Paul Falabella Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Two years ago I took as much sludge out of the top of the heads as I could. Last year I dropped the oil pan and took out a significant(normal?) amount of sludge and cleaned the pickup. Today I am changing the oil and for fun stuck my pinky in the drain. Felt some gritty material, got some out(see pic). The pieces are about an 1/16"/1/8" but non metallic(thankfully). They crush like old hardened grease. Problem? Just detergent oil doing it's job in 60 y/o engine? Should I drop the pan again and do another cleaning?Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Leave it alone for now...probably just some topside stuff that washed down. But do monitor what is in the filter canister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialEducation Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 What kind of oil are you using and how often do you change it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Penzoil(Brown container) High Milage 10w-30 with a shot of ZDDP additive, never more than 1000 miles between changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I would agree with Willie. Some left over from the cleaning that found it's way to the pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialEducation Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) Concur. There's lots of passages that could hold lots of junk for a long time. With fresh oil every 1000 miles and assuming your filter isn't getting loaded up to the point of impeding the flow of oil, it's inconsequential. If your filter is full of junk every 1000 miles, it would be time to get concerned. I don't know what the zinc content of your Penzoil is, but it is possible to get too much ZDDP and get deposits. You might try backing off on the additive for 2 or three changes and see what happens. Edited December 17, 2015 by SpecialEducation (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 As long as it's "soft", then no worries. IF it was HARD, that might be something to be concerned about (as carbonized oil from a "hot spot" somewhere that was getting "cleaned out"). BUT then that's what the filter's for! Are you changing the oil that often to get things cleaned out or "just to take care of it"? Might just change the filter and be sure to replace that amount of oil in the crankcase for a few cycles. Might get a magnetic drain plug and/or one of the wrap-around magnets for the oil filter . . . for good measure, if desired. How much zddp additive are you adding each time? Just curios. NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share Posted December 19, 2015 Cut the old filter apart, no significant chunks. Got most of the pan debris out with a device I made with Bic pen bodies and Monster tape on my shop vac. One(11 oz.) bottle Rislone ZDDP added to Pennzoil 10w-30 High milage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lapham3 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 "Got most of the pan debris out with a device I made with Bic pen bodies and Monster tape on my shop vac." That's great-can you expand a bit {a pic?} on what/how you put it together? really like to see someone thinking in creative ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Tape two Bic pen bodies together. Clear ones would be better see to the junk being sucked out. Tape them as best you can to the Shopvac hose. Now insert the pens into the drain hole and suck out what's in there. A bit messy. After I finished I thought that next time I will heat the end and curve the tip a bit for better access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 An interesting "device"! When I started doing my own oil changes about 30yrs ago, I had noticed that when oil drains from the drain plug, there is usually a low spot in the pan near the drain plug, which does not get drained. Therefore, to get a better "drain", I would use 6qts to do a 5qt oil change. After the oil had drained, pretty much, I'd pour a quart into the engine with the drain plug still out. To me, that should help flush out that low spot (or even the bottom 1/4" of the pan when the drain plug was above the bottom of the pan) of the pan. After that finished draining "clear", then I'd reinstall the drain plug, ensure the oil filter had oil in it (if possible) and installed, and put the remainder of oil in the engine. For the little bit more money, back then, I figured I was investing in an oil change with more "clean oil" in the engine. And . . . with that "device", attached to a hand vacuum pump, you can do oil extraction and changes without getting under the car! Especially if the oil filter is "up top" accessible. NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted December 23, 2015 Author Share Posted December 23, 2015 That low spot is where I could feel the the pieces and yea there is some oil stuck there. As I said the next oil change I will heat the tip and bend a bit to get in that spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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