Chris:

Actually, since Benjamin started using my start method (wait for the WTS light to go off, start, then let idle until the GPR kicks off), he did not have any starting issues on Friday morning or that afternoon before coming home for the weekend. We will see how she fires off this evening when he leaves, and if it takes longer, then I'll get him to top off the HPOP before starting on Tuesday morning before he goes to work, which is when he will be less pressed for time to do the top-off.

Regarding the foaming issue, I think Jeremy or Rich or Jamie can answer the question about the UOA checking for the anti-foaming agent, and I'll have to shoot one of them an email to see for sure. I know that I asked specifically about that issue before I started using the Schaeffer's 5w40, which was about the time there were some threads running that were dealing with the foaming issues created by the Lucas additive, and IIRC, Schaeffer's said they use a solid performing additive. I did not have any trouble with that issue on my first run with their oil... went nearly 13K, and they said to increase to 14.5K miles based on the 12K mile OA.

I'll keep you guys posted with what we find.

Thanks.

 

I knew you were running Schaeffers, but the UOA's I've gotten on my truck have been all Greek to me. I do like to read and try to learn, and I remember (with the help of bookmarks) reading this

If the rest of the oil checks out, this might be something to consider. I would haven't thought about this if it weren't for Dan's comment.

 

When the oil starts to get old, the additives begin to break down.
All oils have some sort of anti-foaming additive and when that breaks down the oil gets frothy.
I've personally talked to one member of FTE "fastforward", he told me that his stalling problem was cured with a simple oil change.
With that many miles on the oil, I don't care what brand it is, I would change it out to eliminate that possibility and diagnose from there.
The HEUI injectors are very hard on the oil.

 

With having found the low oil level in the HPOP yesterday afternoon, I'm suspecting that the check valve is slowly leaking backwards. That said, when Benjamin cranked her up last night, using the WTS light approach, the engine fired right up like normal again. He was going to check the HPOP level again tomorrow morning to see if it drains back down again, and if it is, top it off before starting up and see if that makes any difference.

Dan, Benjamin and I talked about the foamy oil last night, and he now has a clearer understanding of what the foam can do in the injectors. Here's the reason, though, that I still doubt a foaming problem. If the oil were foamy, it would only be like that after having the engine run and would be creating other symptoms and non-ideal running conditions, but we are not seeing that.

The only thing Benjamin has reported observing is a slightly longer-than-normal crank time when the engine is cold. Under those conditions, any foam in the oil would surely have broken down in a 24-48 hour time frame, which is the kind of "non-use" time he is working with while he's at school. Now, if the reservoir was full of foamy oil, the oil level would indeed be lower than it should be after settling down for 1-2 days. But again, if the reservoir was full of foamy oil, my injectors would not be firing well (due to the compressibility of the foamy oil) which would really affect the way the engine runs. And, again, we're just not seeing that kind of issue.

Right now, I am supposed to be trading vehicles with him again next week. Once I have it in my hands and am using it every day, I can get a better feel for how things are with it.

 

I know it's not the same as driving it yourself, but I can tell you that your truck is absolutely purring. After a cold start, it warms up in a reasonable time, and it runs wonderfully. In fact, after that wierd start incident the other night, I sort of "put it through its paces", and it sounded great. It ran very smoothly while cruising with extremely light throttle pressure, and it made no skips or hesitations. Acceleration is perfect, and absolutely no smoke unless I pretty much floor it. I think the engine is running very nicely.
I really do pay close attention to the engine all the time, and the only problems I have noticed are the starting problem, and those two tranny?? slips.

 

Thanks for the feedback, Benjamin, and I know that you pay attention to things and work hard to really take care of my "baby", and I am very grateful for that.

Otherwise, you would not be driving it!

However, you've only been driving the truck for a total of maybe a couple thousand miles at most, and I've had it on the road for what is approaching near 50,000 miles in the past two years, so I am much more "in tune" with the truck and it's personality, and might just be able to not only detect things you may overlook, but also may be able to rule out things you take as being more serious than they really are. That's to be expected, too, because it's just the anture of the difference in our two experience levels.

