5_litre_eater

So I changed my oil last night after about 8 months and 500 miles. I noticed the top of the oil filter was dirtier than I've ever seen and looked to be a bit metallic and goldish. I cut the oil filter open and it has a metallic gold color, as well.

My Mamo top end has about 1200 miles on it, and I have changed the oil 3 times in a year. After 250mi the oil looked great. After another 450mi everything still looked good. And now after another 500mi it doesn't look so great.

Ever since I finished the top end build last January, I have been fighting low oil pressure (22psi hot @ idle, 55psi hot @ wot). I didn't have any bad side effects of this until last night.

How bad is it?

1Clean98Z28

I would like to know what the above picture mean as well

Anyone team ?

G Atsma

The filter was full of metallic particles

.boB

iTrader: (1)

That looks like bearings.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

My god! You figured out alchemy. Your engine is making gold out of oil!

I would call Blackstone and ask them, then send an oil sample in for analysis.

Sometimes lighting can make silver metallic looks gold. What sort of lighting is the filter under when looking at it?

miami993c297

iTrader: (6)

You want to open the pleats of the filter and have a clear look


Christian

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

Also, see if a magnet will pick up the particles.

Found your build thread, what pushrods did you install? I have Tony's hand worked AFR 205 heads and installed larger pushrods (I have a thread on this) and it straightened out the power curve above 6K RPM so I believe I was having some pushrod flex. Pushrod flex can cause issues. Not sure how much time the motor has spent in the upper RPM range but just some thoughts to consider.

Also, doesn't sound like a lot of mileage so it could just be washing out of hidden particulate from the build. You could try running for 500 miles with new oil and then pull the filter again, fill and swap in a new one.

5_litre_eater

Thanks for the advice.

I will open the pleats of the filter tomorrow and see what it looks like. I've been fighting lowish oil pressure for the past year, so I assumed the bearings received some excess wear and opened the tolerance a little.

The motor has 11/32 manton pushrods from Tony. These things are Stout. It hasn't spent a ton of time in the upper RPM range, but every time I drive it, I tend to drive it hard.

I will probably drive it for another 500 miles while keeping an eye on the oil pressure, and pull the filter again.

5_litre_eater

That's a great tip-- I did try a few different light sources though. It is indeed gold metallic.

64post

iTrader: (5)

Gold colored? Something bronze maybe? Send an oil sample in for assessment as stated above. It's large flakes that would cause concern.

RockinWs6

If I were you I wouldn't run it any more. You have low oil pressure and metal in the oil = time to tear down before big trouble happens. That metal is getting into everything, before you know it things are going to go bad.

One thing you could check is the end play on the crank, if the thrust bearing is damaged it will cause metal in the oil.

5_litre_eater

Oil samples are usually a random sample from the oil pan, I only have oil from the filter. Does that matter?

2ToeRacing

iTrader: (5)

You said your fighting oil presser?

RockinWs6

buy a vowel........... or something?

moekluse

iTrader: (2)

Since we're on the topic of gold, I thought I'd share this

G Atsma

Where you been pannin' old timer?? lol

64post

iTrader: (5)

OP, your pics of cut open filter don't look bad at all compared to this, just saying.

5_litre_eater

No, mine isn't that bad. So run it for another 500 miles and see what the filter looks like?

Also, my oil pressure isn't horrible. I get no less than 22 psi at hot idle. Cold start up is around 58psi and hot WOT is no less than 55 psi. I have checked my oil pump and the oring and pickup tube are installed correctly. I used a new cam retainer plate, as well. I run 0w40 Mobil 1 oil.

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

I was always under the impression it's not how much oil pressure you have at WOT but the change in pressure. I.e. the 10psi increase per 1000rpms.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Run some Joe Gibbs LS30 in there. My oil pressure is about 10psi higher with it.

I did hot idle around 40 and now it's closer to 50.