Just changed out the oil at 18,400 and sent a sample off to be checked.. Email today said they were really worried about the high copper content and had a bunch of !!!!!!!! after the 663... The 663 was even in red!

I seem to remember something about the coolers giving off a lot of copper... But I am getting old :)

Steve

Just changed out the oil at 18,400 and sent a sample off to be checked.. Email today said they were really worried about the high copper content and had a bunch of !!!!!!!! after the 663... The 663 was even in red!

I seem to remember something about the coolers giving off a lot of copper... But I am getting old :)

Steve

Copper cooler is skewing the results.

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Ah.. I though it was something like that,,,,

:)

But how did previous sample results fare? That's what bothers me. Why all of a sudden a high Cu number?

I have sampled for the entire life of my truck. All of a sudden, last sample came back with a high Cu number (not as high as yours!). Why now?

I need to go pull a mid oil life sample and send it off to see it that was just an anomoly, or the start of something.

This is the first sample I have ever pulled from this truck.... Only 18,400 miles on it ...

How many miles on the oil and how many changes have been done?

I prefer to change the oil early and often when new.

id be concerned, Id test the next oil change too,dump it a little early,and compare the results.

My first oil analysis to come back showed a copper level of 999! :eek:

That was when the truck had less than 10,000 miles.
The copper level dropped into the 200's on the next analysis, and now it is in the normal range.

High copper numbers are "normal" for newer Duramax engines.

My highest copper reading was 46 ppm at my second oil change which was at 3,000 miles on the truck. Didn't have a anylasis for the first oil change.

Since then it dropped to 12 the next time and is now down to about 4 to 7 ppm lately.

663 and 999 sound awfully high to me.

Some of the possible causes of high copper in the reports I get are:

Air compressor bushings
oil cooler tubes
thrust washers
wrist pin bushings
oil pump bushings
anti-sieze compounds after a repair
additives in the new oil
Condensation (water)

Have you had the truck worked on lately or does it sit for a long period of time without running ?

DD

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How's the tin and lead? High copper is "generic" to the DMax engine early on. If the copper is not coincident with lead and tin it is NOT bearing/bushing wear. If you have high numbers in all your wear metals along with copper I'd be worried. Copper alone is not a problem in a DMax - it will come down and track other wear metals after 20,000 miles or so.

Tin is 8, lead is 9....

This is the third oil change.... First was at 3500 and then I have been following the DIC and changing when it gets to 20%. This truck drives a lot of Highway miles and only sits for 24 hours at a time when I go to work on the ambulance...

At my job, I see from a dozen to 50 of these oil analysis reports every month done by Polaris Labs out of Indianapolis. I have just about given up on bothering with oil analysis on the very first engine oil change... the silicon and other left-overs and break-in metals will about scare you into thinking somethings wrong with the engine. This is whether it is a D/max or any other diesel engine. The important thing about oil analysis wear metals is the trend. Some brands of engines just run higher trends than others. Most Ford/Navistars run iron in the high 80-90's, whereas that is inordinately high on a Cummins. I'm new to D/Max so don't know the standards yet. and I did NOT do an OLA on my first oil change in my 05 LLY last week, so I could sleep better :p: Now fuel dilution and presence of antifreeze, etc. are a different matter.. you just don't want nonna that Censored stuff, period.

i just got my oil results back today. Had only 18065mi. when I sent the sample out. This was the second time I changed the oil. My copper was 355ppm. So I guess you guys are saying not too worry too much? Any hoo our mech. at work works for UPS so I'll just see what he says, he's was going to look at for me anyway. I'll ask him what is abnormal and what to be aware of and let you all know.

Have you had the truck worked on lately or does it sit for a long period of time without running ?
No and no - its my daily driver and nothing has been done to it lately.

How's the tin and lead?
Tin and lead have all shown normal-to-low for every analysis.

Copper was down into the normal range for the last analysis.

Why are high copper levels normal for a new Duramax ?

Where is the copper coming from.

I've heard of high Silicate levels on the first couple of changes because of the sand casting they use to make the motor but I'm curious as to where the copper comes from.

DD

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I don't believe that anyone has ever conclusively identified the source. Most popular opinion is that it's residue from the internals of the oil cooler. Could also be a residue from an assembly lube or part fitment grease containing copper powder. It just happens on the DuraMax and is a well documented and recurring event.

Why are high copper levels normal for a new Duramax ?

Where is the copper coming from.


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if i had to guess i would say the oil to coolant oil cooler.

just residue from manufacturing.

At my job, I see from a dozen to 50 of these oil analysis reports every month done by Polaris Labs out of Indianapolis. I have just about given up on bothering with oil analysis on the very first engine oil change... the silicon and other left-overs and break-in metals will about scare you into thinking somethings wrong with the engine. This is whether it is a D/max or any other diesel engine. The important thing about oil analysis wear metals is the trend. Some brands of engines just run higher trends than others. Most Ford/Navistars run iron in the high 80-90's, whereas that is inordinately high on a Cummins. I'm new to D/Max so don't know the standards yet. and I did NOT do an OLA on my first oil change in my 05 LLY last week, so I could sleep better :p: Now fuel dilution and presence of antifreeze, etc. are a different matter.. you just don't want nonna that Censored stuff, period.

:exactly: I change the crap out of mine when new to get the break in junk out ASAP.

he said just to the silcate was to worry about, and that my results were pretty good for how new it was.