CK4 IS not KILLING MY DURAMAX.

[PiperOne]

A while back I posted the averages after 400,000 miles of oil samples on one of my Duramax engines. That engine has now gone 100,000 plus more miles all on CK4. Below is a Summary and the actual data.

Did anything change about the truck? Yes, it does more short trips now vs the constant long haul it used to do, annual mileage is 1/3 - half of what it used to be. There was a Wix filter test but it was equally spaced between the 2 oils (we went back to Fleetguard).

Oils were Chevron Delo LE 5W40 syn CJ4 and then the switch to Chevron Delo XPS 5W40 syn CK4. OCI's are 20,000 miles for both oils.

The basic used oil chemistry changed as follows,

Item CJ4 - CK4

Zinc 1296- 890
Phos 1083- 795
Moly 47- 3
Calcium 913- 1436
The rest were pretty much the same.


Wear and Condition numbers,

Item CJ4- CK4

Iron 16.72- 15.25
Lead 2 - 5.5 (I'm attributing most of this to engine age and the shorter trips/stop start increase)
Copper 12.64- 1 ( The CJ4 oil samples have the original new engine oil cooler lechate so no big deal)
TAN 4.10- 2.97
TBN 6.54- 4.26
Oxidation 15.52- 13.75
Nitration 10.72- 9.75
Viscosity 13.87- 14.98

Two reports below, First is CJ4 and the second (1) is CK4.

 

[tundraotto]

That's a very comforting UOA of the Delo CK-4 at a nice long interval....Thanks for posting

 

[krismoriah72]

Its been awhile since i read your last report..

How is consumption in this truck? then vs now etc.

Also curious if said truck has an hour meter..and what that shows.

Refresh me on the year and chassis of this truck also 2500 series?

Allison Trans? original? how often do you service it?

Very impressed..and im in the market for a used Duramax within a year.

 

[PiperOne]

Questions

Answers

How is consumption in this truck? then vs now etc.

Consumption is around 1 quart in the 20,000 mile service interval. sometimes less, sometimes more if I have been doing a lot of higher speed high heat driving (like Texas in the summer kind of thing).

Also curious if said truck has an hour meter..and what that shows.

Not 100% sure but it's in the 11 to 12,000 hour range, I don't look that often.

Refresh me on the year and chassis of this truck also 2500 series?

It's a 3500 Van based Cutaway chassis model. 2009 LMM (emissions system not stock).

Allison Trans? original? how often do you service it?

Vans never got the Allison, This one is a 4L85E. The entire drivetrain is all original. Engine service at 20,0000 miles, transmission and fuel filters at 40,000 miles. Trans gets Chevron's full syn version of Dex6 approved oil. Rear axle has Chevron Delo 75W90 in it and was put in at 10,000 miles and has been in there since. It is due to come out at the next service.

The pickups we have get the same service intervals...the only difference is the Allisons get the Transynd type of fluid (we use the Shell stuff) and they get serviced every 100,000 miles. Never had one fail. If I was using the Dex6 in them I would likely be doing them every 40k.

 

[clinebarger]

Still running CJ4 Plus in mine, Not surprised though......With the gallons of diesel fuel I've seen in Duramax LB7 & LMM crankcases over the years without a oil related failure, I think they just need oil!

 

[BlakeB]

On the Allison's do you change the internal filter? I know Allison says they are an overhaul only item, but most trans builders do recommend changing them occasionally.

How often do you change the spin-on filter and clean the magnet?

When you service the Allison transmissions do you do a single drain and fill or a double drain?

 

[dnewton3]

The reason that Allison says to only change the filter upon disassembly is because it's only there to stop chunks of metal in case of a catastrophic event. There is a terrible misunderstanding and misconception surrounding the internal filter's duty. It's too porous to be considered really anything but a rock-catcher. It will never load up enough even in 200k miles of "normal" use to be of any concern.

The Alli 1000 has a spin on filter that protects the valve body directly; 100% of the flow bound for the valve body does through the filter first. THAT is the main filter to be concerned with.

But, the Alli is serviced the "American Way"; if something is good, then more of it must always be better at all times, right? Over-servicing something it the way of the anal-retentive, even if there's no logical cause to do so.

 

[wensteph]

Originally Posted by BlakeB


When you service the Allison transmissions do you do a single drain and fill or a double drain?


Double drain if you are swapping out the GM Dex VI for a TES-295 approved fluid. If you are not swapping fluid then a single drain. Even with a double drain you'll never get most of the Dex out. Still, the transmission will noticeably shift smoother.

 

[PiperOne]

We never change the internal filter, we only do the double change when we swap out Dex6 for Transynd type oil (and even then we will run the truck until it has a reason to be in the shop again). We change the spin on and clean the magnet when we do the trans oil change (100,000mi) or yearly if the truck doesn't do 100,000 in a year. Never much on the magnet, we cut open all out filters and never see much in there either. We have done some spot analsis on the oil and don't see any issues.....like the Duramax the Allison does not require any kind of "more is better" service approach.

And why did this thread get moved? while it includes oil analysis info, the main purpose was to show the OIL was doing OK... I just used oil analysis to back my ststement/purpose.

 

[spiderbypass]

Two things have learned over the years at bitog
1. Quality engineering of an engine trumps oil in terms of used oil analysis. Duramax engines seem to give excellent oil analysis regardless.

2. When observe low wear in any other Diesel engine analysis-I immediately suspect the emissions were deleted in some manner-deleted egr and other modifications generally provide excellent oil analysis regardless of oil type.