High Pressure Oil Pump / Top End Oil Change - Diesel Forum

firemediceric · 11-26-2009, 08:27 PM

While looking for some other information, I found this video: POWERSTROKEHELP.COM - The Information Source for Ford Power Stroke Diesel Owners

I have owned my truck for over 10 years. I've done all the oil changes and thought I was pretty good about the basic maintenance, but this video presented brand new information that I was completely ignorant about. I was scratching my head wondering how accurate the claim was that the oil in the high pressure oil pump and the oil feeding the injectors did not get mixed well with the oil in the lower end. I proved the issue to to my own satisfaction just today.

I had changed my oil a week ago in the same manner as I always do; drain the pan, remove the primary filter, remove the by-pass filter, put new filters on and put 15 quarts back in. Since that oil change I have put 250 miles on the truck. I would think that would have given the oil plenty of opportunity to circulate through the entire system. I pulled the dip stick today and the oil is still a see through honey color. At this point I followed the instructions in the video and withdrew the oil from the high pressure oil pump. The oil I extracted was as black as coal. Obviously this black oil had not mixed with the new honey colored oil.

This has confirmed in my mind that the claim in the video is accurate. I didn't use the additives recommended, rather I refilled with straight 15-40 oil. I wish I had been aware of this 150,000 miles ago.

444-4D · 11-26-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firemediceric

Obviously this black oil had not mixed with the new honey colored oil.

It isn't possible for it to "not mix". The oil supplied to your injectors comes from the HPOP reservoir. The injectors use 7 times as much oil as fuel. The injectors dump their oil into the crankcase. The HPOP reservoir is replentished from the oil pan. You will use about 15 gallons of fuel in 250 miles. That means there has been 105 gallons of oil pumped thru the injectors.

firemediceric · 11-26-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 444-4D

It isn't possible for it to "not mix". The oil supplied to your injectors comes from the HPOP reservoir. The injectors use 7 times as much oil as fuel. The injectors dump their oil into the crankcase. The HPOP reservoir is replentished from the oil pan. You will use about 15 gallons of fuel in 250 miles. That means there has been 105 gallons of oil pumped thru the injectors.

I hear what you're saying. Had I not seen it on my own truck with my own eyes, I too would not have believed it. The video spiked my curiousity and now I have proven it for myself to my own satisfaction.

Evel486 · 11-26-2009, 09:47 PM

The oil is mixing. The black you found is residual that probably coats the inside of the reservoir. When the engine is first started cold the oil bypasses the filter so unfiltered oil is pumped to the reservoir.
444-4D isn't quite correct about the injectors using 7 times more oil than fuel. The figure is actually much higher than that. All that oil has to come from the pan and recirculate.
Go ahead & change the oil in the reservoir at oil change time- it certainly can't hurt. But don't get worried it has damaged anything by not changing it in the past.

Buckbuster · 11-26-2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firemediceric

I hear what you're saying. Had I not seen it on my own truck with my own eyes, I too would not have believed it. The video spiked my curiousity and now I have proven it for myself to my own satisfaction.

I just watched the link. Would not have believed it either if I had not seen that. I will change the oil in mine.

teesh · 11-26-2009, 11:34 PM

Well this is kinda funny. I just did this exact thing this afternoon.

Firemedic.............How much were you able to remove from the pump?

I was only able to remove about 3/4's of a quart.

mnpowerstroke99.5 · 11-26-2009, 11:46 PM

I changed mine for the first time last spring it was also black as coal.I changed it 3 times like in the video.I always change my oil around 3000-3500 miles and its never as black as the crap I removed from hpop.Now I change it every oil change.I get a little less than a quart each time out of it.

teesh · 11-26-2009, 11:52 PM

mnpower...........when you changed it 3 times, does it continue to be black after running for 5 minutes or so like the guy on the video says? Mine doesn't get very dark at all after removing the qt the first time.

Layson · 11-27-2009, 02:23 AM

It is normal... you don't need to change out the oil in the HPOP reservoir... it all circulates..

KTM357 · 11-27-2009, 09:10 AM

i have seen the link changed my oil the next day ran the truck checked the hpop the oil was new the guy says some truck dont seculate the oil as well as others i dont change mine i just look in and see if its new or old oild 40,000 miles sine i seen that link my in still new oil after i put in 15 quarts the truck does hold 18 we all know this and for S and G i have removed the 3 on top but it was new oil so i no onger bother with it i just check to see that it does seculate.

firemediceric · 11-27-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teesh

Firemedic.............How much were you able to remove from the pump?

I was only able to remove about 3/4's of a quart.

Like you, I was able to remove a little bit better than a pint at a time. I did this over and over again, refilling and letting the truck run in between, until I had removed 3 quarts. Even after I had two fresh quarts in, when I removed the third quart it was blacker than I would like to have seen, but better than I had started with.

Interesting to read the different opinions, but good discussion regardless

444-4D · 11-27-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firemediceric

Interesting to read the different opinions, but good discussion regardless

This..."Obviously this black oil had not mixed with the new honey colored oil."...is an opinion.

This..."It isn't possible for it to "not mix". The oil supplied to your injectors comes from the HPOP reservoir. The injectors use 7 times as much oil as fuel. The injectors dump their oil into the crankcase. The HPOP reservoir is replentished from the oil pan. You will use about 15 gallons of fuel in 250 miles. That means there has been 105 gallons of oil pumped thru the injectors."... is not an opinion.

mnpowerstroke99.5 · 11-27-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teesh

mnpower...........when you changed it 3 times, does it continue to be black after running for 5 minutes or so like the guy on the video says? Mine doesn't get very dark at all after removing the qt the first time.

The first time I changed it,it was pretty black but by the 3 quart it was looking better,but still a little black.Now when I change it,its not as bad as it was the first time I changed it.

firemediceric · 11-27-2009, 02:18 PM

I guess from the other experiences posted, I'm not the only one to have experienced seeing the oil in the pan appearing much cleaner than the oil in the HPOP.

JimTJr · 11-27-2009, 03:02 PM

That guy is a freeking idiot, how can he influence so many people with gibberish? When you change your oil, if you start it and run for any time at all, the "Dirty" oil in the HPOP reservior, flows down into the pan, and mixes with the other 13-15 qts you put in clean. Really, changing that little amount, makes no difference, you better remember to change the oil in the heads too, (Pull them off, drain and flush heads, remove all 8 injectors and drain too).......