drive around with low oil all the time.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@Doubeleive Thanks for the reassurance.

I agree with all that was stated thus far. My guess is that you have some cylinders that are a little glazed if you still run with AFM active. Now that you are aware, just keep a Murphy repellent kit in your truck with extra fluids and basic tools

Also, I like the roof rack. Is that off a previous gen z-71? I put a 2005 one on my 2008, way better than the basic Denali rack.

@B-train Yes this is from a gmt800 z71 Tahoe. Pulled from a junk yard, scrubbed down with a green scratchy and then used satin rustolium. The satin doesn’t collect dirt like flat paint. I did it about 3 years ago and is holding up perfectly. Much stronger rack than the gmt900

 

[strutaeng]

Hey man, it happens. You likely still had oil BELOW the low oil indicator sensor.

On my old K3500 I once started getting this weird issue: when I took off, my oil pressure gauge dipped to zero momentarily, then came back up to normal. Truck doesn't get driven much at all.

One day I checked the oil, and didn't register anything! I added I can't remember how much and problem went away. I think what was happening is when I accelerated from a stop, the oil pickup tube saw little or no oil!

The truck does leak from several places. It's pretty grimey down there. In retrospect, I don't even know if that model even has an oil level indicator. I guess not?

My lesson learned if keep an eye on oil level on that vehicle...

 

[donjetman]

@Dustin Jackson
also, if you haven't installed the GM improved driverside valve cover, part # 12570427? that is where your oil is going.
https://f01.justanswer.com/ebrock63...il+Consumption,+MIL+ON,+Engine+Runs+Rough.pdf

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@donjetman I did install the new style a couple years ago when I did my AFM delete. After the AFM delete I had little to no oil loss/consumption… until now.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Something else, I don’t think my Tahoe has an oil level sensor. I can see where one would go on the oil pan but there is just a metal plug in it instead. That sound right?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Just crawled under the Tahoe and I do have some sort of oil leak. Thinking either oil pan gasket or front main seal. Oil filter is dry, oil cooler plate is dry, rear main seal area is dry.

Thoughts?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@Marky Dissod Can you elaborate on the engine braking causing oil consumption thing?

It’s been a while since I made this post and so far there is no oil on the driveway or anything so I don’t think my Tahoe is leaking out all the oil so I’m wondering if you are right about the engine braking thing

 

[Marky Dissod]

Know for a fact I can tune old LT1s to consume more or less oil at my pleasure, from learned experience.
What I still don't get, is how and why.

Methinks, during NORMAL power strokes, explosions push oil away from combustion chambers,
and engine sucks external atmosphere easily enough.

During 'power' strokes with engine braking, additional vacuum drags oil toward combustion chambers,
either the short way, up the cylinder walls sneaking past the piston rings,
or the long way, sneaking into the intake through the PCV system,
because it's actually easier for the engine to suck on its own internal atmosphere than the tiny amount of air that manages to sneak past a closed throttle - mostly closed, in your case.

Someone, please, come along, feel free to make me look dumb, so long as we all learn something?

I actually wonder if engines are SUPPOSED to consume very small amounts of oil during engine braking?
As in, the alternative might be worse ... ?

 

[blondie70]

I think you are correct on this theory.

 

[Doubeleive]

@Marky Dissod Can you elaborate on the engine braking causing oil consumption thing?

It’s been a while since I made this post and so far there is no oil on the driveway or anything so I don’t think my Tahoe is leaking out all the oil so I’m wondering if you are right about the engine braking thing

that's not enough of a leak to loose 2qt's.

 

[Marky Dissod]

... not enough of a leak to lose 2qt's.

How many miles of engine braking are we talking here?