How long will oil be shiny after rebuild

[Rock Headson]

Hi,

I recently had my 1985 911 engine rebuilt by a local shop.

After I drove it I drained the oil and it had a "shiny" look to it, a metallic sparkle which I assume is normal after a complete rebuild. Haven't had a chance to drive it much but this weekend I took it for a spirited drive for about an hour and found the same amount of sparkle in the oil after draining it. Thinking the worst I opened the oil filter and much to my relief found nothing in it.

However I'm concerned that with a total of about 200 miles on the engine and two oil changes the oil still has these sparkles in it. You can't see the bottom of a plastic container if the oil is about 1" deep.

Oil pressure is great. 5 bar at 3000RPM and 2 bar at idle when hot so that's also pretty good from what I read.

How long should I expect to see this? (Can't rest and the rebuilder told me this was pretty normal and that I should leave the oil in longer after that first change).

[hcoles]

this brings up a question, which has probably answered here somewhere, does the filter take out all particals that are harmful, the ponit being all the oil should fairly quickly go through the filter

[4sd911]

You did change the oil with non-detergent? You need to run non-detergent for 1000 miles and you will see the metalic in the oil at that change, you may see it longer.

[Kemo]

is any of the sparkle from the assembly lube?

[nabilious]

Subscribed! On my 3rd oil change after full 2.7L rebuild and got the same thing going on...probably 300 miles on it. Identical discription though.
Thanks,
Nabil

[AlfonsoR]

Hmmm, what's the micron rating on the oil filter?

[notmytarga]

The material in the initial oil changes is not necessarily metallic/aluminum etc. Assembly lube is the most likely content. The filter apparently doesn't take it out - it probably becomes less viscious when mixed with oil and warmed.

I am due for a forth oil change. I'm at about 5000 mi - 2 years.

[lucittm]

A suggestion that made it easier for me to sleep at night - an oil analysis. It seems expensive but the report you will get is full of good information about a much more expensive investment, your engine.

I used these guys but there are others:
Blackstone Labs

It is even better if you submit several samples over a period of time because they review all your samples for trends, improvements after a rebuild, etc.

Mark

[dshepp806]

Staveleys , for me. Great oil analysis #s that are consistent. You'll get the metals breakdown that will correlate with specific component (wear)

She's gonna' want copious amounts of Zinc during her early seat-in (and oil change) period.

It would be quite interesting to get oil analysis data at tight intervals right after a full rebuild. I'd probably go anal about it and take 12 snapshots within 3K miles!!!!!!!!

Best,

Doyle

[AlfonsoR]

Originally Posted by dshepp806

Staveleys , for me. Great oil analysis #s that are consistent. You'll get the metals breakdown that will correlate with specific component (wear)

She's gonna' want copious amounts of Zinc during her early seat-in (and oil change) period.


Doyle

You like Staveleys better than Blackstone?

Is it recommended to add ZDDP, even to a good oil with 1200ppm, after a rebuild?

[dshepp806]

Yes.

No.

Doyle