Just got oil test back... not happy

[JCockerill]

my engine has about 32K on it. I just sent my amsoil 3000 series in with 5500miles on it. this is what Blackstone told me:



"You switched to a different brand of oil, which shows up in the higher calcium additive. This Amsoil

was in use for 5,500 miles and engine wear increased above universal averages for the Cummins 6 BT.

Some diesels don't do well on synthetics, and yours may be one of them. But another reason for the wear

increase could be anti-freeze, if that's what potassium is. But we think it's more likely potassium is from the

EGR cooler and should improve next time. Change this oil, try going back to Rotella, monitor the coolant

level, and check back in 5K miles. "



I'm not happy that I have this wear, or that amsoil could be possibly be causing this. and that I have to dump this oil after such a short interval. .



what do you guys think? I'll be changing the oil in the morning.

 

[JDiepstra]

I think that I want to see your numbers and that changing oil to a synthetic is known to clean some junk out of the system. Amsoil additive packages are known to skew numbers and I would not worry about it too much at this point.



Remember, they need to keep you scared about your samples so that you keep sending them more samples, and more of your hard earned $. It is like getting someone hooked on crack. Give them a little to think about, and then they keep coming back.

 

[lmills]

They do realize the 06 5. 9s do not have EGR's, right??? LOL

 

[cerberusiam]

They do realize the 06 5. 9s do not have EGR's, right??? LOL

Yeah, nothing like an incorrect form letter informing you your oil test sucks. :-laf:-laf

 

[AllianceDiesel]

wow, no egr's until 07. 5, do you run your truck hard? I don't like running syn, until 50000 miles and actually I don't suggest syn, there is no advantage to running them, I know a guy with over 250,000 miles on a heavily modded cummins that sled pulls and drag races almost every weekend and when he pulled his head off, it was perfectly clean, and very little wear.

 

[amsoilman]

my engine has about 32K on it. I just sent my amsoil 3000 series in with 5500miles on it. this is what Blackstone told me:



"You switched to a different brand of oil, which shows up in the higher calcium additive. This Amsoil

was in use for 5,500 miles and engine wear increased above universal averages for the Cummins 6 BT.

Some diesels don't do well on synthetics, and yours may be one of them. But another reason for the wear

increase could be anti-freeze, if that's what potassium is. But we think it's more likely potassium is from the

EGR cooler and should improve next time. Change this oil, try going back to Rotella, monitor the coolant

level, and check back in 5K miles. "



I'm not happy that I have this wear, or that amsoil could be possibly be causing this. and that I have to dump this oil after such a short interval. .



what do you guys think? I'll be changing the oil in the morning.

First off, "Blackstone" labs "universal" and "Unit" averages are running "averages" and change with the number of samples they analyze. It is not from the entire oil analysis industry!



The best way to get some "Unit" averages, is done by a series of oil analysis, so one con get a trend, then you will know what is happening inside your engine.



I had "Blackstone do an oil analysis for me when my truck had 64,300 miles on the oil, and even though they said "MOST METALS" are high, and the oil needed to be changed, the numbers looked like this: ALUMINUM-8, CHROMIUM-2, IRON-74, LEAD-11 and the TBN was 4. 6 and had some "ACTIVE" additive remaining, 1. 0 is low. At that time, they said the "UNIVERSAL" averages were based on an oil run of 6,700 miles. They also said, "This oil is not bad for an oil ran this far"! I did not change the oil, and am currently running that same oil!



In the case of them saying you have an oil that shows up in the "Higher Calcium additive", this is correct, and Amsoil puts a very high amount of "Calcium" in the series 3000 oil. "Calcium" is a "Detergent/Dispersant" additive. SO it would not be uncommon for having high levels of "Calcium" in this oil.



I for one would like to see the entire report ffrom them before I could make an educated opinion as far as your oil analysis is concerned.



Respecfully,



Wayne

 

[JCockerill]

guys, thanks for your valued input. I will pm or email you my report for those who mentioned wanting to see it. what oil do you guys recomend if not the amsoil?



i will be calling blackstone to discuss this report and the misinformed egr idea.

 

[kenny61]

Call me paranoid but I wouln't put anything with my personal info out on any open forum on the internet

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I had "Blackstone do an oil analysis for me when my truck had 64,300 miles on the oil, and even though they said "MOST METALS" are high, and the oil needed to be changed, the numbers looked like this: ALUMINUM-8, CHROMIUM-2, IRON-74, LEAD-11 and the TBN was 4. 6 and had some "ACTIVE" additive remaining, 1. 0 is low. At that time, they said the "UNIVERSAL" averages were based on an oil run of 6,700 miles. They also said, "This oil is not bad for an oil ran this far"! I did not change the oil, and am currently running that same oil!

