10530 checking in, with bad news

[arrow_runner]

First post. Hello and all that.

I picked up 10530 about 2 months ago from a fellow in Indiana. After driving it home (~2 hour drive), I drove it for maybe an additional 20 miles before I was finally able to drain the oil on it and start doing maintenance. The oil drain plug must have been malformed because the special adapter I got from DMC wouldn't fit unless I ground it down a little bit. I just drained the oil about 15 minutes ago. When I examined the drain plug, I noticed that the magnetic end was covered in very sludgy oil and very very fine strips of metal. I thought they were actual hairs at first....

So it would seem that SOMETHING has began wearing down inside the engine... I'm looking for any insight and suggestions here. The furthest I've been into an engine is replacing head gaskets.

[Spittybug]

First post. Hello and all that.

I picked up 10530 about 2 months ago from a fellow in Indiana. After driving it home (~2 hour drive), I drove it for maybe an additional 20 miles before I was finally able to drain the oil on it and start doing maintenance. The oil drain plug must have been malformed because the special adapter I got from DMC wouldn't fit unless I ground it down a little bit. I just drained the oil about 15 minutes ago. When I examined the drain plug, I noticed that the magnetic end was covered in very sludgy oil and very very fine strips of metal. I thought they were actual hairs at first....

So it would seem that SOMETHING has began wearing down inside the engine... I'm looking for any insight and suggestions here. The furthest I've been into an engine is replacing head gaskets.

A picture is worth a thousand words to this group.

[arrow_runner]

A picture is worth a thousand words to this group.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/arrow_runner/20130825_101622_zps0102d83f.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/arrow_runner/media/20130825_101622_zps0102d83f.jpg.html)

I already wiped it all off but I found this one on of the paper towels if that helps.

[DMC5180]

First post. Hello and all that.

I picked up 10530 about 2 months ago from a fellow in Indiana. After driving it home (~2 hour drive), I drove it for maybe an additional 20 miles before I was finally able to drain the oil on it and start doing maintenance. The oil drain plug must have been malformed because the special adapter I got from DMC wouldn't fit unless I ground it down a little bit. I just drained the oil about 15 minutes ago. When I examined the drain plug, I noticed that the magnetic end was covered in very sludgy oil and very very fine strips of metal. I thought they were actual hairs at first....

So it would seem that SOMETHING has began wearing down inside the engine... I'm looking for any insight and suggestions here. The furthest I've been into an engine is replacing head gaskets.


If you have not wiped the plug off, please post a photo of it? For the most part some fuzz is typical, however you really need to get a HISTORY TRACK RECORD going before jumping to conclusions. The best thing now is to MONITOR this on your next oil change. Put a thousand or so miles on this fresh oil change then check or change it again.

[On a Side Note: I have had my Manual transmission apart few times over my 19 years of ownership, It has a Magnet inside that can only be seen when the case is open. Each of those 3 times I was rather surprised at how much Grey Paste (metal particle fuzz had collected on it.) Never any CHIPS, I just chalked this up to being typical wear from metal gears and teeth rubbing against one another.]

The other thing you can do is is CUT the Oil filter OPEN (a common practice in the Piston Aviation engines) Remove the CAN from the base then cut the paper pleats loose near the top and bottom ends with a utility knife . Pull the paper out out and spread it open. Look for large slivers in the valleys of the paper. The Slivers are caused metal being presses through the oil pump gears.

How many Miles are on the car ? Where in Indiana did you get the Car (city) ? When you get the chance Please fill out your location info stats on the Left side forum column. Welcome to the Forum.

[DMC5180]

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/arrow_runner/20130825_101622_zps0102d83f.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/arrow_runner/media/20130825_101622_zps0102d83f.jpg.html)

I already wiped it all off but I found this one on of the paper towels if that helps.

Kinda hard to tell what that might be. Is it solid (hard) or flexible?

[arrow_runner]

Kinda hard to tell what that might be. Is it solid (hard) or flexible?

Hard. There were other metal 'fibers' that were thin like a hair and were more flexible.

I will cut open the old oil filter and post back with pictures.

[David T]

Hard. There were other metal 'fibers' that were thin like a hair and were more flexible.

I will cut open the old oil filter and post back with pictures.

As important as the quantity of debris is, there are other things that can be done to determine the health of the motor. If you see a lot of debris I would do the following:
Check the oil pressure with a good, accurate mechanical gauge
Check compression on each cylinder
Do a leak-down test of each cylinder
Determine if the motor uses oil and at what rate
Read the spark plugs
Adjust the valves

After doing all of this you will have a much better picture of the motor's health.
David Teitelbaum

[Dangermouse]

Any idea when the oil was changed last?

[TheSmokingMan]

I would consider sending a sample of the oil for analysis. They can tell you exactly what's in it.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

[arrow_runner]

I would consider sending a sample of the oil for analysis. They can tell you exactly what's in it.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

That's pretty neat.


As important as the quantity of debris is, there are other things that can be done to determine the health of the motor. If you see a lot of debris I would do the following:
Check the oil pressure with a good, accurate mechanical gauge
Check compression on each cylinder
Do a leak-down test of each cylinder
Determine if the motor uses oil and at what rate
Read the spark plugs
Adjust the valves

After doing all of this you will have a much better picture of the motor's health.
David Teitelbaum

Yeah that will be put on the 'to-do' list.


Any idea when the oil was changed last?

No idea. It was a Jiffy Lube oil filter that I took off, so I would assume they are the last ones to do it and probably the ones that messed up the drain plug.

I'm probably not going to be able to do anything else with the car this week other than cut up the old oil filter. I'll post back when I do that.