[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?

[Nebraska]

Only time I've seen grey oil is on the lower unit of a boat motor that went bad....water in that case..

[Paul]

Sounds like water to me too......... Try running it for a half hr then change it.

[Bexter]

Does the oil smell like gas? ... If so, this is probably the problem... the fuel bowl has a float in it that will sometimes stick ...especially if it has sat all winter. This will cause gas to flow into your oil. Unscrew the bowl and make sure the float is working. Usually all it takes is cleaning it up.

PS ... I can't say I have ever seen gas in the oil turn it grey but I thought I would offer my advise seeing how the other guys already mention water ...which would also be my first guess. Just doesn't seem right that you would have that much water in it after that many oil changes.

[Stonehenge]

I agree. Seems weird that that much water would be left. Doesn't smell like fuel at all - and I've had that happen in a truck. Though the rototiller did sit this winter, all the things I noticed and described were from last fall.

The only other thing I'm wondering is - what if the block is aluminum? I don't know if this is in fact the case, and am not sure how to tell if it were, but I know that alum handle rakes turn my hands grey/black all the time. Maybe it does the same to the oil?

[Nebraska]

Let us know if you find out the cause.....