Can mechanical ills cure themselves?

[s d mills]

Here's the dealio: Bought this truck in mid-November w/78K miles. For the first month of ownership, my truck appeared to have an oil consumption problem....I took it off the dealer's hands freshly serviced, but dropped 5 quarts in it before the first time I serviced it. It also smoked on start-up and until warm-up....from what I read, I considered it to be excessive.

After I changed the oil, filter, fuel filter, etc. it used three more quarts before the next change and was still smokin'....the blue-white variety.

I just full-serviced the truck again after 4700 more miles....level was down less than a quarter-inch on the stick and the truck no longer smokes more than just a light puff on start-up. Runs like a scalded ape and I couldn't be happier.

I have all the service records on the truck. Previous owner was on his toes where routine maintenance is concerned. He even changed out all the tranny, t-case and differential oils. The truck was never worked hard....it was a daily work driver, he threw some building materials in the bed frequently, and occasionally hauled a pontoon boat.

Since I've had it, It's been on three 1000+ mile roundtrips with a loaded car trailer; been on two thousand mile deadhead roundtrips, frequent 100+ milers, and I frequently drive it to work and for pleasure. If I turn the key, there's at least fifty more miles on the clock before it hits my driveway again.

What do you think?

 

[Tbar]

Any change in type of oil used..........???


Tbar

 

[threejacks]

Maybe now your truck is finally broken in.

 

[Hoss 350]

Here's the dealio: Bought this truck in mid-November w/78K miles. For the first month of ownership, my truck appeared to have an oil consumption problem....I took it off the dealer's hands freshly serviced, but dropped 5 quarts in it before the first time I serviced it. It also smoked on start-up and until warm-up....from what I read, I considered it to be excessive.

After I changed the oil, filter, fuel filter, etc. it used three more quarts before the next change and was still smokin'....the blue-white variety.

I just full-serviced the truck again after 4700 more miles....level was down less than a quarter-inch on the stick and the truck no longer smokes more than just a light puff on start-up. Runs like a scalded ape and I couldn't be happier.

I have all the service records on the truck. Previous owner was on his toes where routine maintenance is concerned. He even changed out all the tranny, t-case and differential oils. The truck was never worked hard....it was a daily work driver, he threw some building materials in the bed frequently, and occasionally hauled a pontoon boat.

Since I've had it, It's been on three 1000+ mile roundtrips with a loaded car trailer; been on two thousand mile deadhead roundtrips, frequent 100+ milers, and I frequently drive it to work and for pleasure. If I turn the key, there's at least fifty more miles on the clock before it hits my driveway again.

What do you think?

CCV maybe? If there was inordinate crankcase pressure for some strange reason, it could have sucked oil out of the CCV and run it throught he engine, causing smoke and oil consumption. Things that cause inordinate crankcase pressure are few. Blow-by is one, but I have yet to see blow-by fix itself... Except.... There was the one time that a friend of mine got a rebuilt 350 in his pickup, and drove it REALLY nice to break it in. You know, low load, steady highway RPM, never changed RPM, didn't gun it, didn't compression brake it, all the things you really want to do to break an engine in right ( ) (Just so you know, i was being sarcastic...) and it glazed the rings, and used oil. He went to my Dad just beside himself, and my Dad told him he could fix it. So, Dad went out and ran the ever loving dog-crap out of it, and the rings sealed up and it stopped burning oil. (Okay, so it wasn't a friend of mine... Sheesh, you got me... it was ME! )

I wonder if you getting it and finally putting it to work for a living truly "broke" the rings in for the first time and it sealed up and is running fine.

Beyond that, i guess I have no idea whatsoever...

 

[95_stroker]

To answer the question of the title of this post; In short, no, mechanical problems do not cure themselves. They will resurface and usually at a bad time. With that said, I'm not trying to jinx you or the truck Sam. I have had irregular oil usage between changes on mine as well. Sometimes its down a quart, sometimes its down three quarts (7500 intervals). I dont know why, I also dont borrow time worrying about it.