1996 Dodge 5.9L Cummins | T6 5w-40| 9,830 Miles

[madibob]

Blackstone comments: Most of the metals either stayed steady or dropped a small amount, but chrome is on the rise. It's from the rings and it sometimes doesn't take a lot of chrome to show a problem like maybe a stuck or cracked ring. You didn't add any oil this time. Any changes on oil use? Silicon is higher here. That can show dirt getting past the air filtration system, so check that for leaks or cracks. It might also be a harmless sealer if any work was done. The TBN is strong at 7.9, but we're not recommending a longer run due to the chrome. Check back in 8,000 miles.

Miles on oil: 9,830
Miles on Unit: 84,930
Makeup oil: 0 qts

ALUMINUM - 3
CHROMIUM - 13 (FLAGGED)
IRON - 35
COPPER - 2
LEAD - 1
TIN - 0
MOLYBDENUM - 65
NICKEL - 0
MANGANESE - 0
SILVER - 0
TITANIUM - 0
POTASSIUM - 4
BORON - 44
SILICON - 52 (FLAGGED)
SODIUM - 5
CALCIUM - 1089
MAGNESIUM - 1226
PHOSPHORUS - 1180
ZINC - 1440
BARIUM - 2

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F - 72.7
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C - 13.65
Flashpoint in °F - 440
Fuel % - Antifreeze % - 0
Water % - 0
Insolubles % - 0.3
TBN - 7.9

Oil was in for 12 months and I used a Mobil 1 oil filter. The silicon is from the valve cover gaskets being changes. I forgot to tell Blackstone. Oil was down about 0.5 quarts when I changed it. I'm concerned about the high chromium.

 

[madibob]

Here's the previous UOA from last year (November 2013) that I never posted which was run using Mobil 1300 15w-40:

Blackstone comments: Yeah, there's a little more metal in this sample, but it's hard to say whether this is due to the longer oil run, a possible problem, or maybe running a bit low on oil. It could be a combination of all three. The increases in aluminum, chrome, and iron show some upper-end wear, and poor lubrication could be a factor in that. Chrome, from rings, is the metal most out line. Maybe that explains your oil consumption. It's hard to say, but it's obviously worth watching. The TBN is still okay and no contamination was found. Try this interval again.

Miles on oil: 10,043
Miles on Unit: 75,013
Makeup oil: 0 qts

ALUMINUM - 5
CHROMIUM - 12 (FLAGGED)
IRON - 37
COPPER - 2
LEAD - 2
TIN - 2
MOLYBDENUM - 51
NICKEL - 1
MANGANESE - 1
SILVER - 0
TITANIUM - 0
POTASSIUM - 0
BORON - 41
SILICON - 5
SODIUM - 6
CALCIUM - 1641
MAGNESIUM - 1012
PHOSPHORUS - 1164
ZINC - 1320
BARIUM - 1

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F - 73.2
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C - 13.80
Flashpoint in °F - 420
Fuel % - Antifreeze % - 0
Water % - 0
Insolubles % - 0.2
TBN - 5.7

Note that when I changed the oil this time the oil level was below add slightly.

The Previous UOA is HERE

 

[jrmason]

How does the engine run? How fast are you going through oil? May be time for a compression test to see what's going on. Your not making oil, which is a good sign but compression test will confirm.

 

[madibob]

Originally Posted By: jrmason
How does the engine run? How fast are you going through oil? May be time for a compression test to see what's going on.


Engine runs great. It did use oil on the Mobil 1300 15W-40 at a much higher rate as it went from full to a little under the fill line in 10K. It used less oil of the T6; about 0.5 quarts, maybe a little more, in 10K.

 

[Donald]

Here is mine from awhile ago. Same engine, same oil, more than 2X the miles. Chrome was very low for me.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...es_#Post3384405

 

[fdcg27]

What's the history of this truck?
85K on an eighteen year old vehicle is like grandma really did only use it to drive to church on Sunday.

 

[dnewton3]

The Cr is higher than average and at the outer end of "normal" for this engine series. Additionally, the Fe is just a bit on the upper end. If ONLY the Fe were elevated, I'd not worry about it. But the Cr being flagged, and the Fe being elevated, is a reasonable indication that the ring issue is very possible, and even probable. In short, it's reasonable to consider that a ring is wearing on the steel liner; hence both Cr and Fe are up.

