Agip Oil Sludge

[Kiwi_Roy]

I changed my oil last evening and noticesd a thin layer of whitish oil at the bottom of the sump. At first I thought it was emulsified oil but now I'm not so certain.

If you take a new bottle of Agip 10w60 and just pour it into the bike in the bottom of the bottle remains a layer of whitish looking sludge so I have taken to half emtptying the bottle then put the cap back on and shake it up.

I'm wondering what this white stuff is?

Are we supposed to shake it up or decant it as Luigi would a bottle of rough wine?

 

I put K&N pods on the bike and ran the breather down to beside the gear lever with a filter on the end, I wonder if that encourages moisture ingress. Any bright ideas about what to do with said breather.

 

Thanks

 

Roy

 

Update

What! 41 views and no response, am I the only one who has noticed the sludge in a bottle of oil?

[luhbo]

... What! 41 views and no response, am I the only one who has noticed the sludge in a bottle of oil?

 

Different sources, different qualities maybe?

The water doesn't come through the hose, it bypasses the piston rings during combustion, something you can't avoid.

 

Hubert

[Admin Jaap]

It must be water. Did you ride short trips not heating the engine sufficiently?

[OldButNotDead]

It must be water. Did you ride short trips not heating the engine sufficiently?

 

My vote too. Mayo in the bike or car = oil + water emulsion. I lived in Vancouver for a while and seem to remember a bit of dampness in the air on occasion....

I haven't noticed it in unopened oil, but can't say I've looked all that carefully; maybe direct this ques to the manufacturer?

I'm going to predict you will find a way to fix this with an ingenious wiring modification

[Admin Jaap]

...

I'm going to predict you will find a way to fix this with an ingenious wiring modification

Or maybe a quantum reversed heat shield?

[Gio]

It must be water. Did you ride short trips not heating the engine sufficiently?

 

+1 Roy ... white stuff is likely from moisture (I used to get more of a creamy film when living on the wet coast) but I would be concerned to find it in un-used oil ..? Maybe you need to change brands (hey we haven'nt had a good old oil thread for a while) ... or just drop a couple of diodes in there and ride longer ...

[Kiwi_Roy]

It must be water. Did you ride short trips not heating the engine sufficiently?

 

+1 Roy ... white stuff is likely from moisture (I used to get more of a creamy film when living on the wet coast) but I would be concerned to find it in un-used oil ..? Maybe you need to change brands (hey we haven'nt had a good old oil thread for a while) ... or just drop a couple of diodes in there and ride longer ...

 

I am talking Agip oil, the brand Guzzi recommends, fresh from a sealed bottle. There should be no moisture in it but there's something that drops out after it's been sitting for a while.

Next time you change oil pour the first bottle in without shaking you may see what I mean.

Admitedly some of mine had been sitting for over 2 years, the remains of a crate 10W60 I inherited from PO, I think the stuff you use might be 10W50.

 

I thought water also but wondered if whatever I see in the bottom of a bottle is dropping out over the winter

 

Perhaps the steady rain is getting to me

 

Then again, perhaps you are missing the secret ingredient by not shaking.

[Gio]

I never had that problem with either 10/40 or 20/50 (spec) Castrol ... no need to shake the bottle. No emulsion or residues ... even after sitting on the shelf for a while. I bungee the bottle in a funnel when re-filling so get to see the very last drops ..?

 

Prolonged periods of rain will do that to you Roy, time to get the sun lamp out.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I never had that problem with either 10/40 or 20/50 (spec) Castrol ... no need to shake the bottle. No emulsion or residues ... even after sitting on the shelf for a while. I bungee the bottle in a funnel when re-filling so get to see the very last drops ..?

 

Prolonged periods of rain will do that to you Roy, time to get the sun lamp out.

 

What! you don't use Luigi's recomended oil, I'm shocked. I got serious flack on another forum for even suggesting an after market filter.

 

I can see I will have to provide some photographic evidence in support of my built in the bottle Agip sludge

 

I'm sure you are correct about the sludge in the crankcase caused by water, it's pretty damp in Vancouver for sure and I don't shy off riding in the rain. Does warming the case drive the moisture out?

[luhbo]

No, not really. You'll have it always under the valve covers and even much more of it accumulates inside the timing housing.

 

hubert

[Kiwi_Roy]

Here you have it - Exhibit A

 

A brand new bottle of Agip 20W50 Racing Synthetic

 

I poured it out then cut the bottom off to find about half a teaspoon full of sludge.

This sludge has a much higher viscosity than the rest of the contents, it won't pour out unless you leave it quite a while or shake the bottle to mix it in

 

So what is it? Something good, something bad?

 

 

Ok, Ok, I'll stick to electrickery

[68C]

Never seen that in a new container, might be worth sending the photo to Agip.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Never seen that in a new container, might be worth sending the photo to Agip.

 

Why would you see it? It stays in the bottom of container unless you keep it inverted for about 5 minutes.

As I said this component is very viscous, I noticed by by accident last spring, in the bottom of each container.

Thinking it was put there for a reason I flushed it into the sump.

If it drops out in the container it probably drops out again in the sump over winter.

 

I will try passing it by Agip and report back.

 

Roy

 

That was fast, I got an immediate response from a fancy address.

American Agip Co. Inc.

485 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

With a follow up message a couple of hours later asking for more info.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I must say I was surprised by the fast response I got. I saw he copied my enquiry to several in their group and this is the response I got later in the day.

 

 

 

So remember to shake the bottles before you use them to get the additives.

 

Cheers

 

Roy

[stefano]

I must say I was surprised by the fast response I got. I saw he copied my enquiry to several in their group and this is the response I got later in the day.

 

 

 

So remember to shake the bottles before you use them to get the additives.

 

Cheers

 

Roy

i'd not heard of this before. guess this is what i learned today , good sleuthing!

i must say, when i first saw this thread, it kinda reminded me of my favorite ale (bridgeport india pale ale)that is bottle conditioned. it has a small yeasty sediment on the bottom of bottle. i always swirl the bottle wnen i'm halfway done (i don't shake it first)