Where did all my oil go?

[wyo6.5]

I was driving my truck today and the oil pressure guage started jumping erratically. Out of curiosity, I checked my oil, and the dipstick was practically bone dry. I can't figure this out. I'm not seeing any blue smoke. My truck is not showing any signs that it is burning oil. I been under my truck with a flash light for the past half an hour and can't find any visible leaks. I have a small leak twoards the back of my left valve cover but it doesn't look serious. I don't know where all my oil has gone, I checked the spout that you add the oil in and I can't find any oil in their either. Any ideas?

[Chevylover]

I was driving my truck today and the oil pressure guage started jumping erratically. Out of curiosity, I checked my oil, and the dipstick was practically bone dry. I can't figure this out. I'm not seeing any blue smoke. My truck is not showing any signs that it is burning oil. I been under my truck with a flash light for the past half an hour and can't find any visible leaks. I have a small leak twoards the back of my left valve cover but it doesn't look serious. I don't know where all my oil has gone, I checked the spout that you add the oil in and I can't find any oil in their either. Any ideas?

Did i unterstand you right ?

You started the truck, the oil pressure gauge jumps around, shut off the engine and checked the engine oil level ? Right ?

In this case i would say, wait overnight and check again. It could be that your oil level is half or at low point, but after you started the engine the oil pump took the oil into the engine. If you measure now the oil level it will be wrong. Check every fluids if the engine is cold overnight (exception : auto-tranny must be hot). Than check again, add if nessecary and check every morning, you want to drive, before starting, again for about 1 month.
If it is okay than it is okay. If not it should be the question how much miles do you get if the oil level drops form max. to min. (between is about 1 quart).
If you got lower than 600 miles between max. an min. there should be anything wrong inside the engine. Here in germany for such an "old style" engine about 1 liter per 1000 km / 1 quart per 600 mls is normal.

Cu,
Sven

[sixnickel]

How much oil and how much time for the loss, I had the "O" ring go bad on my 90 deg. oil filter adapter and I lost a 1/2 qt. of oil in a week. The bottom of the truck was covered with oil all the way back to the rear differential. Can't have that had to pressure the under side. But the point is a little oil makes a big mess! So it ether went into the cooling sys or out the tail pipe.Bad CDR or turbo seals? A diesel no vacuum so it won't pull it by the valves or rings unless the engine is so tired it would barely run!