I have a 212 predator with a BP2 cam, billet rod, lightly ported head and 390 carb. I have some test runs with it on the track and stand testing for jetting the carb. Maybe a total of 50 hot laps @6500 rpm. I'm running 16oz of oil and have been changing often 10-20 laps. Im still getting metal in my oil, nothing big ,but sparkles when a flash light is held to the side of the oil catch jar. Is this normal or not? This is my first engine build just wondering if i did something wrong??
metal in my oil??
- Thread starter hwater85
- Start date
What would be the fix for this?
DynoDon
Moderator
Pull the crank, knock off the sharp edge with a fine file where the rod bolts to the crank. No need to go nuts with the file. It can actually be done without anyone noticing it if you are careful. All you want to do is knock off the razor edge. If you let it go, it will wear itself off over time. Some people it bothers them because of the sparkles. Your damage is already done but not serious enough to hurt h.p. or the wear factor. Keep it changed and it will go away. I have three or four clones that have done the same thing and it isn't an issue for me. For the fanatic, it can be an issue. If it doesn't go away over the course of 4 or 5 oil changes, you could be scuffing the piston to the wall.
youngengines
Member
You have to remember they don't have an oil filter.. if you cut apart a oil filter on a new car engi9ne you might have a heart attack.. Unless something is bad wrong, it will get better with oil changes.
Multi viscosity oils react to temp, the 0W, 5W, and 10W are the oils characteristics when the oil is at cold winter temps, this assists in pump ability in extreme climates, when the oil reaches 100*C (212* F) it acts like the higher number. Seeing that these engine rarely require starting in sub zero temps. you won't need the lower side numbers. ), %, and 10 are most likely irrelevant to you, it is also felt multi grade oils do not do the outer limits of their range well but perform best at the the center of their range, so in these case they all are about a viscosity of 15 .
I prefer to change the oil twice as often when first running one in...say for the first 5-6 oil changes I will change it every 10 laps, once the metal is mostly gone, go back to your regular oil change interval. My regular method is to change it after every practice, heat race or feature since I run methanol, but with gas you could probably get by with changing it once a race night if you only practice, then qualify then run a feature. I would change it at least twice a night if you run heat races also. Like Barry said there is no oil filter here, so oil changes are your only way of keeping the oil clean in it. You can always tell the engines oil change methods when rebuilding an engine....sludge in the crankcase means someone didn't change their oil very often or often enough. Mine always look just as clean as when the engine went together, no sludge or grime in the case. You will always see just a few metal specs since there will always be metal on metal contact in an engine from the rod edges touching the crank as the engine loosens up, and from ring and cylender wear.