Metal fillings in oil

Rodney · #1 (**permalink**) 06-01-2002, 02:52 PM

My engine installer tells me today, that he has found metal fillings in the oil he drained from the engine! He did not specify the colour, or how much metal he found. The engine installer said maybe the engine builder had poor house keeping. He said he would flush the engine out and take it from there? The engine has never been fired, and has sat for a couple of years, after the rebuilding was done in the machine shop. Any thoughts on what to do would be appreciated.

Larry Hills · #2 (**permalink**) 06-04-2002, 07:27 AM

The first time you run the engine let run for 5 minutes or so. Then shut it off & change the oil & filter. Cut the old filter open & look for metal filing. Repeat this cycle until no filings are found. Drive 100-500 miles. Then change the oil/filter & cut open the filter. If you have oil cooler do not hook it up until after you are sure the filings have been filtered out.

Rodney · #3 (**permalink**) 06-04-2002, 09:12 AM

Yea we found metal filings in the upper portion of the cylinder head, really strange considering its an aluminum head and the valve covers have been on all this time? The installer said he removed most, if not all the filings. Any way we will bypass the cooler as you suggest and examine the oil when draining, Thanx for your help Larry!

Mr.Fixit · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2002, 09:12 AM

Take it apart, clean everything, check all your clearances, see exactly what you paid for, degree your cam, put it back together. Then and only then will you be able to sleep at night.

Rodney · #5 (**permalink**) 06-04-2002, 09:33 AM

Yea I would love to take it all apart! I think they got all the filings out though? I have lost a lot of sleep over this, I don't understand how that metal got there in the first place? The engine builder has a great reputation. The engine was well sealed while I was constructing the car! How would that metal get there? I want to go for a drive, not rebuild engines!

Cobra20646 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-04-2002, 12:13 PM

Rodney,
If I was you, I'd take fixit's recommendation and tear the thing down and do it the right way now..... and avoid the chance of it failing and requiring a rebuild to get it going agian. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish..... metal filings in the engine will cause harm to it..... and while your at it, check the valve springs too, chances are that they may be out of tolerance. If the engine has not turned over in two years.... the ones that were under compression due to cam lift can take on a permanent "shrink".

- Jim -

Mr.Fixit · #7 (**permalink**) 06-05-2002, 04:45 PM

One way that metal filings can get into a clean motor is from the new oil cooler lines. If the assembler didn't fully flush them out after cutting the braided stainless, some rubber debris and stainless debris will be stuck to the inside of the hose. Flow some oil through it and it will get flushed into the motor and cooler. Most people just blow the lines out with air after cutting them to length, I always would flush with: air, solvent, then air again to get everything possible out. Or the engine builder could have let the motor sitting around without a distributor (or intake, etc) in it allowing stuff to find its way in. Either way, it's in there until you get it out. A set of gaskets is cheap compared to a new rebuild.

Rodney · #8 (**permalink**) 06-05-2002, 07:04 PM

Yup, I guess your right, gaskets are a lot less expensive! Thanx for your help.