VT 304 Cammed? Can Oil go off with cold?

[nes138]

Two questions in the one thread....

CAM.
Bought a spare 304 and the owner said it pulled really hard and the previous owner said it had an after market cam. I pulled the flex plate off the back and the timing gear off to see the ends of the cam. I assumed there would be something printed on it to indicate it was not factory.
Nothing stamped on it - Any other way of checking? Maybe the chip has a tune thats hidden on it but the chip in the computer looks like a stock chip (the blue plastic one).

OIL.
It was running in car when I saw it and sounded stock, it was night time and usually I check for smoke and oil quality but didn't. Got it home and there was frothy oil in the oil cap when I looked and when I dropped the sump, the oil was completely caramel - insert pissed off face and swear words here! Told the bloke he sold me an engine with a busted head gasket or similar and he said but it was running really well with no indications of that. The car had been sitting in a yard for 12 months with only the occasional turn over. I've heard of oil going frothy at the top of engines due cold weather and short trips but the whole sump full turning frothy??
I do live in Eastern Vic where the temps go below zero regularly in Winter.

 

[EYY]

1. Cam needs to be removed to see the part number - it’s on the rear end of the camshaft. Obviously you’ll need to remove the intake/rockers and lifters. Often people do away with the roller cam setup and put a flat tappet cam in because the roller cams are quite expensive ($600+). The factory roller cam is still decent. Seen stock roller cam engines go over 170rwkw with just a tune.

2. Oil can absorb moisture especially if it’s a little old. I personally use HPR GAS10 semi synthetic with no issues at all.

 

[Deuce]

Running the engine for a minute or two creates moisture as a byproduct that passes rings and enters oil. Without getting everything to temp properly he has added moisture to the engine. Either that or leaking around intake to head area water ports

 

[nes138]

Yeah thats what I am worried about, the leaking bit. Looked up the guts of the engine and all the underside of the pistons look new and what looks like honing marks. My other engine looks yellowed from time...
I guess the real question though is how much can shitty oil and cold affect the oil? The whole pan was caramel.

 

[EYY]

If you’ve already got the sump and timing cover off, you may as well replace the head gaskets if you’re concerned. If you’re pulling the cam out you’re more than half way there anyway!

 

[greenacc]

I would just change the oil and put something decent in there and drive it. Give it an oil flush too if you're worried but sounds to me like it needs driving.
Cold won't damage oil it just becomes thicker when it's cold until it warms up again like honey.

 

[Deuce]

Agreed. Finish putting new gaskets throughout for your peace of mind. Fresh good oil and go for a decent drive.
Will be mint!!

 

[nes138]

Whole thing sits in an FC Holden and only 1100kg. Bloke I bought it off said this engine pulled 'fkn hard'. The problem with it being in my FC is that you can't get the sump off without taking the engine out, and that is one really long hard job. I shoehorned the dam thing in there in the first place, I can get an engine out and back in in a commodore in a day. Takes me two days just to get it out of my FC so I have to be sure.

I think I will give it a crack though. Forum keeps saying my file size is too large to upload photos

I’ll try link to photos instead.
Original engine
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xB5F9QT92iSbFk167
Under the pistons and everywhere it looks tired.

The other engine looks clean as and not as much wear on the cam lobes. Car had 210ks on it
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hzbdMg5XmsZwMgZ89
But this is the oil I pulled out of it and inside the rocker cover
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TM95qHwDkzELDvxL9

 

[nes138]

hopefully the links work

 

[EYY]

Ah I thought you were saying you just bought it and already had the sump and timing cover off.

And yeah looks like there’s more than a bit of moisture in that oil. I’d be pulling the heads off to replace the gaskets and maybe even give them a skim depending on condition.

If it’s a roller cam engine there should be no wear on the cam lobes... unless of course it has a flat tappet cam in it.