05 Econoline brass shavings in the oil filter

joshbuys · September 15, 2012

2 of these beasts belonging to the same company, both towed in - crank no start - a little background - the company just bought them both from a ?sister franchise? and wants to get them running. Another tech is working on them, but the adviser is asking me for advice.

1st one: around 130k - 140k miles

Wasn't building ICP, but had base oil pressure, air tested, IPR not moving, removed and inspected IPR, screen has a hole in it, brass debris? Replaced HPP and IPR, Truck started and ran for about a minute and then died, IPR has hole in screen again, removed oil filter, found lots of brass shavings in bottom of filter cap.

2nd one: around 140k - 150k miles

Visual inspection - oil in coolant (oil cooler is blown) won't build ICP, oil is low - filled oil, still won't build ICP, air test - leaking at right side valve cover (valve cover has not been pulled and pinpointed leak yet), removed oil filter and inspected - some brass shavings in bottom of filter cap - not as much as 1st one, removed and inspected gerotor pump, normal wear, but also has 3 spots on the outer gear and 6-8 spots on inner gear where something very small went through it and left an impression in the gears, about this * big

this is as much as I know, I can find out more on Monday, but the adviser is not confident in calling the customer since the tech working on the second van won't give him a solid opinion. Although he led the adviser to believe that if he were to pull and inspect the gerotor he could tell if it needed an engine....(read this guy doesn't own up to anything, anything that goes wrong was someone else's fault...so and so said to do it this way....he said this is what's wrong with it....)

Any thoughts?

Keith Browning · September 15, 2012

Any thoughts?

Just ran into a similar situation in that you cannot, and should not be ecpected to, make an accurate diagnosis and repair recommendation until you definitively identify the root cause. The oil cooler is a no-brainer typically, but the metal in the oil filter housing, now there is something to sink your teeth into. Some disassembly IS required here.

One additional thought though, I find it odd that two trucks from the same owner have the same problem with metal in the oil filter.

Matt Saunoras · September 19, 2012

Metal in the oil is always bad. Lifter failure comes to mind here.

ETS · September 21, 2012

Brass?

Have been thinking about this and cannot remember any brass used in these engines except for injector and fuel line seals. Are bearing shells still base brass? Have seen antifreeze cause bearings to flake in severe conditions. But oil would look like milkshake.

Are there brass thrust washers holding in lifter rollers? Should be finding rollers themselves also. Posted Image

May be rookie question but I am curious.

Thanks All.

jimmy57 · September 23, 2012

The brass that comes to mind is the oil cooler and oil filter bypass valves. IS it big brass pieces or flecks?

Keith Browning · September 23, 2012

You know, one of the only brassy parts I can think of are in the HPOP... sensors... thinking out loud here

Bruce Amacker · September 23, 2012

These are DT pics, the V4 pump on an '05 is set up similar:

The cam followers are solid brass, and that's probably where the shavings are coming from. See pic #7 in the 2005 CTB.

:grin:

joshbuys · September 26, 2012

Thanks for all your inputs, it is small/fine brass shavings, I know there's brass bushings in the HPOP, and I thought the bearings (main/rod/cam) were brass with a coating on them?

At any rate, the tech and advisor decided they both need engines, customer is not fixing them as of yet, I believe they're still sitting in our back lot.

Thanks again!!