Sodium & potassium up a little

[Mrkentee]

Sodium and potassium climbed a little this time. 871 with 440,00 on Gearhead overhaul. Reman turbo with 10-15,000 more miles on it. Tuned with everything still there. Maybe wait until next sample and see if it’s worse, or start investigating now?
Could it be turbo or egr cooler? No antifreeze, fuel,or water in sample.
(I was pulling a lot of big hills during the last sample period)

[Chamberpains]

Are you using gear lube in the engine oil? What brand?

Have you been running in/on salty roads?

[Mrkentee]

(03-06-2020 )Chamberpains Wrote:  Are you using gear lube in the engine oil? What brand?

Have you been running in/on salty roads?

Yes, using StaLube gear oil.
Haven’t been in too much salt this year.

[hookliftpete]

Do these indicate water/coolant intrusion or is there generally a low level in oil at all times? I have similar numbers.

[Mrkentee]

(03-06-2020 )hookliftpete Wrote:  Do these indicate water/coolant intrusion or is there generally a low level in oil at all times? I have similar numbers.

Yes, early signs of coolant.
For me it’s an increase. I’ll be looking for a trend. Maybe it’s nothing. It could be a fluke, something with the lab. But I’m trying to find out where to keep an eye out, or where to start checking now, in case it starts getting worse.

[hookliftpete]

I see. My oil samples never come back indicating coolant intrusion, I’m guessing I’ve got a cracked egr cooler (going away sometime soon) but it uses prob a quart of coolant every 8-10k miles.

[hookliftpete]

Should these ever be zero, or generally will always be done in the oil reagardless?

[JimT]

Each lab is a little different, but usually they will flag anything beyond a certain threshold. However like Mrkentee said you want to watch for trends and changes. At low levels (those numbers are typically parts per million) it's not a major problem, but a spike could be an early warning before a major breakdown occurs.

According to the lab I use:

Code:

Sodium contamination in:

Reciprocating Engines can come from
Sodium from Antifreeze Inhibitor (Coolant Leak), Additive in Unleaded Gasoline Engine Oils, Salt Water, Spray Wash

Gear Systems can come from
Additive from Sodium Borate Gear Oil, Sodium from Salt Water, Spray Wash, Environmental Contaminant

Potassium contamination in:

Reciprocating Engines can come from
Antifreeze Inhibitor (Coolant Leak), Solder Flux, Metal Coatings, Pot Ash

Gear Systems can come from
Additive from Potassium Borate Gear Oil, Environmental Contaminant, Solder Flux

I included the Gear Systems reference because you mentioned adding StaLube Gear Oil. However, if this StaLube has been added in the past without this showing up in oil samples then it is most likely coolant intrusion. I'm no expert, but anywhere coolant can meet oil. The numbers are pretty low so even if you do go looking you may not be able to find the cause yet. Personally, I'd probably make an unscheduled EGR tune-up and look for any signs of coolant, as a leak there could cause bigger problems with the EGR and DPF.

On my samples those number are constantly up and down, but always in the single digits (0-6ppm). As I haven't found any leaks from the EGR or turbo I'm guessing it's just my worn and previously abused 541,000mi engine.

[Rawze]

Unless it starts showing up on the bottom side of the engine cover, oil fill cap, or you see something is pressurizing up the coolant tanks faster than normal, or your loosing coolant and there are no external leaks (pressurize and let it sit over night) etc. I would not worry about it.

Could be a slightly leaky injector cup. That is where mine leaked for a long time, but I never knew it because the leak was so small. Mine finally got bad enough to have to do something about it, but that took several hundred thousands of miles, leading to me inframe video series.

Could be nothing at all, and the labs contaminated sampling equipment.