Oil Sample

[MrMarty51]

There is fuel listed on the sample, but, my advice is for a properly done sample.



Bluntly this contaminated and "wrong" oil sample just about sent you down an expensive rabbit hole. Either do the oil samples properly or don't do them at all!

Not sure you have any action needed as the sample contamination from an unknown drain pan used for who knows what before getting dust dropped on it from the air simply ruined the sample.

Start over as you may have many miles left on the engine.

Sample at the drain plug or use a "vampire" to suck a sample out the dipstick tube.

Samples tell you when you say have coolant in the oil before it wipes the engine bearings completely out. Or cracked intake boot/dust leak/ fuel in oil (OR in one of my cases ATT spool valve on a 6.2 with non-coated pistons going beyond the limits of the engine oil I was using.)

The blowby you have is not even interesting. Nothing to see there esp. with the miles on it. Someone has kept the temps in check and not hurt the rings!

This is blowby and if it would start and run I would have run it further...

Yeah, that is blowby all right.
I now have sample bottles setting here. There will be no more mistakes like that last one.
When I drain this batch of oil at 1,000 miles I will sample from the middle of the drain.
I am still tempted to bottle this other sample thats been in a covered container just to see what it does come back as.

 

[dbrannon79]

This is exactly what we use at work to pull oil samples from the dipstick tube. a piece of iirc 3/16" or 1/8" tubing (we use plastic air line) attaches to the pump and the oil sample bottle threads on to the bottom. on the first use, pull a small amount like half a bottle through the pump so that there is no contaminants in the pump housing on first use. then pull you a full sample and send it off. no need to drain the oil at 1k miles pull it with this and if it comes back ok, keep running the oil til it's normal change cycle and pull another before draining. never pull a sample from the drain plug. you'll always get something concentrated in it. at least that was how I was taught.

Amazon.com

 

[Will L.]

This is exactly what we use at work to pull oil samples from the dipstick tube. a piece of iirc 3/16" or 1/8" tubing (we use plastic air line) attaches to the pump and the oil sample bottle threads on to the bottom. on the first use, pull a small amount like half a bottle through the pump so that there is no contaminants in the pump housing on first use. then pull you a full sample and send it off. no need to drain the oil at 1k miles pull it with this and if it comes back ok, keep running the oil til it's normal change cycle and pull another before draining. never pull a sample from the drain plug. you'll always get something concentrated in it. at least that was how I was taught.

Amazon.com

Exactly correct. Thats why when draining and catching sample they say let half of it go through first - to rinse the threaded holes. Oil samples from power transformers for instance- they get drained some before the sample as well. Every oil sample is to be done this way.

Dipping into a drain pan is really preached against.

 

[jrsavoie]

This is exactly what we use at work to pull oil samples from the dipstick tube. a piece of iirc 3/16" or 1/8" tubing (we use plastic air line) attaches to the pump and the oil sample bottle threads on to the bottom. on the first use, pull a small amount like half a bottle through the pump so that there is no contaminants in the pump housing on first use. then pull you a full sample and send it off. no need to drain the oil at 1k miles pull it with this and if it comes back ok, keep running the oil til it's normal change cycle and pull another before draining. never pull a sample from the drain plug. you'll always get something concentrated in it. at least that was how I was taught.

Amazon.com

I've been using alcohol to clean between samples

 

[MrMarty51]

I do have a vacuum pump that has a containment bottle that attaches to the exhaust side with a hose.
I suspect that if I clean that container with detergent and water then let it thoroughly air dry, that would be a good catch device.
The sample I have in the covered pan had been taken at mid drain. I waited for a fair amount to drain out before holding the pan under the flow.
I am wondering though, before I bottle up a portion of this sample, should I stir what is in the pan to be able to catch all of the contaminants thats in that sample ?
I think it should be stirred but will not do that until I get the word from those more knowledgeable than I on such matters.

 

[Will L.]

No. Don’t bother with the existing oil. Just being open like that means silicates, minerals, etc will be way off. Water and lighter fuels could have evaporated from it. Testing that oil is a waste of time & money.

You are not loosing a ton of coolant - so it can’t be contaminating the oil that much.
You had bearing wear estimated- but those numbers are not saying the bearing is down to the bottom of the tri-metal. The fuel amount and soot amount shows you have blow by- but not bad.
Put in new oil and filter- then Drive the thing. If you want- get 500 miles on it then clean the drain pan very well. Drain the oil and once a quart has went past- use the sample container to catch some as it comes out of the pan. Put the cap on the sample bottle, put drain plug back in and pour the rest of the oil back into the engine and keep driving it. Then see what they say.

Otherwise drive it the one thousand miles on the oil and do the sample the same way- catching it with the bottle as it drains. But at that time replace the oil as they suggest.

Your report didn’t send back results to hit the panic button for. It sent back to say - hey pay attention.

Obviously as you drive it - pay attention to coolant level. Dont just top it off. I have seen trucks that will spit out a 3/4 quart below the “full” mark and just run that way with never a problem. You just need it to stay above the hose supply line. Track it- you can look everyday or every 150 miles or so. Obviously long trips to the middle of nowhere are probably not smart until you get the next sample results back. If it is loosing coolant- then parking it for repairs before catastrophe could be smart.

 

[ak diesel driver]

FWIW I have to periodically add coolant , I've been assuming/hoping it's from the weep hole in the waterpump and just burning off without seeing any drip. I have 260k on mine as well and about the same blowby. I add antifreeze when my low coolant light comes on, which is about every 4-6 months.

 

[Will L.]

FWIW I have to periodically add coolant , I've been assuming/hoping it's from the weep hole in the waterpump and just burning off without seeing any drip. I have 260k on mine as well and about the same blowby. I add antifreeze when my low coolant light comes on, which is about every 4-6 months.

Any recollection of how much you add each 6 months as a reference for him?

 

[ak diesel driver]

Probably less than a quart. Never measured just poured it in.

 

[dbrannon79]

Mine looses about 3/4 gallon of coolant in about a months time, but that's due to my t-stat crossover to head gaskets seeping. My blow by is worse than yours but the engine still feels strong. cranks right up every time now with the powermaster starter too.

I think yours will live a lot longer yet.

 

[MrMarty51]

I’ll make a note of the coolant. Right now, even after the 300 miles round trip to the cabin and back, the coolant level does not appear to have dropped at all. It still is well above the grids in the coolant tank.
I’ll make note of that, and date and mileage, then, I’ll wait for the add coolant lamp to illuminate before adding more, make note of the day and mileage and measure how much prestone I have to add to get the level back to where it is now.
That will give Me a good base line of how much coolant it actually is blowing through.
I did have that oil sample bottled and ready to send in. I trashed that.
I’ll be patient and run this 1,000 miles and then see what the recommendations will be.
I am thinking it will be much improved.

 

[MrMarty51]

I have to add air to the tires more often than I have to add coolant.