Detroit Diesels 8-71t. 1800 hrs

[sunsetacres1318]

Just wondering. Was told DD 8-71s will use a little oil. My 8-71s will use about half a quart every15-20 hrs. Is this normal? Oil samples are goid! Thanks!

[SEVEN]

Same with mine. I just check them every time I start up.

[Captain Ralph]

Detroits get a hit for leaking and using oil.
Lots of funnies; It's not running rite, if a Detroit don't loose oil"..

Turbo and blower seals can be changeling in stopping internal leaks and usually owners just live with it any oil consumption.

However, I have been around some that just use that little bit off the top and no more.
For a good experiment, run them another 15-20 hours and see if they settle or use another quart.
Unlike Cat & Cummins where you can adjust the dip mark vs the angle of the block, not a common routine for Detroits.

What may be happening in my above observation; the rear crankshaft contacts the sump oil and splashes/flings excess oil up to the piston liners, over oiling the pistons where some get past the rings, consumed and out the exhaust. So little, you will not notice it, as a blower or turbo seal.
Yes, some operators do not super fill there Detroits and may never ad oil every morning.

My 12V71TIs are this way. Heck of an install angle. Before a long trip, they are filled to the mark, cold. The next several days-week of operation, they never get lower than a half inch.

On our way back from the islands or the keys, I'll top them off, around 3 qts to refill, cold.
We usually run straight up the coast with the gulf stream. Low oil should not be on my mind during this 30+ hour trip.

[piripucha]

They perspire oil !

[Jims43DC]

sometimes an engine will use or leak oil at the full mark on your dipstick, there is no harm in running a few quarts low if you don't consume or lose oil at that level, my engines hold 7 gallons of oil at the full mark a few quarts low would make no difference or do any harm.

[Sadey]

My 892s seek a level less than full. I marked it on the stick, after time they’ll use more and that’s when I add to the mark.

[Timeless72]

871 naturals here. Half gallon per side each season. Roughly 100 hours. A few drips here and there.

[cww]

They will usually stop burning oil if you just let them do their thing and don't stress over it. Sometimes the natural level is closer to the low mark on the dipstick depending on the angle they're mounted at. There may even be variation between the two engines on the same boat. Not sure why this is, but it is. See if you just let them run does the oil use taper off after a certain point? And if so, scratch that level into the dipstick and call it a day. I had 8v53's in my last boat, and they did this. They'd burn oil if I kept filling them up. If I let it get down to maybe 1/3 over the low point on the dipstick, they burned no oil to the point that by the time it got to be 3 or 4 years after I did the rebuilds, I would only check the oil levels maybe once every 5 times I took the boat out, and it was always at the same place.