Foxborough

I decided to take an oil sample a couple of weeks ago since I had not done this since Feb of 07. So last week I took on with 6.2k miles on the oil. The report noticed 25 PPM of potassium and suggested I take another sample in 2k miles. They also suggested I send in a virgin sample to see if was in the oil. So I did that and told them that I did top off the oil with Rotello and they said that it does not contain Potassium. My truck has 25k on the motor. Now my last oil report showed 39 PPM of Potassium in the oil after 8k miles on the oil. So with the potassium going up indicates an anti-freeze leak. The amounts are real small 25 PPm = 5.5 drops in 12 qts of oil and 39 PPM = 8.5 drops in 12 qts of oil. So a leak like this may go away, get worse or just monitor and wait. My truck has under 38k on it right now and the motor spun the piston rod bearing at 13 k that is why I have less miles on motor. Called the dealer (they have been good to me and rebuilt the motor) and they told me not to worry and have warranty for 100k on the motor. It that good advice?

Mower Man

NO!! I have a hard time believing that an anti-freeze leak will cure itself.

belgianmagic

you have a trace amount of BLOWN HEAD GASKET... THIS WILL NOT FIX ITSELF

SSminnow

UH, yeah. A leak of any kind is just not going to fix itself. Antifreeze mixing with oil is a BAD thing. Could be numerous thing. Blown head gasket, cracked cylinder head, cracked block along a water passage, or all 3

Foxborough

I was afraid of that. Retorque the head, do you think that would do anything?

belgianmagic

once it leaks it is usually too late for re-torqueing if you have high boost , buy studs and change the gasket look at the head while its off

louielouie

I was under the impression that these engines have a oil/coolant heat exchanger that sometimes springs a leak in the block - might have been in an old issue of TDR...

CG98x

They do have an oil cooler it is what the filter is mounted to. I would tend to think a crack in the head or block or a seeping HG before the cooler though. It seems once they start leaking it gets bad quick.

05mxdiesel

I would follow blackstone's advice and sample again in 2k. These CR motors tend to show some K with low miles until break in has begun. At my 16k sample I had 15ppm of K and then it steadily dropped off down to 2 at my last sample at 50k. If your ppm of K increases significantly over 2k then I would think you have a problem that needs looked. But 39ppm sounds high, was there any detectable antifreeze in this sample?

Foxborough

Thanks for the inputs guys. I think right now I will take a sample @ 2-3k miles on the oil and Blackstone labs said to change oil every 5k. Sound like good advice. I think it will get worse but really hope your right 5mxdiesel. All it shows under antifreez is POS. I will post the lab report when it gets approved, see if I can do it now.https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...1&d=1189698140

06 DIESEL

You and me both. Here is my oil analysis. I took it to the dealer and they put dye in the antifreeze. After 1000 miles They looked for the dye and found none. I guess if it does turn out to be a HG I will replace it, o ring it and stud it and forget it.
*NOTE* one sample has over 6k on it the other only has 1k on it.

Foxborough

The thing that has me worried 06 DIESEL is if you look at the difference between 5/8/06 & 12/16/06. The truck spun #3 piston rod bearing 8/10/06 right between the two samples and 5/8/06 started showing the same thing. I haven't been sampling very regular but I will now, I hope history doesn't repeat itself.

PourinDiesel

Hmm....
Dont sound good.

Could be a bad rebuild from a dealer tech who is probably not that experienced at rebuilds.
Could be head gasket or oil cooler. It can also be a cracked head.