CUMMIN CM871 ISSUE "Engine oil rifle pressure Data Valid But Below Normal" LOW OIL

[Biggame520]

I noticed with many ISX owners including my myself is having this low oil pressure issue. Have checked main and rod bearing, check valve, oil pump, and sending unit. And the problem seem to be within the oil filter. Truck will run 1500 miles with a Fleet Guard and about 3500 miles with a Baldwin high flow filter then oil pressure gradually drop from 40 psi, 35psi and all the way down to 20 psi then red check light come up and shut the engine down. Check ECM and logged code is " Engine oil rifle pressure Data Valid But Below Normal". Replaced oil filter and code is still active and engine will not start. I used starting fluid and she started right now and oil pressure jumped back to 41psi then code goes inactive. Truck will run for about 3000 miles or so and needed another filter change. I have cut opened 1out of 3 oil filter and found 1 was clog with soot. My engine has about 800,000 miles and with normal low-by an 800,000 miles would have. There are forum with this issue posted and some CM871 are only 150,000 miles. I do not think its within my engine internal parts... Maybe if Cummin used two oil filter instead of one this might resolve the issue.

I did some research and found there is a Cummin has open "Notification# E08002" and its a common issue and Cummin is well aware. I also notice on my engine the crank case filter is restricted with oil and must be replace every PM service. The low by tube beside the block has very little flow. I just removed the crank case filter and used 3/8 bit and drilled three hole to help with the low-by flow and see if this will resolve the issue. I will send this truck out tomorrow and see how long she run until oil pressure will drop again.

Anyone here have any ideals how to fix this issue? Any feedback be helpful for other ISX owner and myself.

[jctech]

I would be looking at the oil you use.
The oil should not be depositing the soot into the oil filter, it should coat the oil and let it settle out, like the original M11 engines, always had loads of sotty gunge under the rocker cover.

[Chadleynet]

There are a couple of things, make sure you've switched over from the Fleetguard LF9000 and LF9001 to LF9070 and LF9080. That was the first effort Cummins made to resolve the oil filter plugging issue. (Not sure if they still sell the 9000 and 9001). Ensure you are using CJ4 oil.

You could potentially have a leaking EGR cooler, causing sludge in the oil filter. Monitor for coolant loss.

Another major effort they went to in order to reduce oil filter and DPF plugging was revisiting the cam timing procedure used on the N14. The new procedure involves half-degree wedges for timing the injector cam, after ensuring the correct relationship between the #4 injector and #3 piston. The bulk of the engines were running retarded right from the factory. Drivers noticed better fuel economy, less oil filter plugging, and more power after properly setting the timing.

See ISX Static Timing Procedure here (http://rapidshare.com/files/3144894259/ISX%20Static%20Timing.pdf).

[Biggame520]

I do not think its the oil because I have used different brand and they were CJ-4 15/40 and still same issue. The only thing I can think of is a crack ring or damage liner. I will do a in-frame this weekend and see if that is the problem. A buddy of mine, he has a 2009 Peterbilt with a CM871 and had the same issue, he kept on running for about 35,000 miles and replaced oil filters after oil filter every 2500 miles and finally his upper components burnt out due to leak of lucubration. This caused him $16,000 for a over-haul.

I will check the timing to see if its off but I doubt it because motor is running 6.7 mpg loaded and 7.4 empty and she sounds really good minus the low oil pressure issues.

[Chadleynet]

If you have a cracked ring or a damaged liner, this should be more apparent during a check of the engine's blowby (http://rapidshare.com/files/1159453962/ISX%20Blowby.pdf).

I think your most cost effective route would be to obtain an oil sample kit and find out exactly what is causing your sludge before rebuilding it to find out it was a turbo, air compressor, EGR cooler, EGR valve, after treatment fuel injector. The LF9000 and LF9001 filters were especially reactive with traces of coolant if I remember correctly. The crankcase breather filters also look terrible after an internal coolant leak is present.

[Biggame520]

Sorry for the late reply, but we tore the motor apart and found that the rings on two cylinder was cracked and the rest were wore out. I did some reading and this was cost by the fuel contaminating with the oil when the regeneration takes place. Over time the oil rings become wore and eventually thin enough then crack. I believe the 2013 motor doser injector is placed next to the DPF and DOC to eliminate this problem. Avoid this issue I recommend changing the oil at 12K-15K instead of Cummins service oil change interval. Hope this will help others with this issue.

[Biggame520]

I have my oil tested and found out my oil company was misbranding our oil with CJ1 instead CJ4. we have other truck in our fleet has rocker arm failure and another CM871. JCTECH you're right! Thanks.