Perplexed - elevated potassium
- Thread starter bobt2382
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suspect coolant. The one uoa where the K+ was 536, could it have overheated?
I haven't added any coolant since the intercooler/radiator was changed fall of 2013. I was rear ended and pushed into the car in front of me. USAA had it towed to their contracted repair facility, a BMW dealership. Not happy with eir service at all. The car was apart for weeks in their dusty shop waiting on parts ( I actually tracked down part numbers for them.) Perhaps some of that dust found it way into the intercooler hoses. I doubt the blew out or cleaned anything before reassembly.
Most of the miles on this oil was a cross country trip out to west coast. 6k plus miles there and running up the west coast. The coolant temp did average 215 F on the trip out.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that I am contaminating the sample somehow which I doubt.
Any thoughts on testing the cooling system?
Most of the miles on this oil was a cross country trip out to west coast. 6k plus miles there and running up the west coast. The coolant temp did average 215 F on the trip out.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that I am contaminating the sample somehow which I doubt.
Any thoughts on testing the cooling system?
Strange, the potassium has to be coming from somewhere. Could they have been aggravated enough with you that someone there dumped some undiluted coolant to the oil?
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What year of TD!? Some have the EGR cooler which are known to fail.
Typically elevated potassium comes from eating too many bananas.
Originally Posted By: Sunnyinhollister
What year of TD!? Some have the EGR cooler which are known to fail.
2010 Golf TDI
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Strange, the potassium has to be coming from somewhere. Could they have been aggravated enough with you that someone there dumped some undiluted coolant to the oil?
I highly doubt it. The mechanic may have accidentally put some in...but, I don't think they changed the oil after the repair. There was no filter or oil listed on the repair parts invoice. I ran it for 4k miles and did a UOA on 14 Aug 2013. You can see the elevated metals started there. Hindsight, should have changed it after I got it back.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Typically elevated potassium comes from eating too many bananas.
I do eat half a banana every morning, but rarely in the car.
What year of TD!? Some have the EGR cooler which are known to fail.
2010 Golf TDI
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Strange, the potassium has to be coming from somewhere. Could they have been aggravated enough with you that someone there dumped some undiluted coolant to the oil?
I highly doubt it. The mechanic may have accidentally put some in...but, I don't think they changed the oil after the repair. There was no filter or oil listed on the repair parts invoice. I ran it for 4k miles and did a UOA on 14 Aug 2013. You can see the elevated metals started there. Hindsight, should have changed it after I got it back.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Typically elevated potassium comes from eating too many bananas.
I do eat half a banana every morning, but rarely in the car.
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Possible renal failure. You may need to start dialysis.
Dust maybe. Try adding a oil magnet and change the oil filter a couple of times during oci to see if that helps. Might be an internal/external seal that has seeped into oil maybe? Check oil often for milky substance in crankcase. If you were hit in a collision it could have flexed some seals and caused cross contamination possibly.
Early warning signs of coolant in oil. Suspect the head gasket.
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