Oil sample results

[Dick Langendorff]

Sent in a sample to Blackstone with over 20,000 miles on the oil. That sample came back with the copper and silver reading being high. Copper normal is 5, my sample was 27. Silver normal is 1. my sample was 5. I changed my Frantz filters and went another 3,000 miles. Sent in another sample. Now we are at approximately 23,000 miles. This sample came back with the Copper being 43 and the Silver still at 5. All of the other numbers were well within the specs or norm.



This sample said I may have a bushing or turbo bearing going since the copper level was higher. Their recommendation was to change the oil, filters check back in 20,000 miles or so.



The truck is an '03 QCAB, Two wheel drive, Auto, 235/460. Stock. No chips, etc. 167,000 miles. It runs great, no drop in mileage, etc.



Any thoughts from the Great Group of Cummins Corp?



Thanks in advance.



Dick Langendorff

 

[NavyDood]

What oil are you running? First time sampling? It's not the turbo. It is a known issue that the oil cooler leaches copper into the oil especially on the older HPCR engines. My copper peaked at 590 on my 2008 sample. After that it settled back in the 20's. I never changed a thing and just kept an eye on the coolant for oil and the oil for coolant. No coolant has shown up in my oil in any of the samples. I run Amsoil AME 15w-40 and a single AMsoil or Donaldson oil filter for the 25,000 mile OCI and no bypass. I am currently 24,000 miles into this 25,000 mile OCI. I will be going on my 6th oil change doing the 25,000 OCI method. I current have 189,000 miles on my truck.

 

[Dick Langendorff]

Thanks NavyDood.

Makes sense. I will go ahead and change everything and take another sample down the road.

I have been using Premium Blue from Cummins since day one. My first truck was the original 1989, then this 2004.

Thanks again for the response and input.

Dick Langendorff