Oil Blacken's Quickly?

Gary WA

Gary WA

Well-known member
Own 3 Model A's Great Running,But one I notice the oil gets very black/dirty at around 50+- miles the others stay clean. What would cause this? Any Ideas? I'm using Delo 400 15-40w. Maybe change oil brand?
 
I'm thinking that is caused by the inside condition of the engine/base.. There may be more sludge buildup in this one.. I'm kinda assuming you're using the same oil in all cars,but, it still shouldn't make too much difference..
 
Gary WA said:
Own 3 Model A's Great Running,But one I notice the oil gets very black/dirty at around 50+- miles the others stay clean. What would cause this? Any Ideas? I'm using Delo 400 15-40w. Maybe change oil brand?
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It could be a couple things. Engine condition is one. Poor rings, allowing combustion gasses to enter the crankcase will soil oil sooner. Also, how sludgy the pan and valve chambers are, will add to soiling the oil. A rebuilt engine that has only used detergent oil will usually not build up sludge.
If it has never run detergent oil, there will be a lot of sediment in the pan.
 
The pan is clean. The valve Chamber-I just removed the cover there was some dirty thick oil in there with some silver looking oil settled to the bottom of the black oil,cleaned that up.!
 
Gary , if you still have some of that Silver looking oil left. Try this, put the silvery oil in a small bottle and dilute it with gasoline , shake well and pour out in a paper
coffee filter this to give you a result to investigate what the silvery residue could be.
Metal ? this would stick to a magnet, Babbitt wont.
 
Gary;
Heavy duty oil, sometimes known as detergent oil will turn dark with use as it keeps any dirt in suspension and is normal.
Bob F
 
I'd go with the rich mixture idea. How is gas mileage compared to the others? Or is it used for mostly short trips and never gets warmed up?
 
Gary,
Did I understand that the pan is clean but the silver stuff is only in the valve chamber? If it never was really cleaned out, their's probably years of crud in and around the bases of the valves.
Pete
 
Took the pan off . There was a good amount of dirty/sliver sludge in pan also, it's a newer motor about 2000miles on it, interior of motor looked great did a little re-shimming,will run it tomorrow. And that's my final answer! Thanks for all the suggestions. Gary
 
Gary, Did you install the pan when the engine was rebuilt? Just wondering how so much junk built up in so short a time. How long ago was the engine rebuilt? Has it had a lot of short drives?
 
Tom,Hello, yes short drives some 40-50+ trips. I'd say 2000 miles or so.I did clean the pan at that time. It's all cleaned up now put back together will take her out and see what happens with the oil The pump was very dirty(screen) looks like it had been that way for quite a while.!
 
Gary WA said:
Took the pan off . There was a good amount of dirty/sliver sludge in pan also, it's a newer motor about 2000miles on it, interior of motor looked great did a little re-shimming,will run it tomorrow. And that's my final answer! Thanks for all the suggestions. Gary
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Today I was changing the oil from the car's rear end. Took a fresh bottle of 600 w from a supplier to refill and what did I notice ??????

A slimy silvery sort of stuff was mixed in to it. Took a can from another supplier and no trace of silvery to spot. I trashed the first bottle and went on with the right stuff .
 
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