QSC 500 Oil Report Copper Increase

[Scott]

Some background:
Just finished my fourth season on my boat. The winter after season one I pulled the entire sea water system apart, cleaned and re-assembled per the instructions on this site. That included, Aftercooler, Fuel/Gear Oil Cooler and Heat Exchanger. I also flushed coolant and replaced thermostats at the same time. This was the second time the aftercooler service was done in boats life (2007), the previous time two years before I purchased one aftercooler was replaced the other just cleaned (but not lubed). I replaced the other one because of corrosion.

Last winter (two years later) I pulled the aftercoolers again and cleaned and reassembled per the procedures on this site. They both had some scaling where sea water sits but only two or three tubes were blocked by more than 50%, and only about 10 in total had any blockage. There was no corrosion or salt buildup that wasn’t easily washed off with a light scrubbing of simple green.

At time of purchase engines were slightly over propped (98% load at 2650 rpms on starboard engine), I have since removed some cup and 1″ of pitch and am under the fuel curve at all RPMs even at full fuel/water/supplies.

Both engines fire instantly and run great, no visible smoke.

I have sampled oil three times (I missed the second year because I forgot the sample bottles at home!). The first two samples I took from the drain hose as I was pumping from a reverso centralized pump. This last time I used a clean tube and vacuum pump to sample 2″-3″ into oil from the dipstick tube.

Problem:

The report attached is showing and continued increase in copper, yet all other numbers seem okay. Both engines show the same trend, the only difference is the starboard is about 25ppm higher at each interval.

The report notes it could be from brass/bronze wear, any ideas where this could be coming from? Should I be concerned?

Topic

[Tony Athens]

Oil Sample Concern

Scott,

I read this over 3 times.. 1st a quickie, then a second time……………….Thought about it and then read it again and this answer comes from my 30 + years of looking and oil samples and then looking at what really takes out engines like this long before it’s time………………………..Are you ready?

Ask yourself where you’d be if you never took an oil sample? Think about that over a dinner or two———— That’s my answer as to your concerns..

You have done what needs to be done, you know what needs to be done from here forward, and you certainly now know that what you are doing is all that can be done …

In so many words, you are way ahead on the curve and well ahead of what Cummins writes in their books or their “techs practice”… ……IMO, there is nothing else to do, so “Go Fishing” & quite wasting time & $$ on oil samples:..

Tony…………….

[Author]

Replies