Oil analyst result

More information about the truck and engine will get you more feedback. Like engine type, size and miles and year.

 

Did the lab flag it? How much time on the oil? Most labs will not show a problem until Iron breaks 70 and Lead breaks 35. Even then, time on oil is a determining factor. Plus, you can get occasional spikes of a metal that really doesn't mean a problem. But it is also true, that sometimes there is no real indication of a problem in the oil sample, yet something like a cam could have a lobe going bad. Oil analysis is as much an art form as it is a science. A lab will compare your sample to what the industry average is for your particular engine based on time on engine and time on oil. One thing that can predict a tired engine is a viscosity change in the oil outside of normal parameters. Did the sample show any viscosity change?

I have had an occasional sample that popped a lead count as high as you got. Just had the bearings checked on my 780,000 mile ISX and they all look fine... no need for concern. Something as minor as a fuel additive can create a spike in lead count. A one time oil sample will not give a good picture. It is a trend line based on multiple samples over time that give a more accurate picture.

But all that being said, go with your gut. If it doesn't feel right, then move on to another truck.

 

It may be helpful to send another oil sample to another lab. We use the Citgo oil analysis service. When some variable is out of spec, they tell you what the typical cause is, such as a thrust washer if the copper is high, just as an example.