The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Metal in oil? Dumb Question but not really

I'm on a mission to clean up and inspect several 261's I have on stands and rolling carts. Today's 261 is a 1954 261 and I removed the oil pan after draining it. At the bottom of the pan is thick but viscous deposit of black oil and underneath that is a grey/silver/grey thick but flowing ooze. It is thick but viscous enough to be wiped out by paper towels. THe rocker arm shaft (front section) was definitely used up and galled.

So the dumb 261 question for the day is - is this silver/grey compound (that resembles a viscous Never Seize compound) metal from worn bearings and the worn out rocker shaft? I have not pulled the pistons to look at the bearing wear.

Thoughts?

Tom

It could just be the ancient remnants of old oil used back in the day which was not as highly refined as oil of today and had a tendency to separate and glue itself to the oil pan and not drain out at oil changes. You can test to see if the gray slime contains metal by dissolving it in gas and put a strong rare earth magnet in the jar.

Thanks for the response.

I dropped the oil pan on my 56 235 and found the same substance under about 1/4 inch of oil sludge. I did not determine exactly what is was either. I did not think to see if it had any metal particles in it with a magnet.
Lee.