360 - Engine oil strainer gunk and questions | FerrariChat
Buy

360 - Engine oil strainer gunk and questions

Discussion in '360/430' started by mehd2, Nov 10, 2025 at 9:56 AM.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. mehd2

    mehd2 Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    16
    Full Name:
    bill nye
    #1 mehd2, Nov 10, 2025 at 9:56 AM
    I'm in the process of going through an oil change. Car is new to me, this is the first oil change I've performed since buying it. 2002, ~39k miles.

    I pulled the engine oil strainer and there is the typical hole caused by the casting. And a lot of gunk on it. The gunk is soft to the touch, it is not metal. It seems like a seal or rtv of some kind.

    So couple quick questions
    1) For those of you that have filed/shaved the casting to provide clearance for the strainer, how did you mitigate the metal shavings?
    2) Anyone have any idea what this gunk could be from or has anyone seen anything similar?

    I have a new strainer on order.I'm going to pull the "Oilo motore" cover and see if there is more gunk in there, as well as possibly bore-scope deeper in. Any other suggestions?

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. clean512

    clean512 Formula 3

    Feb 4, 2010
    2,153
    Full Name:
    Josh @jtcarprojects
    #2 clean512, Nov 10, 2025 at 10:31 AM
    Looks like valve cover material ,Or gaskets that got scraped and went down.
     
  3. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 8, 2016
    12,619
    The CSA
    Full Name:
    Me
    #3 RedNeck, Nov 11, 2025 at 7:31 AM
    Looks to me as if it's doing it's job properly. You'd think a "science guy" would see it. ;):D
     
  4. DiSomma6

    DiSomma6 Formula Junior

    Nov 27, 2023
    333
    Full Name:
    Erik
    #4 DiSomma6, Nov 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
    I would certainly take a needle-nose vacuum attachment and get as much out out there as possible. It's likely that a little bit has made its way past the filter and you don't want too much of that circulating and getting stuck in one of the small oil channels. After running the new filter, I'd check it periodically and clean it, and hopefully the amount tapers off and disappears over time.

    It would be wise to check the oil filter also. Cut it open at the screw side with a dremel tool and pull out the paper element for inspection. That would tell if the debris is stationary in the block or in motion.

    The fact that there's different colors is odd - like there's a little that has shed from different parts of the engine using different RTV. I'd suspect the the engine has had major work done recently. Not necessarily a bad thing - that's just what I'd make of it.
     
  5. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    37,395
    Cowboy Capitol of the World
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    #5 Rifledriver, Nov 11, 2025 at 12:43 PM
    Nothing to worry about. Most would be scared ****less if they saw what we pulled out of them at first oil changes. Strainers and filters are there for a reason and they work well.
     
  6. mehd2

    mehd2 Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    16
    Full Name:
    bill nye
    #6 mehd2, Nov 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
    Thank you all for the sanity checks. The car did have its valve covers redone immediately before I bought it, so I suspect it must be from that. I'll remove the larger motor oil plate, and vacuum up whatever I can inside. Then I'll throw on a new strainer and keep an eye on it. I'll also tear into the oil filter and post pictures next weekend.

    Bonus photos, I'm tearing into the car and replacing a lot of old/leaky lines. And while the underfloor is off, it's getting a lot of needed repairs.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     

Share This Page