BTW... congrats on receiving the extra $300 donation to your college expense fund! Keep up the good work, son!!

 

Yes, congrats Ben. Care to share your secrets? I sure would like someone else to make a donation to my daughters college expense fund.

Since Pete has changed the subject, what are you going to be when you grow up? (just giving you a hard time). Any definite career paths, or are you still figuring things out? My daughter is about finished with her associates degree, and has applied to nursing school (fingers crossed)

 

Actually, my "secret" is the guy who is posted right before you. The lady who got me the scholarship had the opportunity to sit beside my dad at another scholarship luncheon that he and I attended earlier this year. I don't know what he told her, but you see the results!

Seriously, I have just spent lots of time working really hard to do a good job wherever I have happened to work. My mom and dad have given me LOTS of coaching and direction, and I have tried to follow their lead. I think the single biggest reason for the support I have received has been God's hand in my life. I'm not joking, I really have simply worked as hard as possible at my job, and tried to stay on the ball with scholarship applications and letters. The crazy thing is the influential people I have come into contact with, while I have been just doing my job. I believe that my meeting those different people was not just an accident, but a gift from God. That's why I take my school so seriously.

But, anyways, I am doing a dual major in Horticulture w/ a Landscape emphasis and Business Management. My plan is to run my own landscaping business after college. I really love working with plants, and I like the opportunities business ownership will offer me.
Thanks for your interest and congratulations.

 

Faith and a strong work ethic while you "just do your job" will get you a lot further in life than you might realize. Make sure you carry those traits with you when you own your own business. These are the kinds of things you can't tell people about to get a leg up, but they will be obvious to others in how you go about your business.

I know you get tired of listening to your Mom & Dad because they're so old, so I thought I'd throw in a different perspective.

 

Thanks for the support, there, Chris.

I tell you what, though... Benjamin is a really great son who normally listens to us very eagerly and then is faithful to follow-through and put the rubber on the road.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate that. You know, it is really interesting how all of the adults in my life sooner or later start telling me the same things my parents tell me. Maybe there's a reason for that! (Jk, I know there is-it's all the wisdom you guys have accumulated)

 

So far... no further reports from Benjamin about longer starting times. I'll have to chat with him again later this afternoon to see if he checked the HPOP level before starting the engine the other day.

 

Uh...No, I didn't. I thought that I didn't need to, because of the way the truck started when I left on Sunday. I went to work today, so the truck has been driven. Maybe I can let it sit untill I am ready to leave tomorrow afternoon, and check it then? I would think that would be enough time for everything to drain back down.

About the starting times; it is definitely starting and running better now that I am waiting for the glow plugs. However, there are still regular instances where it just turns over longer than it should. The weird thing is that it turns over slower, too. It sounds exactly like the battery or alternator is going bad, and there just isn't quite enough charge for the starter to turn it over at full speed. I have watched it carefully, and there seems to be no connection between cold/warm starts. Sometimes it happens when it has been sitting in a parking lot for 10 minutes, and other times it happens when it has been sitting for hours or a full day. At this point, it seems pretty random.

 

Turning over slower means it's time to check the connections on the battery cables ASAP. Don't forget that the battery cables go somewhere, so check both ends of each cable. If the connections are good, stop by an auto parts store and get the batteries load tested for free. If you drop below 10.5 volts while cranking, the truck will not start.

 

Chris... when he had everything checked last week, both batteries and the alternator checked good. Don't know what would have changed unless it is just that the Alt has coincidentally started failing between then and now.

I have to say, though, what Benjamin is describing now is consistent with what I had noticed happening last year, but it never got any worse (except for the potential slower engine turnover, which we will have toinvestigate more deeply right away - and I would LOVE to replace that starter with one like Brandon's!). Until I get the truck and drive it for a couple days or so, I won't be able to tell if Benjamin has simply gotten sensitized enough to subtle nuances, or if things have actually worsened from earlier this summer when I was still driving the truck.

We'll keep posting as we discover things, and yes, Benjamin, please check the HPOP before coming home, and then we'll check the HPOP level again once you arrive to verify exactly where the "full reservoir" position is.