When I dropped the oil pan last night I found this thick grey paste at the bottom of the pan. It smelled like thinner. I had to scrape it out with a putty knife. What is this stuff? It's a 65 motor that ran well before I pulled it out (Car is being painted). I'm guessing that it is just bits of ground up metal from the bearings. Should this signal "Engine rebuild", or can I leave this alone? Can anyone recommend any rebuild kits, or has anyone tried one of the kits you see on ebay? Thanks.


Joe
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65 Dart

Sounds like a little varnish from oil breaking down, probably a little bearing babbit material mixed in for good measure. Was it gritty? I had an old 215V8 that looked like it was filled with black greasy mud when I opened it up. It was still running fine. Just cleaned it up and put it back together. My thought is; this is just some oil "stuff".

If it were mine, I'd get some plasti-gage and pull a main and a rod cap (or 2) and check the bearing clearances. Assuming that the bearing clearances are good and there's no sign of scoring in the cylinders, I'd just clean it up. Good chance to put in new front/rear main seals and a new pan gasket.

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Gilly

1960 Dodge Pioneer
"Long Rod" /6, A833 Pistol grip Hurst
8 3/4" w/Suregrip and 3:91's
Still have more parts in boxes than on the car....

I just finished rebuilding a 225 /6. My local machine shop ordered a kit from his parts supplier by specifying what exactly he wanted. It had quality components, ie. Comp Cams, Clevite, Felpro, etc. I asked him about a similar gray putty built up in the small depressions in the screen housing of the oil pick. He said it was most likely a deposit of engine oil additives like STP. You're right, it took some soaking and scraping to get it cleaned out. Mine did not have any properties about it that indicated metallic particles, just goo.

Jerry

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

I've seen it in nearly every old engine I've torn down. I think "stuff" pretty well describes it. The gray color might come from years of driving with leaded gas.

I'm glad that it just may be 'old' oil crud. I didn't notice anything that would hint of metal shavings, I just assumed. Thanks again for the input.

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65' Dart. A work in progress..
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Joe

Gray is a sign that the oil had moisture in it. I'd guess that the motor had been sitting for a while?

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

The engine sat for the last 8 years in dad's barn until I had the room for it here. I thought it could be a moisture issue, but this stuff was really thick. It would not pour out at all.. I really had to scape it out.


Joe

Yep, it's crap from sitting. If the motor sat 8 years, it's at least time to take it apart and look around.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

I have seen this thick gray goo in all the old engines I have torn down, an old machinist once told me it is fine, oil soaked ash from the combustion process, some settles-out before it gets to the oil filter.

Clean this engine-up, retorque the rods and mains and put it back in service.
DD

I have seen it, too. I always thought it was lead deposits, too. It is heavier than oil and it settles into the bottom of things. Somebody once told me it was from running Pennzoil, but that may be oversimplifying it.

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'66 Cuda 225/4spd
'66 Dart GT convertible 225/auto
'64 Dart GT 340/4spd