Question for all my O/O's educated in mechanics.

Yes, if it were me I would change both oil and filter, only if the metals are up in the sample.But if the sample is good there is no reason to change it. I always sample from the drain plug, because that shows what the filter is NOT catching.

 

I'd cut the oil filters heads off, (theres a can-opener just for this) cut a chunk of the element out & squeeze it in a vice. Open it like an accordian, and drag a magnet across it to see what sticks. Anything that doesnt stick to the magnet but looks like metal is aluminum, (piston) copper/brass looking stuff (bearings,etc).
If it sticks to the magnet it's steel.(crank,cam, etc.)
I doubt much if anything got thru the filters myself, but I'd sure change the oil pump cause it's pumping oil right out of the pan.

I'd never cut the oil with fuel! Thats nuts! If theres not much in the filter element, change oil/filters, oil pump and whatever else and run it.
SPEEDCO can do an on-site oil analysis.

Note...if yer gonna pull the flywheel housing (EDIT; not bell housing) that means a new crank seal, gaskets, clutch (since yer there anyway) etc. This gonna go about 2500 bucks before the dust settles on top of everything else.

What you other guys think?

 

why does the bellhousing need to come off? are you doing a clutch job?

 

Pump has a screen on it and the snout is mid way 3/4 into the oil level. Nothing heavy is going to reach it. Your problems is going to be tiny pieces getting by the filters and making it to the cam and crank bearings. This is where good filters come in. Use them!

I like Two lanes idea but it's messy..... you could tare your filters ( full of fresh oil ) on a gram scale and weigh them ( full again ) coming back off.......then you could couple this data with the analysis for a complete snapshot.

Pan magnets , fresh filters and oil on a couple of short changes will get you done. Be about as good as it gets short of yanking the engine for a complete boil out / inspection.

JMO

 

Actually the bellhousing is on the front of the transmisssion. What I thought he was refering to would be the flywheel housing. This bolts to the back cover on the engine. The bellhousing bolts to that, and theres no oil common there anyway. Ya don't have to remove the bellhousing or the flywheel housing to change a clutch, but ya do have to pull the trans, clutch, flywheel, flywheel housing to get to oil.

My belief is the filters are where to start. This will tell ya whats going on with the engine without a doubt. I worked for Cummins, Caterpillar, Freightliner, & International dealerships and all of those shops had this can-opener.
Just don't let that mechanic throw those filters away! Take em to a shop and pay them to cut them for ya. They'll know exactly what yer talkin' about!
edit; Where the oil goes is from the pan thru a p/u tube to the oil pump (un-filtered), from there it goes thru the filters, then thru oil galleys to the crank, rods, & up from there to finally drain back to the pan.

No oil will ever get anywhere except the oil pump,,,without going thru those filters 1st. Hell,,,I've droped injector-links (1/2" x 1/4" HARD steel) that fell down into the oil pan and just left em there! As long as I could hear it "clunk" in the bottom of the pan its not a problem. No "clunk"? Awh crap! Now I gotta find it.

 

There is a cam cover on later ( maybe yours ) DD's under the bell housing. It's a frequent leaker and many times mistaken for a rear main seal leak. Might be what he's yakkin about. IMO any oil here would already be filtered tho......

Same leak has been the demise of a few mechanics I know...... tell the customer he needs a rear main, do the work and the oil still pours out.........

Call the service mgr at the local Detroit dealer or Freightliner...see what he says.....

FYI

 

once a year, i clean out my engine with a gallon of Marvel Mystery Oil (dont know why, but i was taught that), right before an oil change, i drive it about 100 miles, it smokes like crazy

then i get the oil changed, no more smoke

told Detroit that i do this, he said its a good way of clearing out the gunk in the engine (i dont know, i am no mechanic)