metal in oil,bj62

[fjbj40]

did oil change last week and found a little bit of metal in the drain plug ....so i put the filter to the side to drain.I cut it open today to find about 1/4 tsp. of metal flakes

They are non-magnetic but it still sucks , I am thinking bearing , probably a con bearing as my oil px. is steady and has not changed , there is no loud knocking . But there was a little differant sound that started about 3 weeks ago...but the temps droped quite low when I noticed it and just thought it was one of those cold temp noises and it is only there when driving .It is a barely noticeable noise.

There is no excess oil consumption...none at all really. It fires right up on the turn of the key at -12. Fuel burn has not changed...still getting a solid 28mpg.

The engine has 500,000 + km

[brownbear]

what colour are the chips?

Lots of things it could come from....

1/4 tsp over how long of a period? I wouldn't get to upset right away. Maybe pull and cut the filter after 1000kms.

On some aircraft engines, I have seen them make metal and then stop. But I have also seen Pt6's come to a stop.........LOL.

Remember most people would never know or see if there auto engine is making metal, try not to apply your aircraft paranoia to it. Some engines just make weird metal.

Maybe you got a buddy screwing with ya!

[bj70alex]

Daryl,

Send the oil for analysis to Blackstone Labs or to some other labs in your area.
It cost me around $20.00 bucks. Well worth it.
Alex

[brownbear]

Originally Posted by bj70alex

Daryl,

Send the oil for analysis to Blackstone Labs or to some other labs in your area.
It cost me around $20.00 bucks. Well worth it.
Alex

Sure, but you need someone to interput the results.. To know what is made of what metals. Thats the tricky part. As we don't know what each alloy is in what.

Many parts may use similar alloys. But for 20 bucks definately can't hurt.

[Eric Winkworth]

what kinda oil pressure we talking when warm? What motor is it (sorry for my ignorence)

cheers

[fjbj40]

oil px. is 20-22 psi at normal op. temp at 750 rpm. 1985 3B
Yea my aircrat senses are tingling...you see metal and you panic
10,000km to this oil change...more than i normally run but that is what happens sometimes....I was thinking of pulling the filter and seeing what is in there.
The flakes are silver , non-metalic and not slivered , I may pull the vacum pump apart to see what kind of shape that is in also...maybe a 1hz in my future.
Daryl

[brownbear]

Originally Posted by fjbj40

oil px. is 20-22 psi at normal op. temp at 750 rpm. 1985 3B
Yea my aircrat senses are tingling...you see metal and you panic
10,000km to this oil change...more than i normally run but that is what happens sometimes....I was thinking of pulling the filter and seeing what is in there.
The flakes are silver , non-metalic and not slivered , I may pull the vacum pump apart to see what kind of shape that is in also...maybe a 1hz in my future.
Daryl

oh your fine.

10k..... think normally the general public would not even know how to cut a filter to insp.
1/4 teaspoon is F_a_w_Kall in that many k's IMOP anyhoo.

In your time, did you ever wrench on radials? I did a little 1340 and 985 time, but not alot. Just a few oil/filter insps. Loads of regular metal in those.

Non metallic/ and slivered. leads me to think....housing material/ oil pump/veins in alternatior.....aluminum. Could be anything, I am guessing.

But if your bearing were wearing, I would expect brass or magnetic metal from a cam destroying it self....again guessing.

ya aviation type are more metal alert orientated. Cheers and happy new year

[fjbj40]

yes I have 985 and 1340 time with loads of TIO540 time...metal was always present in the radials but very itle in the 540's.
I think I will drop the basepan and check the con rod just because it is an easy check.
This is a good engine...it pulls really well and the last compression ck..last year...was 380,380,385,400.
I put a rebuilt head on it last fall.


Happy new years to all , Daryl

[Eric Winkworth]

oil pressure sounds fine, I think they say run it until it goes under 6 pounds, LOL

[Island Moose]

With 1/2 million clicks on the clock, just drive it until you hear something start knocking or you loose significant oil pressure as has been said.

Make sure you're running the right viscosity oil, too thin (5W50 for example), will make it worse.

[Eric Winkworth]

true, but in the winter it is not a bad thing to run a lower weight oil like even 0w

but like Moose said it can make more engine noise.

[brownbear]

I did some TSIO520 time, but not alot, maybe 4 yrs.

Yeah very little metal in dos.

But radials tonnes......

[fjbj40]

Revisting this again....funny , it is exactly one year later and 22000 km. Just put in my winter oil...Esso XD3 0W40 full syn. Still had a few of those same type metal flakes as before.
I had the oil analysed by Blackstone and the only thing out of the ordinary was a slight amount more than normal SILICA! They said probably a bad air filter. There was a K&N filter in there at the time so in went a Baldwin. Funny cause I read alot of reports about K&N filters flowing better but the down side was more contaminates getting buy!! Will find out because the oil is going for another test at Blackstone.

This thing just keeps ticking along with absolutly no complaints. A great little engine !!

Does anybody know what the vacum pump vanes are made of ??

I am ready to put the turbo on this thing. Manifold is fully completed including maching of sufaces and turbo is rebuilt. Unfortunatly I go off on contract for a month or so to Yellowknife . So it will probably be installed when I return.

Happy new years to all, Daryl