Here is my latest analysis. 15,000 miles with Amsoil 15W40 DME using an Amsoil dual remote by-pass set-up with an EA026 and BP100. I changed the oil and both filters during this sample pull.

I'm including my 7500 mile analysis for comparison. I'm sticking with 15,000 mile OCI.

What do those with more experience/expertise recommend?

First, I recommend finding out why your silicon and Cu and Fe are so darn high.

How many miles on the truck, total, being a 2008?
When did you convert over to Amsoil lube and systems?
Do you run your tuner heavily most of the time?

For the silicon, I suspect your aftermarket intake sysetm is failing somewhere; it's either not filtering properly at the filter itself, or you've got a leak somewhere in the ducting.

Regarding the CU, something is amiss there too. Sure, it's "normal" to have elevated CU levels in a new Dmax, but yours is WAY above the norm. While I do understand that OA might say that some of the Cu is from a "chemistry" reaction, let's just face facts. You accumulated 19ppm in the first 7500 miles, and then somehow gained an additional 244ppm in the next 7500 miles? Something is wrong. Perhaps the oil sample was misread, or contaminated. There are lots of things that could be an issue.

You asked for a recommendation, so I have one; take it or leave it. Reconsider the use of your lube system.

Consider these dino Delvac, Rotella, and Delo UOA results:
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272289&highlight=used+oil
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=333728&highlight=rotella+10w-30
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319363&highlight=amsoil+uoa

Now look at your UOA. You are getting way higher Cu and elevated Fe; they could be due to the silicon leak, or they could be a "chemistry" reaction. But one thing is for sure; you don't see these issues with the other dino brands with stock air filter systems, do you?

Let's consider the costs you are incurring, changing oil every 15k miles:
probably $75 for the oil, $15 for the EaO, and mabye $20 for the BP100 (estimates, but probably not far off). That's $110 for an oil change every 15k miles, and all you get in return is high Cu and Fe, and average other wear metals?

It would be unfair at this point to directly blame the Amsoil, because you need to get your silicon issue resolved first. Then you can make some continued UOAs and see how the Amsoil holds up on the next go around, at 7.5k and 15k miles. However, I personally would not be spending that kind of money for very long if I could not get the issues under control.

Your current plan (Amsoil at 15k mile intervals) would put your over $225 for after 30k miles.
Or you could OCI with dino oil and regular oil and air filters, every 10k miles. After 30k miles, and a bit of prudent shopping, you might have $75 invested?

My point is that to make synethtics and bypass filtration pay off, you have to GREATLY extend the OCIs. But if your UOA results are this (shall we be polite and say) "marginal", I'd rething the whole plan if I were you. At the very least, I'd find that air leak.

The truck had 21,000 miles when the last sample was taken. I switched to Amsoil and put the by-pass on at 6,000 miles.

Switching back to stock air is not really an option. I will try to track down my leak. How does high silicon indicate an air leak? I'm new to this so that is not a loaded question.

You were very close on the costs. $114 was the cost. I run Rotella dino in my Cummins and an oil change costs me $63 every 5,000 miles. It may be paranoia but I've never ran dino over 5,000 miles. Of course I have never had a dino analysis performed, either.

My biggest concern is the lab said this oil was good to run an additional 7,000 miles. Do I need to try a different lab?

dirt = silica

Got it. All of the intake duct is clean on the inside. Any ideas on where else to look?

You are good to go, the levels were minor. Check your intake for leaks.

I would lose the custom intake, if it has a oil soaked filter it will let dirt in.....I removed the K&N from my truck after reading a report of air filters, AC/Delco protected the best in our truck and provided the best air flow......(in a stock housing). Look for a split in the plastic housing air intake for leakage.....look for a rub hole in the cooler, you could be getting dirt there too.

I am makin g an assumption here, however, with the mileage on the vehicle, I am assuming that you put this oil in at the first oil change, and have been running it since then.
If this is the case, I would say that the iron is left over from break in, the copper is from the oil cooler, and will drop off after about 3 or 4 oil changes at this interval, or it did on mine any way, and the silica is as others have said dirt from either a leak or a dirty air filter.
I would say that you are good. And the oil being good for more miles, it is the TBN is fine, and the levels are all still at the low limits, this being said, I would recommend changing the oil anyway, which you did, just because it is still a young truck, and will need a couple oil cycles to clear all the metals out of it.

Wear metals from break in are a possible explination, but I still question the total magnitude of the number. Still - I'd be willing to wait to condem the lube until futher data is found.

The silicon is what is most concerning. Silica (dirt) and silicon show up as the same thing in a UOA. Even though the engine is reasonably new, you cannot blame silicon for this. If it were silicon, it would not be CLIMBING in magnitude, as your UOA indicates. Therefore it is likely silica from an outside source. And that dirt ingestion is very likely contributing to the increased wear metals. But you won't know how much so, until you stop the dirt intrusion. Only then can you make some fair judgements on the wear metals and the performance of the lube.

Again, I point to the dino oil UOAs. Look at the wear metals and silicon levels. Stock air intake systems don't have these kinds of problems typically. Aftermarket air systems can work well, but only if installed well.

Being that you don't have many miles on the truck, I'd say it's fair to not judge the Amsoil yet, but I also would like to invite you to peruse many of the UOAs on this site and at BITOG, and make your own decisions. Further, dino oil OCIs on Dmax vehicles are quite supportive of 7.5k mile durations, and many can go quite a bit further, up to 10k miles!

Thanks everyone. I will pull the intake system out and see what I can find. Pulling the lid and filter showed a clean duct.

Do you still have the black plastic resonator on your D-Max?

Spicer reported high silica amounts on an oil analysis report and found that the resonator had a split in a seam and was letting in unfiltered air. Since he posted that, a lot of us have removed the resonator and plugged the port.

Do you still have the black plastic resonator on your D-Max?

Spicer reported high silica amounts on an oil analysis report and found that the resonator had a split in a seam and was letting in unfiltered air. Since he posted that, a lot of us have removed the resonator and plugged the port.

I've been resonator-free for a year or so.

I pulled the air filter off and I think I found my problem. Has anyone ever under-oiled an oiled fiber media filter?

Im not a big fan of the k&n oil able filters I had friends running them on their dirt bikes and it was quite scary in the intake after a few hours of ride time :(

Im not a big fan of the k&n oil able filters I had friends running them on their dirt bikes and it was quite scary in the intake after a few hours of ride time :(


same here. i ran K&N until i took it off to clean it. the intake on my quad was filthy. now i run a uni dual foam filter. maybe you could look at an alternative air filter to go on the aftermarket intake

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=73797&d=1223662896

Here is one of my oil samples

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=73798&d=1223662896

Here are the rest of my samples.

rl

If you clean and oil the K+N correctly you will have no problems...this means not blowing it dry with compressed air. I have used them since 84' on bikes, cars, and my trucks. This truck has 90K now no problems and my oil analysis (posted it awhile back) came back great. Have a good day.

K&N sucks.... period.


Feel better now? Have a nice day.

Thanks for all of the assistance and input. I will be sure to post again in 12K miles or so.