However, that is not a reason to panic or do a tear down. You may be able to get tens of thousands of miles of service before something bad happens to a point where intervention would be necessary.

Or, you can yank the head off and drop the pan to pull the piston for a looksee ...
Short of that, you'll just have to endure it.

 

[A_Harman]

The Iron and Chromium were consistent in the two UOA's, so at least the situation isn't accelerating.

 

[jrmason]

These engines are big and heavy. 2 strong backs may be able to get the head off but almost impossible setting it back on without ruining the new head gasket. A cherry picker is mandatory for this IMO. In order to drop the oil pan the engine needs to come out unless its a 2wheel drive, you may get away with it but I've always preferred yanking an engine and working on it on a stand. This allows you to address any questionable seals and give the engine a good look over. Its not all that much extra work considering the awkwardness of working on it in the engine bay and on your back under the truck, but it all comes down to personal preference.
Either way I would still do a compression test before doing anything else. It can be done in a few hours and will tell you a lot about the health of your engine.
What is your primary use with this truck? Do you stay local or do you make extended trips with it? I do several long distance trips a year with mine so I may be a little more apprehensive about letting it ride but if you stay local you could probably run it for quite a while without any troubles.

 

[madibob]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
What's the history of this truck?
85K on an eighteen year old vehicle is like grandma really did only use it to drive to church on Sunday.

The engine hasn't had any work done and is original; the truck sat for 10 years until 2011, was run for a year (5K miles) and then I bought it at 58K miles. I assume it just sitting for that time could have caused some corrosion in the cylinders and I was hoping by now it would go back to normal.

 

[madibob]

Originally Posted By: jrmason
What is your primary use with this truck? Do you stay local or do you make extended trips with it?

I use it mainly for hauling stuff here and there (not heavy), occasional camping trip, pull my buddy's boat once in a while, and tend to take it over my Tacoma on longer trips of 200 to 400 miles. It really doesn't see many short trips less than about 25 miles. I took it to Colorado last year but I'm usually within 200 miles of home with it.

 

[A_Harman]

Use it more. Maybe it's still breaking in. I know that sounds silly at 85k miles, but the Cummins engine is a very long-lived beast. I think mine was still breaking in at 150k.

 

[bullwinkle]

If it sat outside for 10 years without being started, God forbid not sitting on concrete or asphalt, you could have cylinder surface rust bad enough to account for both the high Fe & Cr numbers. Even though it's not a similar engine, my brother's '87 Tercel sat that way for around 15 years, & it's had (un-Toyota-like) blowby issues at only 45K-when he bought it in 2013 it only had 22K on it.

 

[Donald]

I think its related to having sat outside and not run for 10 years. Doubt it will leave you stranded. +1 on getting a compression test done. Go from there.

 

[madibob]

I played around and was able to put the whole UOA history in block text. I'm going to give it one more run and if it doesn't go down I'll have it looked at.


Code:
OIL BRAND Rotella T6 Mobil 1300 Rotella T6

OIL 5W-40 15w-40 5W-40

MILES IN USE 9,830 10,043 7,000

MONTHS IN USE 12 4 7

MILES 84,930 75,013 64,970

SAMPLE TAKEN 11/08/2014 11/1/2013 7/3/2013 UNIVERSAL

MAKEUP OIL 0 qts 0 qts 0 qts AVERAGES



ALUMINUM 3 5 4 3

CHROMIUM 13 12 9 2

IRON 35 37 29 22

COPPER 2 2 2 4

LEAD 1 2 1 2

TIN 0 2 0 1

MOLYBDENUM 65 51 56 27

NICKEL 0 1 1 0

MANGANESE 0 1 1 0

SILVER 0 0 0 0

TITANIUM 0 0 0 0

POTASSIUM 4 0 2 3

BORON 44 41 46 84

SILICON 52 5 4 7

SODIUM 5 6 1 5

CALCIUM 1089 1641 1442 2593

MAGNESIUM 1226 1012 1209 284

PHOSPHORUS 1180 1164 1235 1081

ZINC 1440 1320 1459 1269

BARIUM 2 1 0 1



SUS Vis@210°F 72.7 73.2 72.2

cSt Vis@100°C 13.65 13.80 13.54

FLASHPOINT °F 440 420 420

FUEL %
ANTIFREEZE % 0 0 0

WATER % 0 0 0

INSOLUBLES % 0.3 0.2 0.2

TBN 7.9 5.7 6.0