A issue with the oil?

[Idoxash]

The engine in ?: 4.3L V6 from GM
The Oil in ?: Chevron Delo 400 15w-40

So the engine has almost 130,000 miles and is about 6 years old. Nice running engine and I've used 10w-30 penzoil it's whole life with no issues. 4 months ago i complete 2 ARX treatments for fun ~~~ anyways I put 4.5 qts of 15w-40 Delo in to just see how it runs with it. Only thing I notice was a smoother sounding engin however now it's time to change the oil about 3000 miles later and I notice something in my oil I've never notice before. Metal particals ~~~ and very seeable metal particals at that

So now i'm wondering if this a oil related issue or is something going wrong in side of that engine. I thot about this winter running 5w-20 for kicks and could use any advice on that as well.

Anyways I was gonna use this truck for another 1 or 2 years before getting a new truck or car but it needs to hold till then lol.

Akiba

 

[TR3-2001SE]

My guess is your engine is still cleaning itself up from the auto-rx flush. Also the Delo has more cleaning power than regular oil so it is finishing the job. I think this is kind of normal if you use dino oil for 130,000 miles. Keep changing the oil and filter. Maybe use a Pureone filter which filters finner than a standard filter. Good luck

 

[Bob Miller]

Just where did you find the metal particles? Seems to me something went askew in your filtering system. Nearly any filter should have trapped "large" metal particles.

Perhaps your filter choice is at fault here.

 

[Pablo]

I am agreeing with Mr. Miller. Chunks of metal can't be good. But, are they Al or Fe?

5W-20? Use the vicosity appropriate for your vehicle.

 

[Steelhead]

pull the valve covers off and check the rocker arm, push rod and valve wear tips. sounds like one or more has failed

 

[Idoxash]

Thanks for the replies. When I checked my oil and wipe the end of the dip stick on some cloth towls that's when I notice a few particals of shiny metal. As for filters I been useing SuperTechs. It might be true that those metal particals could be beded within grime ect ... and are floating around a lill since the oil system has been going thru cleaning. It also might be true I could have some issues like Steelhead stated which I hope not! It's a time working on that 4.3 engine ~ everything you can think of is setting ontop of that engine and it was a 4 hr job changing my sparkplugs. Anyways anymore advice would be welcome. I'm checking the oil again tomorrow and if I see anymore metals i'm changing the oil right then and there.

 

[Idoxash]

Pablo -- "But, are they Al or Fe?"

That's a good point ~~~ althoe I have no way of finding that out unless I send in a sample to be tested which this might be just the reason needed to do that, huh?

Akiba

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

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Originally posted by Idoxash:
Pablo -- "But, are they Al or Fe?"

That's a good point ~~~ althoe I have no way of finding that out unless I send in a sample to be tested which this might be just the reason needed to do that, huh?

Akiba

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Seems like there could be a way to test them with a magnet, but maybe easier said than done when suspended in oil as the oil will make the aluminum particles stick too.

 

[Steve S]

quote:

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Originally posted by Idoxash:
Pablo -- "But, are they Al or Fe?"

That's a good point ~~~ althoe I have no way of finding that out unless I send in a sample to be tested which this might be just the reason needed to do that, huh?

Akiba

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Need to also get a particle count and other tests that will get into the bigger wear particles. Was this run on Delo a rinse? The engine runs good?

 

[Drew99GT]

I woudn't worry about it, especially if the truck is running OK. My father has a 4.3L Blazer with a magnetic drain plug. If you saw some of the metallic particles stuck to that baby, especially the size of some of them, you'd freak

Truck has 180K and still runs A-OK.

 

[Idoxash]

"Need to also get a particle count and other tests that will get into the bigger wear particles. Was this run on Delo a rinse? The engine runs good?"

Both ARX were treated and rinse useing penzoil and supertech 10w-30. The Delo 15w-40 was put in after ~~~ yah i forgot all about useing a magnic to see if the metal would stick. Guess i can try that in the morning. Yes the engine runs great (at least it feels great as in power and sound althoe it tends to eat a lot more gas then you think ...)

