Those aluminum covers will rain water in the engine just from ambient air change

The four years previous (2014-2017) were exactly the same… no water with methanol in a sbc, cast aluminum covers using evac with MFI and now EFI. I believe the installed Primer Plus on my system helps immensely.

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
A word of wisdom from my experience though about a full synthetic. This is specific to Driven full synthetic though. I tried their XP9 and their oil does not leave much of a film after parts sit. I expect that it will make more power just from the oil not clinging to parts as much but it did allow things to rust really bad. I was getting rust on my valve train parts and springs. Switched to the GP-1 semi-synthetic and problems went away. Lesson learned for me. Your results may vary.

I just switched to full synthetic racing oil this year and will have to watch for what you stated… good to be aware of.

Is this rust something that happens sitting between weekend race events, or from sitting over winter months?

Between races, which time would vary a week or 3 weeks. Also I'm not saying it will happen with all oils. Only my experience with the Driven full synthetic.

A follow up to this post. I just changed oil for the second time since switching to full synthetic this year. I did not see any rusting on valve train parts checking valve clearance, but I did notice that the film of oil left on the parts to be very thin compared to using PennGrade and Schaeffers prior.

I have a few quarts of PennGrade left and decided to try something.I put five quarts of the full synthetic in with one quart of PennGrade to see if that thicker film will re-appear on the valve train parts after sitting for a day.

Mark, what brand synthetic did you use? I used another brand full synthetic before and didn't have the rust problem. It was only with the Driven brand.

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED: what brand synthetic did you use?

Maxima RS full synthetic 10w30

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED: what brand synthetic did you use?

Maxima RS full synthetic 10w30

Thanks. I truly believe it is just because the Driven doesn't have much in the way of "cling", for lack of a better way of putting it.

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
Motor now has aluminum heads and valve covers and I would find some snot inside. I would pull the breathers when I rolled it out of the trailer and find the snot in the breather. Then I had the realization that despite putting the car away HOT, water over 200 and oil over 180, after shutting the motor the engine could not breathe. The check valves in the tubes close and the engine can't get rid of the alcohol and moisture. Now I get it hot and pull the breathers and it's clean and clear.

Eman, I think you nailed the source of my condensation issue. Even though I get things hot enough to vaporize the alky and the water, there is no way for those vapors to escape. So as the engine cools, the steam and alky gasses condense back to liquid form. My cast covers have non-removable breathers on them, (unless I pull the covers). Which is why I am planning to swap back to my steel covers that have removable breathers. I am still considering adding a vacuum pump to the new build as well.

I serviced my car a couple of weeks agao. 67 passes on VR-1 20w-50 and methanol. Oil looked great coming out no moisture or milkiness. I did run it up to temp before draining the oil and also pulled the aluminum VC's to run the valves. VC's had a slight film of oil on the inside with some white to it but nothing on the rockers or adjusters. My car stays in the trailer and this is the land of temperature swings and humidity in the mountains. I'm satisfied that getting the car hot, water 200+ and oil 180 before putting it in the trailer with the breathers out is the big difference.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman: I serviced my car a couple of weeks ago. 67 passes on VR-1 20w-50 and methanol. Oil looked great coming out no moisture or milkiness.

Just curious, have you ever sent this VR 20w50 oil in for analysis?

No I haven't