Aside from diesel fuel, semi-trucks also use oil to maintain the engine’s top shape and provide good performance when driving.
A semi-truck typically holds more engine oil than smaller vehicles, primarily if the truck is used for heavy-duty purposes.
But how many gallons of oil can a semi-truck hold? It all depends on the engine used, and we will discuss it further in this article.
Here’s How Many Gallons of Oil a Semi-truck Holds (for Most Popular Engines):
A semi-truck can hold between 1.8 to 14 gallons of engine oil. The amount of engine oil required for a semi-truck will depend on its model, engine type, and size. Care must be taken not to underfill or overfill engine oil, as this will lead to severe damage to the semi-trucks engine components.
| Popular Semi-truck Engines | Amount of Engine Oil (Gallons) |
| Cummins B6.7 | 1.8 – 3 |
| PACCAR PX-9 | 7.25 |
| PACCAR MX-11 | 9.75 |
| PACCAR MX-13 | 10.5 |
| MP8 | 11 |
| Cummins X12 | 11 |
| Volvo D13 | 11 |
| Volvo DD15 | 11.75 |
| Cummins ISX15 | 14 |
Table of Contents
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Peterbilt Hold?
Peterbilt trucks can hold an average of 12 gallons of oil. However, it will still depend on the engine installed on it.
The engines used among Peterbilt trucks and their respective engine oil capacity are:
- Paccar MX-13: 10.5 gallons
- Paccar MX-11: 9.75 gallons
- Paccar PX-9: 7.25 gallons
- Paccar PX-7: 4.9 gallons
- Cummins ISL9: 7.3 gallons
- Cummins ISX12: 12 gallons
- Cummins ISX15: 12 gallons
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Peterbilt 579 Hold?
When it comes to durability and the highest quality, the Peterbilt 579 is the top among its brand. Thus, it deserves a powerful engine that can handle enough oil to sustain its high performance.
These are the following engines used for Peterbilt 579 and their respective oil capacity:
- PACCAR MX-13: 10.5 gallons
- Cummins ISX: 12 – 14 gallons
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Mack Truck Hold?
Power and fuel efficiency is Mack Trucks’ specialty. Hence, an engine that can help it save fuel while still maintaining its power is an essential factor to consider.
The engines for Mack trucks can hold an average of nine gallons, which is quite enough for regular truck driving.
Here are the engines used for Mack trucks and the oil gallons they can hold.
- MP7: 8.5 gallons
- MP8: 11 gallons
- MP8HE: 10.5 gallons
- Cummins L9: 7.25 gallons
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Freightliner Hold?
Many truckers claim that a Freightliner can hold around 12 to 14 gallons of oil.
But the same principle applies. The type of engine used in a Freightliner truck is the primary factor in determining its oil capacity.
Here are the engines commonly used among Freightliner trucks and the amount of oil they can carry.
- DD13: 10 gallons
- DD13 Gen 5: 10 gallons
- DD15: 11.75 gallons
- DD15 Gen 5: 11.4 gallons
- DD16: 11.4 gallons
- DD5: 4.6 gallons
- DD8: 6.7 gallons
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Freightliner Cascadia Hold?
The Freightliner Cascadia sets the standard when it comes to the best quality and performance.
There are only five engines used among Freightliner Cascadia trucks. On average, these engines can hold an average of 11 gallons.
Here are the engines used that can keep up with the best performance of Freightliner Cascadia, with the respective gallons of oil they can hold.
- Detroit DD13 Gen 5: 10 gallons
- Detroit DD15 Gen 5: 11.4 gallons
- Detroit DD16: 11.4 gallons
- Cummins X12: 11 gallons
- Cummins X15: 14 gallons
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Freightliner M2 Hold?
The Freightliner M2 is a medium-duty truck but versatile enough to get any job done.
Unlike the Freightliner Cascadia, it only needs lower engine oil capacities since it is already enough to make the M2 perform at its finest.
