Wix/Napa 1522 From Failed 6.0 lq4

[3311]

This is an oversized(for app)Napa/Wix 1522/51522 for the 04 2500 below with about 1000miles on the filter & FS5w30. The engine lost oil pressure earlier this year and I have yet to be pull it or tear it down. I have an oil sample in the mail to Blackstone. But it looks to me that I lost a bearing, I don't know the cause yet. Hopefully no coolant in the sample.

Anyway, back to the filter, it looks to have done a good job stopping significant amount of metal which to me, based on the magnet I swished around int he can looks to be mostly non ferrous. The filter media was approximately 3.25 "x 63" or approx 204.75 sq" and 59 pleats.

Edit: This filter is almost 50% more filter material than a shorter standard filter that I mauled here. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?

ubb=showflat&Number=2826211#Post2826211

 

[3311]

When I drained the sump earlier this year immediately after losing oil pressure it looked just like the pic above with the magnet in the can.

 

[Donald]

I would send it to Polaris and pay extra for a particle size analysis.

How did the engine stop? On its own (sieze), or did someone turn off the key or did it shut down detecting no oil pressure.

You got 169K out of the engine. I would go for a reman. How much money to put into an engine with 169K that lost oil pressure?

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I would send it to Polaris and pay extra for a particle size analysis.

How did the engine stop? On its own (sieze), or did someone turn off the key or did it shut down detecting no oil pressure.

You got 169K out of the engine. I would go for a reman. How much money to put into an engine with 169K that lost oil pressure?
I got 255k out of it, it is the 04 in the sig below. I slowly started to loose oil pressure on my way back to the shop during a test drive after rad, hoses and oil cooler hose replacemnt. I was down to 10psi after about 10 minutes when I pulled up and shut the truck off. When I started it up again to pull it in, the cluster looked like a Christams tree with 0 psi oil pressure. I shut off immediately and took a look and drained the sump. The engine did not seize.

The reason for taking a look at it is that a reman is 3k installed. These ls(lq4) engines are not cheap.

I just sent it to Blackstone since this not a sump sample. I dumped the sump oil some ago and had to get a sample when I removed the filter the and may not be . I'm more interested in the types of metal and whether or not there is coolant in the oil than an actual particle count.

 

[3311]

Here is a pic of the fitler(Vo58) from last week: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2826211#Post2826211

 

[Chris142]

Tell us more about your vise!

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Tell us more about your vise!
Ha! Well it's obviously a 4/12 Columbian. It's probably pre WWII? I scored it this past summer. I was pretty happy, finding good old stuff like this hard here in Fl, especially with the pro blue hairs who scavenge everything down here. Here is thread of mine for it with some pics http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155605

I had a 5" Larin swivel of death that just about did me in when I broke it. So that was enough of the Chicom vises for me.

 

[dnewton3]

I have always considered the 6.0L Vortec to be a reliable piece; kind of a shame this happened. 255k miles is not a bad service life, depending upon severity; it does seem short, given the typically good quality of today's engines.

Will be very interested in the teardown autopsy details; please keep us informed.

 

[3311]

Will do. I have a sample in the mail to Blackstone and will post as soon as I receive the analysis back.

I do agree that that are great engines but WOW is all I can say when you start looking around for complete rebuild kits and how much parts are in general for these engines. That is why I have left it sitting for 6 plus months. Nothing like a SB Chevy.

Edit: This was my truck, in commercial service, was well maintained and carried very heavy weight a good portion of the time as well as towing a 6k lb boat for maybe 5k miles. We add Timbren springs to the back and carry considerable weight. I have had a 3100Lb battery on it dozens of times. And batteries ranging from 1400-2200lbs are routine for our 2500's.

 

[steve20]

That sounds like a ton of tough miles on the beast

Taking any bets there was an obstruction in the new oil cooler line when it was installed?

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: steve20
That sounds like a ton of tough miles on the beast

Taking any bets there was an obstruction in the new oil cooler line when it was installed?

That was my inital thought as well, I was sure I had screwed up my engine. But after talking to a friend whose is an indy and has his own shop and whose opinon I respect. He seemed to think it is an oil pump bypass. He told me my situation matched perfectly to what he has seen numerous times with these LS engines and everytime it was the bypass in the pump stuck open or partially stuck open.

 

[dnewton3]

You buddy indicates this is not uncommon?
Hmmmmm - that's sort of sad in a way; otherwise a very good motor.

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3

You buddy indicates this is not uncommon?
Hmmmmm - that's sort of sad in a way; otherwise a very good motor.
I agree, excellent engines other than the oil pump bypass. Google "lq4 oil pump stuck bypass" appears people have had this problem and my buddy is correct other models/variants of the LS engine have pump bypass problems as well. I think even some of the newer model/generation vehicles have had issues as well since they all use a similar if not the same pump. I would think as this engine population ages mileage wise it will become even more common.
I will replace the pump on the 06 below asap as a preventive measure with a Melling 296 high volume(not high pressure) pump.

I wonder if SteveSRT8 has had any problems with pumps? He has a few more of these trucks than I do.

The stuck bypass would explain the relatively slow drop in oil pressure. My theory is that as I test drive the truck the pressure slowly dropped as the oil heated and the pump could not maintain pressure as the oil tinned. I'll have to tear into it.

The truck had lost a few pounds of oil pressure over last the 25k or so miles which I attributed to mileage, pressure sensor or gauge itself(I replaced all stepper motors). Truck may have been in some form of bypass all along.

 

[Chris142]

Whats the swivel of death?

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Whats the swivel of death?
This exact vise: http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=LARRBV-5

I bought it about 10 years ago from Sam's Club and the jaws rotate when you least want them to. JUNK!!!

 

[9c1lt1]

Replaced many LS oil pumps with Melling 10295 and 10296 "Select" series oil pumps. I am not sure if it is related to maintenance or just poor design of the original bypass but a majority of the failed units came out of heavily varnished engines. Here in Arizona it seems the summers are extremely hard on oils and the OLMs seems to run the intervals longer than I like to see.

 

[LeakySeals]

Can you clarify, a Napa Gold filter was on the engine when you lost oil pressure?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Can you clarify, a Napa Gold filter was on the engine when you lost oil pressure?


If the loss of oil pressure was due to a faulty pressure regulator valve on the oil pump, then this would have happened regardless of what oil filter was being used on that engine.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Can you clarify, a Napa Gold filter was on the engine when you lost oil pressure?

If the loss of oil pressure was due to a faulty pressure regulator valve on the oil pump, then this would have happened regardless of what oil filter was being used on that engine.
Agreed, but there is precedence for a Napa Gold filter causing a sudden loss of oil pressure. It happened to me last year. Others on here too. If he swaps the oil pump for a perceived faulty regulator, he will use new oil and a new filter. If all is ok, he would assume it was the pump when it may not have been.

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Can you clarify, a Napa Gold filter was on the engine when you lost oil pressure?
Yep, The one in the picture. Im waiting on Blackstone then I am going to drop the pan and procede from there. I doubt seriously if the filter had anthing to do with this, This engine has an internal filter bypass and the filter looked fine otherwise, just full.
If there is no coolant in the sample then I'm betting on the oil pump bypass being stuck. Either way, sadly, based on the amount of metal in the oil I think I'm going to need more than just a pump. I will be able to take the pump apart and verify if the bypass is stuck or not.