[Stonehenge]

I'm trying to figure out what might be going on with our rototiller...

I was changing the oil last fall, and when I drained it, it seemed very grey. Not black or brown, but grey. Thinking there may have been all kinds of metal particles causing it to look that way, and since this engine had no oil filter (5 hp B&S 4-stroke), I thought I'd put in some fresh oil and let it circulate and drain to help clean it out.

It was still very grey.

So I proceeded to do what would amount to about 10 oil changes over the span of a few hours - every time the oil was still really grey. So I gave up, filled it up with oil and buttoned it up.

What could be making this oil so grey?