How much is too much - metal shavings in oil pan?

[crshowers]

 

 

 

My 73 original engine that was torn down and re-built. It has been driven 800 miles since the re-built. I noticed soon after getting it back on the road that the oil pan gasket was leaking slowly. I decided to replace it today and discovered metal shavings in the bottom of the oil pan. The attached (no magnification)picture shows the shavings that I captured in a piece of foam filter material. Most of the shavings I picked off the bottom of the pan and placed on the filtering material. I checked the savings with a magnet and they are non-ferrous metal shavings. 

 I am hoping that this forum has a motor rebuilder who can advise me on what my next steps should be.  

Could this be fragments from the rebuild?

What parts of motor are non-ferrous?

My engine builder has since past away so I am in need of some direction.

Below is my rebuild album (could not remove from this post).  

 

[SteveJ]

I suggest you pull the oil filter and open it, too. This is not a good sign.

[Patcon]

Bearings are usually non ferrous.

I agree, debris in the pan at 800 miles isn't a good sign.

I would change the oil on a shorter interval for the next couple of changes and cut the oil filter open too to see if the engine continues to make debris. Maybe it was just an anomily

 

[Zed Head]

A coin in the picture would give a size reference.  Magnified or not.   Might just be old shavings from before.

You might check your oil pickup tube screen also.  If you haven't already.

And, if you're still worried check the oil pump for damage.  If there's stuff in the filter it passed through the pump.

 

[crshowers]

I knew I went to the best place to get Help. All suggestions are great. Will have an update tomorrow.

[grannyknot]

Here is a common cause of aluminum shavings in the pan, a bolt that is too long for the job is used to secure the thermostat housing.  It makes contact with the back of the chain guide and if the bolt is long enough can bend the chain guide and and force the chain to eat into the top of the guide.

These pics were taken of an freshly rebuilt L28 with perhaps and hour running time on it.

 

 

 

[crshowers]

This is a high probability, I will pull the housing and check the bolt.

Thank You

[Captain Obvious]

42 minutes ago, crshowers said:

I will pull the housing and check the bolt.

If it's not to late... Don't pull the housing. If you have concerns about this being the issue, pull the valve cover and look down along the back side of the chain guide and see if the tip of the bolt is pushing against it. I wouldn't mess with the thermostat housing if you don't have to. They're too prone to leaks to mess with unless you really have a compelling reason to do so. 

And besides........

The chain guide backing plate is steel, not aluminum. If the stuff you found in the pan is non-ferrous, then it's not the metal from the chain guide.

[Captain Obvious]

I would back up a little and ask some questions:

Are you double dog sure the oil pan was free of debris after your recent rebuild? Maybe those fragments are chips that have been in there from before the rebuild. 

Did you have the head cut? Maybe those fragments are chips that weren't properly cleaned off the head after that process.

Are you sure the fragments are metal? Maybe chips from an old head gasket being cleaned off the block or head? Or valve cover gasket even. Some of those have a metal core.

While you had the oil pan off, did you take a look at the thrust bearing on the center main?

How is the oil pressure? How does the engine sound and run? Any reason to believe there's something wrong inside?

I'm not yet ready to jump to the conclusion that there's anything seriously wrong.

 

[SteveJ]

To piggyback on @Captain Obvious's reply, look for debris on top of the head and any signs of scratches on the camshaft when you have the valve cover off. Like @Patcon, I was thinking bearings.

I've been regularly watching the engine teardowns on the YouTube channel I Do Cars. When I saw the photo, I just heard the host of that channel saying, "Forbidden glitter". That's his phrase for finding the remnants of chewed up bearings. 

With the pan off, did you happen to check the rods for play?

[Zed Head]

17 hours ago, crshowers said:

My engine builder has since past away

This is all "after the fact" detective work.  I don't think that crshowers saw the inside of the engine before it was buttoned up.

The stuff on the bottom of the oil pan might tell more than the stuff on the piece of foam filter.  SteveJ's forbidden glitter would be there.

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Edited July 30 by Zed Head
trying to make more sense

[crshowers]

Grannyknot I am feeling pretty confident that you nailed my problem. I removed the bolt and the end of the bolt is worn down at an angle. The angle part is shiny. See 2nd pic.(2.5 mag.) Pic below shows the size of shavings compared to a dime. There were no shavings in the oil pump screen. 

 

 

I also cut the oil filter open and found no shavings.

Do you think if I grind the bolt down by a 1/4" I will be good to go?

Thank You to all who replied to my Help request. Its comforting to know that a great group of Z club people are standing by to help.