SS125

iTrader: (1)

Like the title says, I think I have a problem, but I don't really know. Let me start from the beginning. I completely gutted my 2001 SS Camaro to convert it to a full blown race car. Bought a motor from a guy here on this site. Competely rebuilt the car, cage, interior motor plate, support bars, sway bars. Motor is a 434 c.i. LS1 old school with Holley 1150 and MSD Crank Trigger with distributor. Custom headers, etc, etc. Oil system is a dry sump system. Daly Engineering dry sump. Peterson oil tank sitting in the hole where the battery used to be. AFCO race radiator and electric water pump. When first prepping the motor to fire, I did something pretty stupid, I put a synthetic oil in, Royal Purple. Come to find out when talking to the original owner, it should have been regular oil, 20W 50. So I proceed to change everything, oil filter, drain the oil. Find out that even when you drain the tank and turn the pump with a drill, you'll still be left with a quart or 2 in the motor. So I change the oil. Now there really is no way to tell how much oil is in this motor. I've been told to fill the tank up to the screen in the tank. First time around, I filled up to the screen, start the car, shut it off, look in the tank and there is the screen. I put more oil in. I put oil in and more oil until finally it started coming out of the overflow tank on the other side of the engine compartment and flooding the floor. So I finally get it to where it doesn't overflow the overflow tank and just put about 1 1/2 gallons in. THen I put in some of that Lucus Oil Treatment like the original owner told me that he did. Apparently I put too much in again, because when I started it lo and behold, the overflow tank overflowed again. Now here is where the problem comes in. I undo the petcock on the bottom of the overflow tank to empty it and when the oil starts coming out, it is a light grey. I see this and get a little worried. However, the temp on this engine has not gone beyond 150 degrees, it's never run long enough.

So I empty the overflow tank into a bowl and even though it came out light grey, in the bowl, its like purpleish in color (ergo the initial Royal Purple is mixing with the Castrol 20W50, I think). I pull the valve covers off and look at the oil in the heads, clean as could be. So today I decided to drain the oil tank. I undo the bottom of the oil tank and initially it was that light grey again, then it turned into the dark purple. WTF is going on here. The antifreeze I have in the radiator does not seem to have gone down at all. It is also the orangish Prestone Dex Cool.

Some more information, when it is coming out of the overflow, its the dark purple color, not the greyish color. However, if you look at the overflow going out of the oil tank to the overflow tank, there is a trace of that greyish stuff in there.

This didn't happen (greyish color) until I put that Lucas Oil Treatment in there.

What is causing this light grey color in the oil. I even poured some of the Dex Cool into the bucket of oil that I drained from the tank just to see if it turned the oil that light grey. Nope, didn't do it. I am at a total loss as to what is causing this. Can somebody help me figure this out please.

chevelledave

iTrader: (5)

the grayish color may be from lube on the rod bolts and mains studs ..ARP lube is a dark gray ..it will show up in the oil ...cut the filter apart and look at..you can also send the oil into amsoil and have them do a analysis on the oil content ...some large truck shop have places to send oil out as well ...does the lucas treatment have Zinc Phosphorus in it ??

SS125

iTrader: (1)

Yes, that was the reason for the Lucas Oil treatment, the Zinc Phosphorus. Would that be causing it?

StraightTimeStirrups

I was told at one time to pre-Mix the Oil Treatment with the oil so the Zinc wouldnt settle at the bottom of the oil pan before the first start up. I was told, have the engine ready to run, pre-mix the oil and pour it in and start it. Check for leaks and run the motor in. Seems to make sense to me. I dont know if its needed or not. I believe the zinc is a silver/grey color.

Joe

SS125

iTrader: (1)

I called Lucas Oil and asked if there was zinc phosphate in their Heavy Duty Oil Stailizer. She told me no. Guess that rules that out.