FL820S 500 miles rebuilt 2003 Lightning engine

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My buddy has a 2003 Ford SVT Lightning he just had rebuilt and tuned for more power. Not broken in yet but it should run somewheres in the 12's in the 1/4 mile soon. The pictures are cell phone pics but there are lots of metal particles in the oil. My first filter cut on a new engine. The oil was 10w30 oreilley's conventional run for 500 miles. He was instructed to run another 1k miles on conventional and then run synthetic. My buddy used motorcraft synblend.
20170807_190329 by JOHN, on Flickr
20170807_190225 by JOHN, on Flickr
I tore the media trying to look in the pleats. Didn't find much there that I could see.
20170807_190237 by JOHN, on Flickr
20170807_190244 by JOHN, on Flickr
20170807_190324 by JOHN, on Flickr
20170807_190334 by JOHN, on Flickr
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Sparkly oil. Not really a good sign on a fresh rebuild.

Why not? I was expecting to see what I saw. Thats why I made him save the filter for me to cut open.
 
Originally Posted By: E150GT
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Sparkly oil. Not really a good sign on a fresh rebuild.

Why not? I was expecting to see what I saw.


It's bad because - - - It's WAAAAAAAAY too much glitter!

I hope the engine assembler has a good insurance policy.

Man, it seems so FEW people can build a Ford Mod motor right?!?!?!
 
isn't this why they make special break-in oils? yes they are more expensive, but...
break in oil, and a high efficiency filter.
even if i was only putting 500 mi on it, at that critical time, i'd want to put something like an ultra on there.(but hey, that's me, to each their own.)

the important question is, was ALL the oil that sparkly, or just the stuff still trapped in the dirty side of the filter?
 
Since we're in the filter section, let's talk about filters...is that damage from when you opened the can? How's the rest of the filter look?
 
Originally Posted By: Onug
Since we're in the filter section, let's talk about filters...is that damage from when you opened the can? How's the rest of the filter look?

Filter looked good but it was only used for 500 miles. I will say those motorcraft filters are a real pain to cut open with the filter cutter.
 
Originally Posted By: E150GT
Originally Posted By: Onug
Since we're in the filter section, let's talk about filters...is that damage from when you opened the can? How's the rest of the filter look?

Filter looked good but it was only used for 500 miles. I will say those motorcraft filters are a real pain to cut open with the filter cutter.

Normal after initial break in of 500 miles to have glittery oil, I've seen it on every new vehicle I've done the first oil change on.

However, if you found a bunch of metal in the filter media then I'd be cincerned. I've seen really glittery oil, but no visible metal particles in the filter media. Those engines have always been strong runners and non-oil burners.
 
I had a rebuilt 4.6 from NAPA installed in my 97 F150. I saw glitter during the first three short OCI oil changes. The fourth revealed no glitter. The installer for the NAPA engine used Ford Motorcraft synth blend 5w30 oil and Proselect filter. I drained that out at around 150 miles. I put refilled my first change with 5w30 ST conventional. When I drained it at around 300 miles I saw glitter again but a bit less of it. My third drain at 500 miles had even less glitter. Again I used ST 5w30 conventional. On the 4th drain at 1000 miles I saw no glitter. I filled with 5w20 ST conventional on this fill. I ran it out to 3000 miles and saw no glitter with that oil change.

It seems to me that glitter in a rebuilt engine may very well be normal. My experience is there was less with each oil change. I kept them short because I did not want the metal shavings in there any longer than necessary doing any possible damage that would keep me awake at night. I am glad I did my rebuilt engine how I did with the short OCIs. At this moment I have GTX magnatec 5w30 in the engine. I do not have any problem with oil loss. My MPG has gone up a few months ago. I am thinking my engine has finally broken in. I have used MMO in each gas fill up. I am getting 14 mpg around town and 17.8 highway. That milage is with my ladder rack and ladders for my job being hauled around. Just about right for a 97 4x4 with 4.6 engine.

I did run several OCIs with PYB 5w20. Then I ran 5w20 Motorcraft for a few changes. During a run with QSGB 5w20 my milage jumped up and has stayed up. YAY. I will run out my stash of 5w20 and start using 5w30. I have the GTX in it now to see how it runs with a 30 weight oil? So far no problems I can detect. Perhaps I will use the 5w20 in the winters and 5w30 in the summers for grins and giggles. Long term goal is to buy one grade of oil for both of my vehicles.
 
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The glitter in the oil looks normal. With almost 30-35 SBC engines that I have built/helped build in my resume, I have seen this in EVERY engine. If after 3 short OCI's (300-500 miles per OCI) and you are still seeing glitter, you have a problem! If you see metal/aluminum slivers, you DEFINITELY have a problem!
My cousin owned a speed shop and my dad used to drag race. They were my teachers when it came to engine building/building hot rods/racing. I was not much into oil filters and oil back then like I am now, but I learned about particulates in the oil after a rebuild.
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The glitter is only the reflecting particles, like metals. There's more in there unseen. Bright sunlight reveals much more, the eye can see far smaller particles when it's reflections from direct sunlight. Pretty much verifies once again full flow filters do not catch everything and extending a new engine drain is not money well saved IMO. A bypass filter like a Frantz or Trasko depth type would have cleaned all that glitter out in 500 miles. I bet it is well broken in at that mileage. Good to hear undeniable real world experiences with pictures.
 
Seems like every car/truck manufacturer these days calls for the 1st oil change at the regular sscheduled maintenance interval. Seems like motorcycles are the only things calling for a short 1st oil change - typically at 600 miles.

Hard to say what efficiency the factory installed filters are. Could be they are higher efficiency to correspond with the long break-in. Also, I've heard some engines are "ran" at the factory for a short break-in, then refilled. Not sure if that's true or not.

Those "glitter" particles seen in the oil are probably 5 microns or smaller - so small they stay in suspension a very long time if stirred up. Obviously a filter rated at 95% @ 20 microns is going to leave lots of 5 micron particles in the oil.

If they were super harmful to the engine I'd think the car manufacturers would be calling for a short 1st oil change.
 
Everyone saying the oil shouldn't look like that... Every new engine I've done a change on has had this. Mowers and cars. I do wonder what a higher efficiency filter would do for this. I assume a magnet would pick it up.

Pics of the lightning! I've always had a soft spot for them, even looked a couple online last night. The thing that keeps me from doing it is the RWD (which is part of the fun).
 
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Everyone saying the oil shouldn't look like that... Every new engine I've done a change on has had this. Mowers and cars. I do wonder what a higher efficiency filter would do for this. I assume a magnet would pick it up.


Most of the glitter is aluminum, so a magnet wouldn't help there.
 
Best time for a bunch of magnets or one big one on the filter.

UD
 
Originally Posted By: Onug
Since we're in the filter section, let's talk about filters...is that damage from when you opened the can? How's the rest of the filter look?

Yes, OP said he tore it when spreading the pleats.
 
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