Look, I made sludge!

[Solo2driver]

After 7100 miles of GC 0w30 in the 1994 Suzuki Swift GT (1.3L DOHC), mostly high-speed commuting with ambient air temps 100-112 degrees, paper air filter...and 3 autocrosses (about 15 laps).

I picked up a bad oil filter at NAPA (stripped threads), so I reused the PureOne filter and filled the crankcase with fresh FormulaShell 10w30 and ran it for two days (550 miles). I exchanged the bad filter for a good one, and drained out the short OCI Shell oil. I drained out my drain pan into an old gallon jug, and the bottom of the pan was full of sludge! I guess a short OCI is better than a flush! I wish I didn't toss the filter into the dumpster, or I would have cut it open.

I did, however, take a few digital photos of the sludge in the pan, but have no place to host them. Nothing major, I just want some input to see if these particles may be too large to be safe. Any help?

Thanks

-JamesW
Now with 5w30 Amsoil

[ September 01, 2004, 11:49 PM: Message edited by: Solo2driver ]

 

[Virtuoso]

Slide them to me, I'll host em.

[email protected]

 

[tom slick]

www.photobucket.com is a easy and free pic host.

 

[novadude]

I wonder if this was the equivilant of the Auto-Rx "rinse cycle", since the GC is reported to have a lot of esters?

 

[Solo2driver]

Yes, this was the first change with GC. The previous owner did 2K mile OCI's with Castrol 30-Heavy Dudy, so I assumed that it would be clean...especially after the MMO over the last 500 miles before the GC, as well as the kerosene flush too. I guess the GC had been breaking down the crap on the metal surfaces, and the FormulaShell just washed it out.
We'll see after the Amsoil. So if there is still junk in my oil pan, and assuming that the Amsoil won't disentigrate the remainder of the carbon clumps in the oil pan now recirculating throughout the motor, should I go with a shorter OCI with the Amsoil, or was the FormulaShell good enough?

-JamesW

 

[Geoff]

Interesting. I also think the effect of the esters in the Castrol similar to the Auto-RX rinse. You need the conventional oil to emulsify the ester loosened stuff and drain it out.

 

[zoomzoom]

was this a first OCI with GC?

 

[Hemidart]

I have owned quite a few old cars like a 57 Chevy 210, 68 Road Runner, 69 Nova SS, and my current project a 70 Dart. I would do three or four quick OCI's to basicaly flush out the engine since I never totally trusted the people I bought the cars from. Cars ran better, leaked less or stopped leaking oil and would look cleaner under the valve cover.

The 70 Dart I just bought went through four quick OCI's with Pennzoil 20W-50 and then a final fill with Delo as reccomended by members here. She used to puff a bit of smoke at startup and would leave a tablespoon of oil whenever she sat. The smoking is gone and she hasn't leaked a drop of oil in three weeks.

I think it has more to do with the fresh supply of clean oil and detergents that wash the crap away then the GC.

 

[Solo2driver]

After 700 miles the rest of the week, the fresh Amsoil/NAPA Gold combo seems to be working fine. The motor feels a little bit better in NVH, and I'm showing an increase of +1.7 mpg over the GC after switching to 5w30, no other changes (same boring 200+ miles a day). I'll run the Amsoil probably to 10K miles and do a used oil analysis...would have done it with the GC at 7K, but money is tight right now. Thanks for the responses!

-JamesW