I have a 350 TPI out of an 89 GTA, currently out of the car. I’ve just found a number of fairly large metal shavings at the bottom of the sump and also a few in the lifter valley, see attached photo. The oil is pretty sparkly. The larger shavings are magnetic, while the thinner flakes are not
What should be my next step? Does it look too far gone or rebuildable? What should I check?
Yikes.
The thin nonmagnetic pieces look like slivers of aluminum bearings. Not sure about the magnetic chunks, but that looks like an engine on the verge of a hard breakdown.
If there is no knocking noise yet, it's likely the engine will be rebuildable, but you need to pull it now. Keep driving it and catastrophic failure (and nothing left to 'rebuild') will probably soon follow.
If there is no knocking noise yet, it's likely the engine will be rebuildable, but you need to pull it now. Keep driving it and catastrophic failure (and nothing left to 'rebuild') will probably soon follow.
yep, engine was out when I discovered this. Looks like it’s gonna be staying out for a while longer
Yikes.
The thin nonmagnetic pieces look like slivers of aluminum bearings. Not sure about the magnetic chunks, but that looks like an engine on the verge of a hard breakdown.
guess I’ll start pulling things apart till I find what’s been damaged
yep, engine was out when I discovered this. Looks like it’s gonna be staying out for a while longer
When you have disassembled the engine, post some pics of the bores, crank, pistons, camshaft and combustion chambers. You'll then get some opinions of what to do next, either a rebuild, or, if the engine is too far gone to be reliably rebuilt, options for a replacement.
When you have disassembled the engine, post some pics of the bores, crank, pistons, camshaft and combustion chambers. You'll then get some opinions of what to do next, either a rebuild, or, if the engine is too far gone to be reliably rebuilt, options for a replacement.
The oil is pretty sparkly. The larger shavings are magnetic, while the thinner flakes are not
What should be my next step? Does it look too far gone or rebuildable? What should I check?
Magnetic? Doesn't sound like bearing
Chunk size? Doesn't look like bearing
Location? Chunks that size aren't going to make it through: p/u screen, pump gears, filter, lifters, pushrods....how'd some "bearing material" get up into the valley?
I think it looks more like spring "hat" or oil splash shield? Seems like it has to be valve train if it is ferrous AND landed in the valley
Magnetic? Doesn't sound like bearing
Chunk size? Doesn't look like bearing
Location? Chunks that size aren't going to make it through: p/u screen, pump gears, filter, lifters, pushrods....how'd some "bearing material" get up into the valley?
I think it looks more like spring "hat" or oil splash shield? Seems like it has to be valve train if it is ferrous AND landed in the valley
yeah it’s a bit of a head scratcher. I’m just gonna have to dive deeper into the motor till I find something
