Potential minor contamination. How long to run before changing oil?

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Wanted to see if there are some informed opinions on this.

I recently had my car's valve covers off for a couple of jobs. I intentionally did this near the end of an OCI so that draining the oil would take contaminants (residual silicone sealant, dust) with it. I've already driven around 150 miles since the job. Is that long enough to make sure as much of the contamination as possible has made its way into the oil and filter? I'm sure there'll be some traces floating around for the next OCI or two. I just want to make sure I'm getting out as much as possible on this drain.

Anyone have any evidence to suggest one way or another?
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
Considering that most oil pumps pump gallons of oil a minute 150 miles is plenty.

Good point!
 
150 miles of short stop and go or highway run??
Type of oil filter?? Fram or M-1 etc etc??
 
Originally Posted by bbhero
150 miles of short stop and go or highway run??
Type of oil filter?? Fram or M-1 etc etc??

Mixed driving. Mahle filter.

Originally Posted by Bluestream
Better go a bit more to be safe...

Because?
 
C'mon, farther......‚

[Linked Image]


(if you're concerned about "dust", are you using the absolute best filter at filtering particles down to "X" microns during the post valve cover job? I was recently reading that the most damaging particle size in an engine is in the 5~10 micron range as clearance between the piston ring and cylinder bore is typically 5 to 10 microns. See link below)

https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30697/choose-oil-filter
 
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I dont believe anyone can say with any certainty how long it would take for all of the contaminants to get swept away in the oil.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
I dont believe anyone can say with any certainty how long it would take for all of the contaminants to get swept away in the oil.

That's more or less what I suspected.

On UOAs (your own or others'), have you ever seen a spike in some reading from a one-time contamination event and then watched it tail off in subsequent UOAs? I made a meager effort to search for such a thing but I guess my Google-fu is weak.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
I dont believe anyone can say with any certainty how long it would take for all of the contaminants to get swept away in the oil.



+1 I believe you are most correct.


Now with my limited brain power, I would drain it now as I would think just draining the oil would get the majority of any particles out. I wouldn't wait anymore
for the oil filter to do its filtering on this batch of oil.
 
Originally Posted by d00df00d
I made a meager effort to search for such a thing but I guess my Google-fu is weak.


...‚, I like that.. stealing it!ðŸ‘
 
It won't do any good now, but FWIW, if I have to remove valve covers, I spray clean the motor (with Simple Green) and a handheld Quart or so pump sprayer on a COOL engine, rinse it with water in a garden sprayer, then run the engine until it's warm and dry, shut down again and blow the top off with Compressed air.
Much less to worry about dirt, grease, oil, dead bugs, etc., getting inside the valve covers if the OUTSIDE is already clean enough to eat off of before opening them. I would hope that all this sounds simply like common sense, which applies in your own garage, but not anyplace paid to do the work because they don't have time to care; besides, you'll never see the chunks they drop in YOUR engine.
I'm also BITOG OCD enough to always drain REALLY hot oil, after the engine is completely warm, and I use leather gloves over rubber gloves, long sleeves and have rags handy. Never been burned, I just sleep better draining my oil HOT, so I know whatever is suspended in the oil is still suspended when it's drained.
 
Cleaning the top of the engine bay before lifting the valve cover is probably a good idea. It would only add an extra hr to the job. Too OCD for this hack though
grin2.gif
 
One thought about work being done and UOAs done afterwards...

Harryj had a head gasket done on his car....

Then had UOAs done afterwards. .

That may well be one to look at for trending UOAs after work was completed on a car.
 
Originally Posted by bbhero
One thought about work being done and UOAs done afterwards...

Harryj had a head gasket done on his car....

Then had UOAs done afterwards. .

That may well be one to look at for trending UOAs after work was completed on a car.

Great. Thanks!
 
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