Oil color...normal or is something broken

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wheelman21

Mopar noob
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So I just pulled out my 340 to put it in my dart and when I drained the oil it looks dark green. The engine was rebuilt not that long ago, but not by me, so I don't know if it's some type of break in oil or what. It also has a gas smell to it. But I've never changed oil that doesn't smell at least a little like gas. It also could have some gas from it sitting in the cylinders while the car sat. It hasn't really run for more than 10-15 min since a year ago. Should I worry about the rings, is it gas? I don't think it's coolant, so my only other thought is gas or something.
 
When I rebuilt my 350 in my 78 camaro 3 years back I used a zinc additive in my oil while breaking it in. It was dark green. Maybe they used something like that?
 
I just pulled all the plugs and they each one is black. I'm thinking the fuel smell in the oil is coming from it running rich. Or in burnt fuel from the previous owner running 112 instead of 100. Make sense or are my rings shot? It doesn't smoke when it runs.
 
Fuel is getting by the rings. The longer the oil sits in the crankcase, the worse the smell and rancid it becomes. Changing oil regularly is not just a thing of miles used on the oil, but also time, sitting or running. The oil thins out and will squeeeek paste the rings.

Try some new 10-40 in there and run it, don't let it sit and idle once in awhile. Drive the car! It really is a use it or looose it thing.
 
What carb do you run?Is it a old holley?If it is,and it backfired,you may have popped a power valve.
 
Certain oils are green. As stated earlier Brad Penn, also certain weight Kendall and a couple others. Running rich won't make your oil green. Just change your oil.

The plugs being black is another issue all together. Get the carb. and ignition dialed in properly. Just sounds to me like no one ever tuned it properly and its running rich.
 
All of the above is possible. It wasn't run because it was in a drag car that wasn't being dragged any more, so it was a matter of getting it out of the car and into my street car. The carb is a mighty demon that probably does need to be tuned. The previous owner was also running the wrong octane. It was set up for 100 and he was running 112 or 114. I guess the question is do you guys think it needs a full ring job before it gets in the car?
 
I would say get it running, then with it at running temp, do a compression test. I say at running temp because cold numbers usually aren't as good as warm.
Better yet, do a leakdown test. If you don't have a leakdown tester available to you take to a reputable garage that does. You will know right away how good your engine is sealing...
 
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