Understanding Oil Contaminants

Can oil sampling save you big bucks? You bet it will! In the past year, I have heard from many owner operators who have prevented serious damage and repair bills by discovering issues early.

In fact, there was one instance when a factory rebuilt engine was installed in a new truck that showed excessive bearing wear with only 40,000 miles of engine use. You expect to have some break-in wear, but not to the extent of this level. Unfortunately, the dealer told the owner not to worry. It was “normal”. 50,000 miles later with the lead and now copper being extremely high the owner had the bearings inspected and discovered the bearings had worn through the lead and were damaging the copper. The story doesn’t stop there as, even though it clearly appears that the bearing wear was due to misalignment of the crankshaft and/or line bore of the block, the dealer would not honor the warranty claiming it was owner error. The owner has all the sample records and damaged bearings and is seeking legal channels to secure reimbursement from the dealer. He has a great case and with proper legal counsel I believe he will be paid by the dealer.

There are many issues with rebuilt engines. Cylinder sleeves are improperly installed allowing antifreeze to contaminate oil, bearings that are over or undersized cause excessive wear, piston rods are not properly installed, bearing caps are under-torqued allowing for excessive movement that damages crank shafts or cam shafts, blocks are not properly line bored, etc. Why would you spend over $25,000 for a rebuilt engine and not ensure it is properly functioning with oil sampling? A $30 extensive oil sample that analyzes all the wear metals, fuel, antifreeze, water etc. is a small price to pay to ensure the engines longevity.

A wise man once told me that whenever you are dealing with a potential warranty issue, always demand that you get all the parts that are removed and replaced. Having the parts available for a third party to analyze and inspect to determine the cause of the failure helps build your case. Usually when the dealer thinks that you will pursue a claim, they will not be so quick to decline your warranty claim. Telling them you need the parts in the unlikely event you need to pursue legal avenues to receive proper payment doesn’t hurt either. Protect yourself with all documentation of previous oil samples, work orders etc. is your best defense when warranty claims are declined.

I had a question about the new PC-11 oil that is being developed. PC-11 refers to proposed category 11 and is a new Heavy Duty Engine Oil designed to surpass the CJ-4 specifications. There will be two different oils designed to be used to replace the existing oils (conventional, synthetic blend, synthetic) in the same viscosity grades and new formulations in lower viscosity grades to maximize fuel economy without compromising engine protection. Changing regulations are challenging engine manufacturers and oil companies to design cleaner more efficient engines and oil products that can withstand the additional stresses and heat that is created. The oil companies are presently testing oils in conjunction with engine manufacturers to ensure everything performs as designed. The oils should become available in early 2017 and will most likely be classified as CK-4 for backwards compatible oil and FA-4 for next generation engines.

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