bad day

BMFB

Not to scale
I just rebuilt my engine, it has been 0 miles.
I knew I had an issue with my radiator, as it was an autozone radiator that had slightly narrower passages, and was causing my oil pressure to be 10 psi higher than it was supposed to be, so i bypassed the radiator using an remote oil filter setup I had on my blazer that bypasses the cooler. While I was taking the new/old filter off of the original setup on the ty i noticed it had some aluminum swirls in the oil, so I put a new filter onto the new set up, and got it installed. I decided an oil change was at least in order, and took the drainplug out and let it fall into a black oil catching pan that i had blocked the hole in, so that the oil would rest in the top of the pan, still visible, instead of draining inside of it. When I took the pan out after the oil was done draining ( i noted a few small chunks of metal falling out at the end) I toko it out almost got sick. Beautiful aluminum colored swirls on top on a milky oil is what i saw. I know that this is somewhat normal of a new rebuild, to see small chunks of metal, if your using a magnetic plug, to see some 'dust' accumulated on it. But I dont think This is normal, I think I'm ****ed.
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: bad day

What pan? Is it a TCI or something you tapped?

There aren't any engine components that are aluminum apart from the pipes, some fittings and the pan potentially.

If they are chunked together in the pan then maybe the remote filter setup you got had a messed up thread or someone tapped it sloppily.

Sure it's aluminum? Don't panic - find out what it is.

Got some pics?
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

Ill get some pics, but I ment just out of the oil pan, stock. The treads on everything I have now are fine, but I deleted my oil cooler by using a remote setup out of my 91 blazer. i cant say its aluminum for sure, its just that color, and is not magnetic. Like i said, this was from the engine within 10 minutes of startup, never moved, drove, or went over 3000 rpm.

I talked to a few people and they said that it shouldn't be a problem, it was a little milky looking, but its a brand new engine, and not to worry until i saw bigger pieces of metal, Or heard something. For now, I did replace the filter and oil, and have since run the truck for an additional 15 minutes, and even drove it out of the garage into teh driveway, for old times sake...

the motor does sound like a sewing machine, but I blame the injectors, theres an absence of the clunky tic that was present before I pulled the motor, and no metallic sounds (other than what i believe to be the injectors) is present. Motor runs very smooth, and seems to be fine. its just that cloud of ultra fine particulates that have me up at arms.
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

also it should be noted my oil pressure has not changed with the bypassing of the oil cooler. It still has a cold pressure (at 1500 rpm) of nearly 75, 80, and a hot temp of 60ish. when hot it does respond to rpm change, but at what seems like a normal rate. before the engine rebuild my oil pressure was much much lower, but I was also running a stock pump, this is a high pressure (not high volume) pump. my engine builder told me that it should have a cold pressure of around 65 and come down to around 45 hot. this he said, is what all the motors he has ever built have done, but, that this was a 4.3, and not a 5.7, so he has never had an experience with a pump like this in this particular motor. this is all with the stock gauge, with 10w30
 

Quickstop [UK]

Combating adversyty.
Re: bad day

M Select High pressure?

My truck is on 10w30 as well I think. You have good oil pressure for now, just monitor and see if that changes. You'll know soon enough.

If you're really worried, run it for a bit then check the oil filter. It'll cost you a new oil filter but that should catch anything flying around and you'll know.
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

this stuff was particulate...at best. it was a mist, so fine at first glance it looked like dark yellow milk, only a few tiny chucks of metal came out at the end when i drained it, which I know is normal. my father (experienced with engines, although somewhat blind) thinks i'm over reacting.
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

tyfudge.jpg


this is what came out of the line going from my filter to my cooler.

ty.jpg


this is what I did to ditch the cooler, to recap I discovered this issue when i was replacing my radiator and ditching my cooler. this is off my blazer, and I couldnt get it clean enough so I painted it.
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: bad day

Pistons are an alum alloy. compression rings are iron. Oil rings are steel. Bearings commonly have and alum component.

:2cents: IMHO This is not good. Change the oil and filter. Run it. Drain the oil into a clean pan to examine and cut the filter. If there is still metal you've got a problem, it's that simple. Motors, even new ones, don't make metal like this.:2cents:

Who rebuilt the motor? Was the oil system completely primed before you started it?
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

a local engine builder (well respected, been around forever, good place) and yes, it was primed before I started it.
 

STOUT74

Member
Re: bad day

When you primed the motor, did you turn it over by hand at the same time to make sure all the bearings passages got oil. Heard that again over the weekend on HorsepowerTV & a good step often missed.
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: bad day

When you primed the motor, did you turn it over by hand at the same time to make sure all the bearings passages got oil. Heard that again over the weekend on HorsepowerTV & a good step often missed.

Saw that also. What I do is after initial priming with a drill and priming tool I spin the motor WITHOUT the spark plugs keeping any load off the bearings. This gets oil everywhere and primes the lifters.
 

berzerker

wookie
Re: bad day

the milky goop is the assy . lube . change the oil and filter run for for a couple hundred miles , repeat and give the engine hell .
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: bad day

the milky goop is the assy . lube . change the oil and filter run for for a couple hundred miles , repeat and give the engine hell .

IMHO Wishful thinking. I would beg to disagree. Assembly lube doesn't discolor the oil. Nor does it sparkle or make metal chunks when you drain it.

I would hope he's called the builder and had things checked out.
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

it was saturday when i first started it, hes not open, I'm gonna call him first thing In the morning though and see if he'll come over and look at it, he told me he would if anything came up
 

BMFB

Not to scale
Re: bad day

Alright, I talked to my builder, took 2 samples of oil in with me, one from the first oil change, and one from teh second. they were in tiny glass wild turkey bottles (cause thats what I ****in drink :roll: ) anyway, he looked at it for....awhile he said there was metal in it for sure, but it was very particulate, and all silver, that coupled with the good oil pressure and lack of bad sounds he said I should be alright. His guess is that its my used cam wearing into the new cam bearings, I know it was polished, but he said you can only make it so straight, and it was going to have some wear. I will say the second oil change looked much better. I;ve only run it for about an hour since the first change, and it still seems fast, oil pressure is super high...I know that he will warrenty any problem I have, parts included. I just dont want to have it torn out again. he said he would pay to have it removed but, i dont trust shops with my ty...not motor replacement anyway...maybe brakes... maybe
 

qbnkiller

Conflaguration Specialist
Re: bad day

It looks like the engine was not properly cleaned before assembly. By properly cleaned, I mean washing with soapy water and soft brushes all over the place. If it doesnt look like you have been wrestling an alligator in the swamp for about two hours, it isnt clean. When you crack the engine open again, you'll probably see scuff marks all over - lifters, piston skirts, etc.
 

JSM

Active member
Re: bad day

I agree, engine not clean and/or bearing clearances WAY too tight (hence high oil pressure also).

Any GOOD motor I have built, always looks spotless even on first oil change.
 
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