There are only four available engines used for Freightliner M2. On average, they can hold five gallons of oil.
Here are the following engines and the oil capacity of each.
- Detroit DD5: 4.6 gallons
- Detroit DD8: 6.7 gallons
- Cummins B6.7: 3 gallons
- Cummins L9: 7.25 gallons
How Much Oil does a Kenworth T680 Hold?
Kenworth T680 is another excellent truck when it comes to performance and profitability. Thus, it needs an engine that can always power it up.
Kenworth trucks mostly use the PACCAR engine, while Kenworth T680 only uses two models.
On average, the engines used for Kenworth T680 can carry 20 gallons.
Here are their details:
- PACCAR MX-11: 9.75
- PACCAR MX-13: 10.5
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Volvo D13 Hold?
The Volvo D13 is one of the most fuel-efficient and good-quality semi-truck engines available in the market.
The Volvo D13 can hold up to 11 gallons of oil in it.
The total engine oil capacity of the D13 can take about 25,000 miles before you can replace it. Always check it regularly to know if the oil is still in good condition.
To ensure that the D13 can provide your semi-truck with the power and efficiency it needs, its maker, Volvo, recommends only using the official Volvo Premium brand.
You may still use any 15W-40 motor oils if you don’t have access to the premium ones.
How Many Gallons of Oil does a Cummins ISX15 Hold?
You will notice that every powerful semi-trucks you know uses the Cummins ISX15 as its engine. Take Freightliner Cascadia as an example.
The Cummins ISX15 can hold up to 14 gallons of oil.
You can fill it to its total capacity or exceed a little from the limit. It won’t cause any problems at all.
But if you already see foams on the dipstick or overfilling the engine with half a quart more, you should drain it first. Then, refill it up to its capacity only.
How Many Gallons of Oil does a DD15 Hold?
The DD15 is one of the most durable and robust engines in semi-trucks. Its total engine capacity is 11.75 gallons.
If you wish to check the oil level to ensure you are not exceeding it every time you refill, you can use a dipstick or any oil level sensor mentioned on your truck’s motor control module.
The oil consumption in DD15 offers the lowest costs. The engine’s physical build, such as the crankcase and rigid pistons, can minimize the blow-by losses and average oil consumption.
In addition, the DD15 also provides environmental compatibility since it can consume less oil than other engines used among semi-trucks.
How Many Gallons of Oil does a PACCAR Engine Hold?
Kenworth and Peterbilts are two popular truck brands in the US that use PACCAR engines since it works best for heavy-duty trucks.
Four PACCAR engine types are available, and all hold different quantities of oil.
The PX-7 is capable of carrying up to 4.5 gallons of oil. Because of that, it is ideal for medium-duty, class 8 vehicles and other smaller trucks.
The PX-9 can carry oil up to 6 gallons. The best thing about it is that if you use it on medium-duty trucks, you can feel like it is heavy-duty.
The MX-11 is a PACCAR engine with an oil capacity of 9.75 gallons. It is an excellent choice for heavy-duty trucks.
The last one is the MX-13. It carries 6 gallons of oil and has similar specifications to the MX-11.
What if you Overfill or Underfill Engine Oil in a Semi-truck Engine?
As mentioned earlier, it is okay if you overfill the engine of your semi-truck a little or up to 20% overfill. However, if there is already an overflow or oil leak, it can cause several problems with your semi-truck.
An overfilled engine will experience pressure and friction on the crankshaft, which can damage the crankshaft and the entire engine in the long run.
It can also cause the spark plug to get wet since the oil will start to flood. If that happens, you need to replace it immediately.
Underfilling the engine oil is also something you should avoid. If too little oil is refilled inside, it is not sufficient to lubricate the moving parts. Thus, they can wear faster and also cause overheating.
The best thing to avoid overfilling or underfilling engine oil is to ensure you park the semi-truck on a flat surface and when topping up and always stay within the oil dipstick guidelines.
