Greenish Color Oil

blykins · #1 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 07:05 PM

Little worried guys....I pulled the dipstick to check the oil and it smelled a little gassy...It was about time for an oil change anyway (the car isn't fully assembled yet, so the engine just idles when I want entertained), so I drained the oil. When it came out, it had a little green tinge to it...and smelled like gas.

I fire the engine up all the time to let people listen to it....and it does a lot of idling...if the idle circuit is overly rich, could this cause the stinky oil?

Hal Copple · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 07:16 PM

in the past, when i have drained winter oil, it would sometimes be a bit "milky", i think from water from unevaporated condensation, because i never have it in the summer, when the oil gets good and hot.

blykins · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 07:26 PM

Well that could be a possibility too....I even noticed today around noon that almost everything on the car was sweating. I hate that, but I don't know how to fix it.

Even so, the oil is still a little greenish-brown...and smells like gas. Hopefully if I quit showing everyone the engine and letting it idle so much, the problem will go away after this oil change. The engine never had a load on it until about 3 weeks ago when I put the tranny and driveshaft in....so it would just sit there free idling....for as long as people wanted to listen....or the time it took to set the carb with a vacuum gauge....etc...

blykins · #4 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 07:43 PM

Quick snapshot

GeorgiaSnake · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 07:50 PM

Oh my God! I've gone color blind - it looks brown to me.

I think if you run it you need to run it long enough to get the oil good and hot to get moisture and gas out of it.

Randy

Hal Copple · #6 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 08:13 PM

looks like moist oil, probably from condensation. Some folks think it is a good thing to change out your initial oil and filter pretty quickly. Has the most wear particles and blowby in it.

Probably you are not really getting the engine up to a sustained high enough temp. It can really take awhile even driving to get the oil good and warm.

Oil is cheap.

blykins · #7 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 08:23 PM

This is like the 3rd time the oil has been changed....The first time was after 30 minutes of initial break in on a dyno.....and then it was changed after I got it home after all the dyno runs. So it's been awhile, and there's been a lot of idling and tinkering on it.

outlaw · #8 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 08:36 PM

hey brent
,
you sure you got a good diaphragm in the engine driven fuel pump. if its leaking your oil level will rise slightly and the oil smells like gas cause it has gas in it.

outlaw

blykins · #9 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 08:43 PM

It's an electric fuel pump.....Holley red....

CSX 4027 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 09:29 PM

Anti-freeze? Head gasket problem? If you mix gas and your oil, does it turn green?

blykins · #11 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 09:33 PM

I mixed antifreeze and my oil....and it turned like a tan milky liquid.....almost butter looking....plus it really smells like gas...hehehe

HighPlainsDrifter · #12 (**permalink**) 03-04-2004, 11:36 PM

Hi,
It looks like you haven't seated your rings in and gas is going right by them into the oil. Hastings rings says to drive the car under load, in 3rd gear accelerating then decelerating a dozen times to seat the rings. Don't know how you can seat the rings just idling?
Perry.

blykins · #13 (**permalink**) 03-05-2004, 06:41 AM

Looks like a couple hours on an engine dyno would have done the same thing.

trularin · #14 (**permalink**) 03-05-2004, 07:11 AM

Usually a good 500 mile run would be a start for a break in. I didn't consider the dyno a 500 mile run.

Oh well, pressure check the coolent system and make sure it will hold 15 pounds for 24 hours.

Do a smear on the a glass lens and check it under a scope. You could just have a good quantity of metal in the oil.

What has been the temperature differential in your area for say, the last three months. If it is hot and cold, you may have a little condensation, but not enough to make the oil look like that.

Gas generally does not turn the oil color. Unless you have some off-the-wall product in it.

Did you put anything in the oil when you changed it last?

Just some thoughts.

blykins · #15 (**permalink**) 03-05-2004, 07:39 AM

There wasn't anything on the magnetic drain plug when I pulled it....not that the plug would catch everything, but it was a good sign.

I have not added anything to the oil at all. The temperature over the past 3 months has been from anywhere from 0 to 60. It has been fluctuating quite a bit...

MAXVELO · #16 (**permalink**) 03-05-2004, 11:17 AM

I THINK HIGHPAINSDRIFTER HAS HIT IT ON THE HEAD. Ive read through all the posts and that is what I was going to suggest. Break-in is under load not idling. THere is a substantial difference to a piston & rings pushing a 2K load Vs. pushing a 50Lb. crank with the assistance of 7 additional pistons, not to mention the momentum of the flywheel. I wouldnt be worried until it looks like Bailys Irish cream!

SN8KE · #17 (**permalink**) 03-05-2004, 10:28 PM

Gentlemen: What type/viscosity oil did you use for break in ?

coosawjack · #18 (**permalink**) 03-06-2004, 05:31 AM

blykins....

Do you have a PCV system hooked up??

It is a must with any "street" engine in that at high vacuum (idle) it "sweeps" low boilers (gas) and moisture from your oil!!

I wouldn't run an engine without the PCV system in place??

Just a thought??

Good Luck!!
Coosawjack

blykins · #19 (**permalink**) 03-06-2004, 07:21 AM

I am running 10W-40 Mobil 1 for break-in.

As for the PCV, yes I have one. I have that hooked up, plus an extra breather on the other valve cover.

REDSC400 · #20 (**permalink**) 03-06-2004, 08:15 AM

Ok, maybe your car is IRISH and getting ready to celebrate St. Patty's Day?

All kiddin' aside, you may want to take a sample of that oil and have it analyzed. The analysis can tell you what pct trace of water and gas are in the oil as well as other metals and minerals. You will need to have a baseline test of new oil performed to see what the new fresh oil has in terms of these elements, metals and minerals.

I would also stop idling your car for short periods in the winter months as you will not gas out your condensation if the oil temperature does not come up.

If you could, put some of the green old oil in a clead jar so we can see the color and opacity. That picture of the oil in the black drain tub just makes it look bad due to the black tub I think.

Fingers crossed for you Amigo.