Oil Report

[ScottBrown]

I have a 2003 CTD with the HO, I do all my own oil changes.

I changed the factory oil out at 2065 miles sent the oil off for sampling The engine had 72 hrs on first change Report came back normal for age and milege. I changed the Oil again at 5965 miles with 191 hrs on engine, I sent the oil off for sampling and when it came back it has a elevated level of potassium in it the first report showed 0 . The second one showed 32 this is antifreeze contamination on a minute level. " Anti-freeze at this level would quanitify at about 0. 005%. It normally takes about 0. 4% of this contaminant to affect wear. This is a new engine so we aren't positive the potassium and sodium aren't factory left-overs still in the engine or additive from a previous oil fill"

My question for you guys is Should I send another oil sample in for testing say with only 100 -300 miles with the oil that is presently in the engine. The first oil change was the factory Valvoline, the second was Delo 400 15W-40. The oil in there now is Delo 400 10w-30 Winter time here in Alaska. I take very good care of this Truck, I dont let her idle I keep it in a heated shop , and I dont Race it either. The only thing that has been done for the cold weather is using Stanadyne additive. Let me know if I should do another sampling. On the Sodium levels first was 7 second was 1 average should be 4

 

[bulabula]

I think if you want some reliable data for trend analysis, you need to keep the same oil in it and monitor trends. Changing to different brands of oil and different viscosities every few thousand miles won't enable you to draw any valid conclusions on whats going on in the engine.



They even said "this is a new engine so we aren't positive the potassium and sodium aren't factory left-overs still in the engine or additive from a previous oil fill".



My first thought is that if you're going to be changing oil every few thousand miles anyways, I wouldn't waste the money on $18 oil samples.



But to answer your question, I'd put a few thousand miles on the oil then compare it to your current virgin oil readings and not the other stuff that was in it.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

... OR, to take it a step further, with tight clearances in a new engine, early oil analysis reports can easily display far higher wear rates that a fully seated engine will - I've had 2 tests done on my '02, one down around 7,000 miles, the other around 12,000 miles as I recall. First was rather high (compared to a fully seated engine), the second only about half the wear rate of the first. I'm thinking my next test at about 27,000 miles will be FAR closer to displaying reliable wear figures - and I *might* have to wait 'til 50. 000 before wear rates stabilize...

 

[ScottBrown]

The thing that has me wondering is that these levels went up with the wear on the engine. The first sample with the original oil were just about nonexistent. I know it sounds like I am whining I will see what happens on the next 4000 miles. Thanks for the heads up

 

[EMD-Run8]

I do believe potassium is used as an additive in some oils. I agree totally on the new/tight engine showing greater wear even thought this is or may not be the case. First though, don't change the oil so often-----the days of 3,000 mile changes are loooonnnng gone! Second, Amsoil has a great technical department and even if you don't use their oil they may be able to help with your questions. Great folks they are. Hope everything's OK with your ride!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ScottBrown there was another thread about someone with elevated potassium and he was planning to keep an eye on his, but I never heard if he changed the oil again and if it was still elevated.



My first two oil samples with Delo 400 on my truck showed 0 Potassium. They were my 2nd and 3rd oil changes, and I didn't sample the first change. I ran the oil 6745 miles on the 2nd change, 7775 on the third.



Vaughn

 

[ScottBrown]

I am still Old School need to run more than 4000 miles between changes. The oil has been the Delo 400 15w/40 this was the first non factory oil change. Truck is a year old now only has 6000 miles on her

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Looking back on all my past Blackstone analysis reports, the early ones didn't even include a test for Potassium - and later, NONE of my reports revealed any Potassium content in any of my reports - Blackstone lists the possible source of Potassium as being "Antifreeze inhibitor, or additive in some oil types"...

 

[ScottBrown]

I just got this report back this week and it has potassium on it. This is from Blackstone Laboratories Lab Number C10422 on the bottom of the report it has the Test Properties and the the % of antifreeze I have a ? on the box that is Tested Values Were. Thanks for your Help

 

[BillGotthelf]

Potassium is an additive in some dino oils. Its used to keep sulfur particles in suspension and also to help coagulate them for filter removal.

 

[LightmanE300]

Scottbrown I've been doing oil analysis for quite a few years now. . You are wasting your time, money, and stressing over nothing. Your engine is fine I'm sure. All wear metals, silicon, etc will be wacky as the engine breaks in. You won't get any really useful data until the engine has at least 15-20k on it

 

[ScottBrown]

Thank You LightmanE300 I will take your advise and give it a rest

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by EMD-Run8

I do believe potassium is used as an additive in some oils. I agree totally on the new/tight engine showing greater wear even thought this is or may not be the case. First though, don't change the oil so often-----the days of 3,000 mile changes are loooonnnng gone! Second, Amsoil has a great technical department and even if you don't use their oil they may be able to help with your questions. Great folks they are. Hope everything's OK with your ride!

Call me a dinosaur... I change every 3000. I know this is insane, but I figure it's cheap insurance.

 

[Tony T.]

Every 5000 miles for me! Delo 15w-40 and the #16035 Fleetguard filters.

 

[msimmons]

I believe that I am the poster with the high potassium levels alluded to earlier in this thread.



My first potassium level registered at 47ppm at 7,533 miles with the factory fill of oil. At that time, Blackstone advised that the potassium level was high but might be related to a factory left over. The TBN was 7. 6 indicating that the additives in the oil were still high. At the first change, I used Delo 400.



At 14,874 I changed the oil again and Blackstone returned a potassium reading of 80ppm, also high and they suspected a coolant seepage into the engine. The TBN was 7. 8, still quite high. Again, I used Delo 400.



I have pressure tested the cooling system with no leaks noted and have added virtually no replacement coolant to the system and have been monitoring closely. Since I cannot account for any coolant loss, I am not overly concerned since the potassium has to be coming from another source other than coolant, and an earlier poster may be correct in that the potassium be actually be an additive.



In order for any test to be meaningful, you have to eliminate as many variables as possible, therefore try to keep the same brand of oil and mileage intervals the same. Random change intervals and switching between brands oil oil may skew the results and won't result in any meaningful data.



Finally, the TB's returned on my two oil samples indicate (to me at least!) that the 7,500 mile interval recommended by Cummins/Dc is quite realistic and that indeed the oil change recommendation at 3,000 miles is a thing of the past. When I do change at 7,500, the oil appears visually to be in near pristine condition with very little evidence of soot which was a common contaminant before the HPCR engines.



If anyone is interested, I will report back the results of the oil analysis again when I change it for the third time at 22,500 miles. Hope this helps!



Mike