Elevated copper 2004 Dodge Diesel

[fredb]

Have been extending oil changes using Blackstone Lab recommendations. No noticable changes from 5,000 to 7,500 miles. At 10,000 miles the copper went from 3 to 10. Lead and tin stayed at 1 and 0 at the 10,000 mile mark. Blackstone could not explain. Is this a leaching issue coming from the oil cooler? Blackstone says to go back to 7,500 to see if it improves.

 

[TeeDub]

Sounds like chemical wear from letting the TBN get too low...

The levels of Cu/Pb/Sn don't necessarily correlate to one another.

TD

 

[Harley Anderson]

I had the same problem and could not find an answer either. It never got above 7 ppm though. Low TBN does not sound right because each time my tbn was as high as 9.4 when the sample was taken. What oil are you running and how many miles do you have on your ram.

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

Also, note that Blackstone will compare your wear metals to "average" (at least that's what I have noticed) which can be considerably less than your actual miles on the oil.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

New engines will have more metal elements at first. Engine copper wear will stabilize in the 3 to 15 range when the engine is seated or broke in. After that if the OCI is reasonable and the oil is good...that average will be in the same range until the end of the life of the engine is nearing. Then the metal elements will again raise to where the beginning wear was.

 

[fredb]

My truck has 87,000 miles using Rotella T 15-40. TBN was 9.9 at 10,000 miles. I'm sold on Rotella T because I put 340,000 on my '91 Dodge diesel and no engine issues.

 

[wjdell]

The Cu was 3 at 5k and elevated to 10 at 10k
What was the soot level at 5k vs 10K

 

[fredb]

Using a Fleetguard LF3972 oil filter the soot level is always .2%.

 

[wjdell]

follow the labs advice - return to 7.5k