I changed my oil today!

[Ken42]

On my brand new rebuilt Toyota engine. The oil had 229 miles on it and was Mobil DC 10 30. It went in almost amber clear and came out a bit darker. I did notice alot of shiney metal flakes on the bottom of the drain pan would assume this is normal for a while anyway. Also noticed some grit like large chunks of sand maybe blasting sand from the block machine work? I don't know but they told me it was well cleaned after working on it. They bored it and honed it and cleaned it was all. hummmmm or is this normal to have some sand left over? All pieces where to large to go thru the pick up screen so they probably just set on the bottom of the oil pan.

Ken

 

[Ugly3]

Do you have one leg longer than the other? Someone is sure pulling on one of them!

 

[Asteroid]

Get the Oil Filter open it up,lets hear whats inside

When the Tide goes out theres always plenty of Sand to be seen

 

[cryptokid]

most rebuild shops do not use a media blaster to clean blocks, atleast no shop i ever heard of.

instead, they use what would be described as a automatic dishwasher on steriods.

for really filthy engines i have seen some shops use a pressure cleaner as a way to pre-clean.

large grit chunks of sand does not sound like a good thing to have in youre oil pan. can you get a picture of this stuff?

 

[TC]

The good news is that anything that makes it through the screen and pump will immediately be removed by the filter before engine circulation (not that the pump's being done any favors). And larger shavings/sand in the sump will methodically be removed through sump draining over a few oil changes. It's possible that sand in the oil may be churned up by the connecting rods and splash onto the lower cylinder walls, but hopefully most heavier sand grains would eventually settle down into the lower sump and stay there until drained out..?? If nothing else, you might want to do another short-term drain to help remove whatever might be there. You could even re-use the oil by letting it sit in the drain pan overnight and slowly pouring it out without disturbing what's settled on the bottom. You might want to write a letter to the shop (rather than verbally), simply inquiring into the sand and asking their opinion on it. If a problem comes up later, you'll have documentation that you noticed the grit shortly after installing the engine, only 200+ miles later.

[ October 09, 2004, 02:46 PM: Message edited by: TC ]

 

[Ken42]

To bad but the oil filter is out of reach and it looked clean with no chunks in it. There was maybe a dozen large chunks of what looked like white stones. ????? These where about 2 mil down to 1/2 mil in size.

Ken

 

[KW]

Small glitter looking stuff is normal. 2mm chunks can be nothing but bad news. I'd show the oil to the shop that built the motor.

 

[Ken42]

Thanks all for your replies. The oil is in a big 5 gallon jug now

so I can't do anything with it. Did not notice the gravel till after I pored it out. The company that rebuilt the block was can you say the low bidder and they are no longer in business. The head rebuilder is one of the best places in the northwest for heads. The engine set outside for a couple weeks with its head assembled to it then in my closet covered up for a year. I wonder if that is where the gravel came from????

 

[Ken42]

quote:

---

Originally posted by cryptokid:
most rebuild shops do not use a media blaster to clean blocks, atleast no shop i ever heard of.

Me either but there is always a first time.

instead, they use what would be described as a automatic dishwasher on steriods.

for really filthy engines i have seen some shops use a pressure cleaner as a way to pre-clean.

I did that the thing was to filthy to take apart I could not even find the bolts and it only had 90,000 miles on it.

large grit chunks of sand does not sound like a good thing to have in youre oil pan. can you get a picture of this stuff?

---

sadly no it looked like white quarts or sand but larger.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ken42:
Thanks all for your replies. The oil is in a big 5 gallon jug now

so I can't do anything with it. Did not notice the gravel till after I pored it out. ..... The engine set outside for a couple weeks with its head assembled to it then in my closet covered up for a year. I wonder if that is where the gravel came from????

---

It would be worth some effort to remove the oil pan and clean it out.

As long as you still have good oil pressure and the engine isn't making any ominous noises, then keep on using it with a good quality oil and a good oil filter.

used oil analysis on your next few changes will give you an idea how much of an internal mess you have by the amount of silicon and bearing wear metals in the oil.

 

[Ken42]

Found the oil filter and I think I broke a rib or 3 in the process

anyway upon taking it apart there was nothing striking to report. Some metal flakes as to be expected but no grit or sand found even with rubbing my fingers across every pleat. But I will not be using the Nippon filters anymore the bypass valve leaks otherwise the filter seems good.

Ken

 

[fuel tanker man]

"The oil is in a big 5 gallon jug now [No no] so I can't do anything with it. Did not notice the gravel till after I pored it out.

Since you didn't see gravel prior to pouring out the oil, is it possible that the contaminants were really never in the engine, but rather already in one of the containers that you used when dumping the oil?

Maybe there was some sand/gravel on the frame crossmember that fell into the pan while you were draining.

Dan

 

[Ken42]

quote:

---

Originally posted by fuel tanker man:
"The oil is in a big 5 gallon jug now [No no] so I can't do anything with it. Did not notice the gravel till after I pored it out.

Since you didn't see gravel prior to pouring out the oil, is it possible that the contaminants were really never in the engine, but rather already in one of the containers that you used when dumping the oil?

Maybe there was some sand/gravel on the frame crossmember that fell into the pan while you were draining.

Dan

---

Sadly no there is nothing in the way for the oil to drip onto while draining out. And the pan was a new wallmart cheapo drain pan. I noticed the rocks after pooring it into the 5 gallon jug.
It is possible that I sliped some rocks in unoticed while moving the drain pan around

 

[LSVTEC 91 Civic]

Pull the pan and check the oil pickup, no doubt there is **** in its screen.

 

[mechtech]

Ken - 1/2 to 2 mils, or mm?

 

[Ken42]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mechtech:
Ken - 1/2 to 2 mils, or mm?

---

mm

 

[buster]

Cool, hope to see a used oil analysis sometime.

 

[Ken42]

Buster you will

Plan on making a long trip this weekend.
Called the head rebuilder and they do sand blast the ports and the combustion chambers but use a really fine grit and then wash the head afterwords. He sugested it may (the rocks) of come from the original casting material and it just got knocked lose while the blocks was being worked on.

Ken

 

[Ken42]

Got my used oil analysis sample all ready to ship out Monday!
There was no more sand in the engine oil but still had shiney metal flakes in the bottom of the oil drain pan. Put in Mobil 1 10w30 will drive for a while and dump it then replace again with Mobil 1 10w30. You guys may think I am nuts and I probably am but wanted pure Mobil 1 in there. And guess what Mobil 1 smells like..........


Oil

 

[Ken42]

I tried to edit my post to save valuable resources (electrons) but to much time has elapsed!

Anyway did my short order Mobil 1 rinse and am now running Mobil 1. Boy the new oil I drained out sure had alot of metal flakes floating around. When should this all go away or does it ever?

Ken