I was hoping someone could give me some insight. I made a full engine re build on my 91 integra with srp pistons bored .020 over, eagle rods, and crane cams. I had put about 1k on motor trying to break-in before turbo install and also changed oil at 500 miles. When I pulled the oil pan down to install the oil return, I noticed a milky discoloration in the oil. Its not coolant, but almost appears to be some sort of graphite or something. Could this be from the bearings or other engine parts braking in? The veh sat for about a week before I discovered this. Im sure I would not have seen anything if the engine had been driven the night before or that day. I think not driving it for a week gave this stuff time to settle. Please Help!!

 

what color is the oil

 

When the oil is milky it means you've got coolant mixed in with it.

 

Regular Mobile one oil dark colored but has some whitish milky color in the bottom of the pan. If you rub your finger across the bottom of the pan the white looks grey on your finger. Thanks for your help!

 

Definitely not coolant, it is layered white as if a swirl. No blown head gasket. My experience that Coolant usually looks like a milkshake not a swirl?

 

white grease when you put the motor together???

 

That is very possible, It does almost look like it could be that. But they would have had to use alot of it at the machine shop where they built the bottom end and the head. I put the engine together

 

change your oil and see if it comes back..

if it doesn't you know it was the white grease..

they do use alot.. they use it on every part!!

 

Ok. I'm actually doing that now. Finally the hybrid is on the car and the turbo install is almost finished. But, there is one other factor. this will be the seconed oil change since rebuild. The first, @ 400 miles, was due to a cheap after market head gasket that was slightly seeping at the right front corner of engine. This also did not let any coolant get in oil. The oil appeared to be clean but I did not let the car sit for 7 days either. This is also when I installed stage 2 cams.

 

found the same discoloration (graphite) in my oil pan when I spun a bearing.

It could just be the parts braking in.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EE_Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When the oil is milky it means you've got coolant mixed in with it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

a friend whos HG just went had this same problem

 

You will usually see sort of carbony graphite looking stuff on your dipstick BEFORE you spin a bearing and when the bearing is first starting to break down. You will only see the brassy chunks after the bearing is totally gone.

 

Mobil one and many other synthetic leave deposits on the bottom of the pan.Synthetics don't hold particles in suspension like mineral oils do.I don't use synthetic until I have a couple thousand miles on the engine.Its not typically recommended to break in engines with a synthetic.
Glenn

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NJIN BUILDR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Mobil one and many other synthetic leave deposits on the bottom of the pan.Synthetics don't hold particles in suspension like mineral oils do.I don't use synthetic until I have a couple thousand miles on the engine.Its not typically recommended to break in engines with a synthetic.
Glenn</TD></TR></TABLE>

i agree with him.....you should not run synthetic oil in a fresh engine.....you should run at-least 1000miles on regular oil.....