Wayne is a great guy, and one I highly respect on this board - but on THIS subject, we seriously disagree!



IF, I wouldn't leave oil that displayed the above analysis numbers at 5000 miles in my engine - WHY would I then happily leave it in there at 50K 0r 100K miles? If that oil is considered unusually or unacceptably diluted and contaminated, and heavier on wear metals at 5K miles than recommended, WHY is still considered or recommended for "continued use" by SOME analyzers, such as Oil Analyzers, at 50K miles? It's either clean, and of proper additive content, or NOT, regardless of actual miles involved!



To each his own, but I value the long-term condition and reliability of by engine far too much to leave dirty and depleted lube in it - sure, guys may well only keep a truck long enough to actually see well under 400 or 500K miles before trading for a newer truck - miles that even "ordinary" lubes have been well proven to be capable of, even in extended drain intervals, but for commercial users who might easily SEE engine miles in excess of 500K in trucks like ours, is an extended drain plan cost or wear effective?



Do guys who rely on their truck engines for their living, commonly follow a extended drain schedule, synthetic lube or otherwise - and does it WORK? IF the average 18-wheeler owner/driver doesn't find extended drains practical or cost effective - why would I?



Wayne, in the past, has supplied testing data from a few selected commercial users showing results THEY were pleased with - but those were older test runs, dunno what current oils would now provide by comparison - and it seems like regardless of a few scattered and random tests, the larger commercial trucking industry hasn't been sold on the value of radically extended oil usage...



Neither am I!

 

[JCockerill]

Call me paranoid but I wouln't put anything with my personal info out on any open forum on the internet

point taken, removed it. . thanks



and yes i will be changing the oil out reguardless until i can figure out what is going on here. $80 of oil is a lot cheaper than a multi thousand dollar engine.

 

[kenny61]

I got over 185k on mine been using rotella t 99% of the whole time I did a couple o delvac changes when i was able to find it and I've had no problems. My brother was an OTR driver and used both as did many other drivers and they all swear by it

 

[rscurtis]

I also use series 3000 Amsoil in my 2003 2500. An analysis done by Oil Analyzers at 12,000 miles (with one filter change) showed slightly high on copper and silver, but an elevated potassium level, possibly from anti-freeze contamination. So I started watching the coolant level, and guess what, it doesn't move. Soot level was less than 1/10 of 1 percent, and the TBN was still 10. 5. To clarify, the 12K miles was on the oil; the odometer is 37K+. I'll take another sample soon, and then decide how long I'll run the oil-even with 12K miles, it still is a dark honey color.

 

[JCockerill]

just changed to rottella this morning, amsoil was jet black after only 5K. the delvac and rottella was the same cost of $12. 99/gallon. how long are you running the rottella for? thanks guys.

 

[JCasper]

just changed to rottella this morning, amsoil was jet black after only 5K. the delvac and rottella was the same cost of $12. 99/gallon. thanks guys.

Your oil will always be jet black no matter what and how long it was in for.

 

[EArp]

x2 on that

Your oil will always be jet black no matter what and how long it was in for.

jcasper is right. In our 3rd gen trucks it's considered normal for the oil to come out jet black. Mine is usually jet black immediately after it's changed. I think they attribute this to the extra injection event.

 

[Johnstra]

Not quite true. For 03 and early 04 trucks, oil does not darken like it does in the 04. 5 and on trucks. Oil in the 305/555 engines will stay 'honey colored' for for over 10k miles.
-john

 

[rscurtis]

I might add that this is related to their superior fuel economy.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I might add that this is related to their superior fuel economy.

:-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[JCockerill]

just talked to blackstone, they said in their experience with the cummins deisel oil samples. our engines don't really benefit from synthetics, and don't wear as well. this is a bit upseting. i'm sending a sample of vigin amsoil for them to check for free. and i think i'll be sending in a sample to another tester for a second opinion. anyone use any other companys they would recomend?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

just talked to blackstone, they said in their experience with the cummins deisel oil samples. our engines don't really benefit from synthetics, and don't wear as well. this is a bit upseting. i'm sending a sample of vigin amsoil for them to check for free. and i think i'll be sending in a sample to another tester for a second opinion. anyone use any other companys they would recomend?

I'd sorta recommend against Oil Analyzers - they SEEM to be somehow associated with Amsoil, and I've seen analysis reports from them recommending "continued use" of oils other outfits would say was only fit for disposal.



I'll probably take some heat for that statement, but it's my opinion...



As to synthetics in the Cummins, I can only say I have seen a significant number of switch-overs from conventional oil to synthetic, where the wear numbers DID increase - perhaps not radically, but increase just the same...



Yeah, I'll take heat from THAT opinion, as well... :-laf