Time for a rebuild?

[gasserx]

There is one race left this season on my local drag strip before the winter gets back here...Race or save?
After last oil change, i think it looks like there is sparkles in my oil.... micro flake...very very tiny, you probably know what i mean. I havent seen anything of this before (i have changed oil after every two runs). But that said, i dont find it easy to see anything at all when its mixed with alky. We decided to run it a little bit leaner for the two last runs, so this oil isnt as grey as it has been before and that might be the reason i noticed now...not sure.

Something is wearing, but not sure what it is.

I have planned to rebuild this winter anyway, just wonder if i should start now, or try a few more runs.

[Frontenginedragsters]

Take a look up in cylinder head area. See if you can find traces of metal in the oil by the return holes on the ends of the heads.
If it has metal flakes anyplace in the valve spring area you better play it safe.
Hard to tell you not to race it........
Does it have aluminum rods? Sometimes the chaffing between the rods gets a little more wear when you run it hard.
Use your own judgement but play it safe.

Matt

[gasserx]

Pretty sure its aluminum or brass, because there arent a single microscopic tiny bit on the magnetic drain plug.
No aluminum rods..
Can be a bearing or magnetodrive maybe. Think i'll play safe and split it open. Have a few things i would like to improve anyway.

[gasserx]

I flushed the engine with alky last night and poured it into a clean container. Lots of tiny glitter, and even some bigger flakes. So i am tearing the engine down! Pretty sure its aluminum.

[LZ]

Gas:
I looked at your other posts and did not see a mention of what you are using for a filter so apologize in case I missed it.
What filter are you running. Have you taken it apart or cut it open?
Have you had a chance to watch your oil pressure when your braking from a burnout or shutting down?
Be really curious as with what you say your seeing in the oil and returns on heads.
From what you are saying I totally agree with Matt FWIW. better to use up a few gaskets then window the block. At least a dive on the bearings.
Just a shot in the dark but are you sure you have your converter spacing correct?
just throwing it out there for your consideration. No disrespect intended.
good luck
Luke

[gasserx]

Gas:
I looked at your other posts and did not see a mention of what you are using for a filter so apologize in case I missed it.
What filter are you running. Have you taken it apart or cut it open?
Have you had a chance to watch your oil pressure when your braking from a burnout or shutting down?
Be really curious as with what you say your seeing in the oil and returns on heads.
From what you are saying I totally agree with Matt FWIW. better to use up a few gaskets then window the block. At least a dive on the bearings.
Just a shot in the dark but are you sure you have your converter spacing correct?
just throwing it out there for your consideration. No disrespect intended.
good luck
Luke

Hi Luke, i dont think i mentioned the filter either. I use FRAM HP4 filters, but i have not split the last filter. I`ll do that tonight and see whats inside.
I dont watch oil pressure down the strip, i have a gauge for my guy to watch at startup and before and after burnout.
I will split open the entire engine anyway. I dont think i will risk anything.

I will check converter spacing again while at it.

Thanks

[dusterdave173]

That engine was a pretty solid unit when Jim let it go as I remember--It is EASY to make a mistake with converter and flexplate area that will knock thrust bearing out quick as a wink--usually converter hub not fitting inside crank like needed--was converter made for engine plate? maybe snatch the oil pan and look at thrust first  I believe that engine was running 5.20-5.30 range when pulled out here

[gasserx]

I have 16 runs on it now, and the "glitter" appeared on the last two runs. No traces of it in the oil before that.
Could be thrust bearing also, i'll check everything.
Some of the parts needs to be replaced anyway, like the stud girdle - wich was (sorry) a piece of crap. Going to upgrade to a complete Jesel rocker arm assembly.

I have a best run of 5.7 so far...with very little experience, no transbrake and probably too big rear tires 
Closing in... 

[Mister_Fitz]

I had similar problems with my alky injected sbc. Used the same Fram oil filter and Valvoline vr1 racing 20w-50 oil. Found the glitter up in the oil channel to the lifters. It must have bypassed the oil filter due to cold and thick oil. Also lost oil pressure when braking after the finnish line. My glitter came from the main and rod bearings.
My solution to this was to change to a K&N oil filter and kendall gt1 20w-50 oil. Install an oil heater and an accusump.
I pre heat the oil to keep the oil filter from bypassing due to thick oil. The accusump prevents the loss of oil pressure when braking. I have a milodon full length pan with trap doors and 7qt in it. But it didnt keep the engine from loosing pressure when braking.
My accusump is the 3qt modell. I run a total of 10qt in the engine now. 7qt in the engine and 3qt in the accusump. Problems are gone. Planing on decreasing the amount of oil a bit for next season.

[dusterdave173]

I agree the Milodon pan is a joke--the "trap doors" etc simply do not work. I have zero issues running 1/8th but that first 1/4 mile shut down caused my oil pressure to drop hard under braking. I am looking for a different pan that will do the job better, Accusump will cure it though.

[masracingtd1167]

The accu sump will help a lot . I think the big issue is the oil that returns back to the pan . Over the winter I opened up some of my oil return holes and it helped a lot . another solution is to put it in neutral but I am not a big fan of doing this . I kind of wait until the chute is out and the car has settled down a little before I put it in neutral .

[jeff/21]

when we ran gas 406 we used Rotella t and didn't have any bearing problems then switched to alky we had to change bearings after every outting, a change to Brad Penn resolved the problem
we used a stockcar oil pan on at first and oil pressure dropped on braking then went to a Steff's dragster pan
I wouldn't recommend a fram filter to anybody

[gasserx]

Thanks guys! Seems like i have a few issues to fix then. Oil accumulator seems to be a good thing, and also better oil. What grade oil to use?
What oilfilter do you recomend?
For those of you that use an oil heater - do you also heat oil between runs to get rid of the alky? I talked to a guy at one of the local races, and he used the same oil for the whole weekend as he heated the oil all the time to get rid of methanol.
Myself, i have changed all oil every 2 runs....but that is expensive.., and time consuming when there is tight racing.

I havent split the entire engine yet, but i have removed the heads, and a couple of the cylinders have been beaten. Not sure how bad i should categorize it, so i must ask my engine guy to check. I can feel the grooves with my fingernails.

[Mister_Fitz]

I start my oil heater in the morning and use it all the time during the day exept during the race. I have built a tempersture controller to make sure the oil wouldnt burn.
I can see a big decreas of alky in the oil when heating so I suppose it i a good thing to do.

[masracingtd1167]

If you can get the Bradd Penn oil it is the best for alcohol . I have 2 weekends on mine and the oil looks perfect . After a race I will use the oil heater in my shop to burn off exess moisture I also use it at the track in the morning to bring my oil up to temp. While you have your motor apart take a good look at the way your oil returns to your pan this is just as important as a good pan . Also to high volume of an oil pump can make it even worse . If you are milking your oil that bad after 2 runs you might be way rich . One last thing is engine temp . alcohol likes heat!