Akiba

 

[Bob Miller]

Two things bother me. 1) source of the "metal" you see. and 2) Why the filtration isn't removing them.

Only thing I can think of is some thing along the lines suggested - that the particles are either being generated faster than the filtration system can remove them or there is something "metal" like in the oil like perhaps some molybdenum like particles the can reflect like metallics.

Seems to me, that a look at the OHC are is warranted as was suggested. Old particles canbe cleaning out of that area or something is wearing.

Thats my 2 cents.

 

[Ray H]

A tear in the filter media or stuck in bypass from all the released gunk that may have clogged the media?

 

[Winston]

I would definately change the oil filter. I would cut it open too. Metal particles on the dipstick is definately a reason to check the filter. The entire contents of your sump is filtered a couple times a minute. There should never be visible particles in there.

 

[Idoxash]

Yah I'm a bit worried that my oil filter is clogged or getting clogged up now. Normaly after my oil is warmed up the pressure is around 40. Today thoe coming home from work the oil pressure spike up to around 65 at 70mph where it stayed till i got home. I know you can't really go by these readings thoe for example my mother's truck the oil pressur reads 80 ever since she had the truck and it has almost as many miles as mines. Still I thot it would be something to bring up. I'm going to change the oil filter ASP and probly the oil as well. Cut the filter open if can and let you guys know wut I find. As for taking the valve covers off the heads that's a last resort ~~~ sorry but my work does not allow me ot have enought time to think lol but hey if the truck does have a issue and goes for the worse I guess I'll have time then! At least I have my ol Tempo as a back up.

Thanks for all the info ppl it's been helpful.

 

[Ken2]

quote:

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Originally posted by TallPaul:

quote:

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Originally posted by Idoxash:
Pablo -- "But, are they Al or Fe?"

That's a good point ~~~ althoe I have no way of finding that out unless I send in a sample to be tested which this might be just the reason needed to do that, huh?

Akiba

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Seems like there could be a way to test them with a magnet, but maybe easier said than done when suspended in oil as the oil will make the aluminum particles stick too.

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Iron or steel particles will stand up on the magnet like whiskers. Aluminum won't stick, even with oil...or they'll blow off with a good puff.


Ken

 

[Schism]

Switch back to your normal Xw30, I prefer valvoline or castrol High mileage, they are slightly thicker 30 weights, and your engine should about as quiet as it was with the 15w40.

 

[mdocod]

i think ARX is so powerfull... that we have to be carefull how we use it... the amount of stuff it can dislodge (all in small pieces), is astounding... even for an engine that seems relativally clean.

I'm only about 500 miles into my ARX clean phase, and I've swapped filters 2 times for safety measures... the second one I tore open, there is a thin layer of crud and particals on the media, and this is after only about 300 miles on that filter... I've heard that the "rinse" phase generates the bulk of the cleaning for most engines... perhaps your engine is still "rinsing"...

tear open some of those used filters from the arx-ing, (if you still have them)... if they are significantly clogged.. then they may have gone into bypass mode.. leaving stuff for future changes to clean out..

 

[dickwells]

Another possible source of metal particles is the timing chain. If you can expose any part of the valve train you can use a wrench and turn the crank pulley to see how much play is building up in there before it starts to skip teeth. If you cant see any of the valve train you probably could get a good idea by taking off the dist cap and watching the rotor while you turn the crank back and forth. Good Luck, RW

 

[Whimsey]

quote:

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Originally posted by dickwells:
Another possible source of metal particles is the timing chain.

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I agree completely. My wife's 2002 Explorer with the 4.0 V-6 developed the dreaded timing chain tensioner problems that are all too common with that motor. It allows the timing chain to flap around until the engine is thoroughly warmed up. Her iron wear numbers spiked since her last UOA where she didn't have the problem with the timing chain tensioner yet.

Whimsey