External debris into engine during maintenance

[Spetz]

Hi guys,

Just wondering when engines are opened up (or valve covers are taken off) how does external debris that gets in affect the motor?

Notably:
1. Dust, pollen, airborne debris (I used glad wrap to cover it up to keep stuff out
2. Debris from tools (ie, shavings from screw drivers etc)

Will these get filtered by the oil filter or could they cause issue?

 

[CharBaby]

Depending on the size of the debris, yes it'll all get filtered but, on the way to the filter, will it do damage first???

Most small dust, pollen, airborne debris, the engine will never notice it! You'd need a lot more dirt in the engine than just opening up the valve cover will provide.

Certainly be careful! Any large chunks(can't define size) can be harmful.

 

[Shannow]

If you had an engine open in the big red dust storms of a few years ago, you really were in a world of possible hurt.

If you are doing shadetree weekend jobs, you are probably all good.

 

[eljefino]

I was doing a head gasket and waited a week for mail order parts. Hood was closed but it was humid. Cam flash-rusted. Put it back together, ran it, all was good.

 

[Fleetmon]

If there's enough/large enough debris to see, I would remove it, aka picking it out with my fingers. Dust, shavings from tools, etc isn't going to hurt a thing.

When an engine is running, it continually sheds metals, soot, carbon.....all of which are filtered out or settle in the bottom of the pan. No worries.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I was doing a head gasket and waited a week for mail order parts. Hood was closed but it was humid. Cam flash-rusted. Put it back together, ran it, all was good.


What would be good to spray on to prevent that? I mean, something that you could leave on, and would just get washed away by the engine oil. I'd think a sap ray of WD40 would be sufficent, but not last too long.

 

[Fleetmon]

I would have used WD40 or some form of silicone spray.

 

[MarkM66]

Just don't let a snake slither in there,

 

[hpb]

Nothing to worry about. When doing, for example, a headgasket, lots of little bits tend to fall into the water jackets and oil galleries when you're scraping the old bits of gasket off the block - they don't cause any problems. You'll be fine.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I was doing a head gasket and waited a week for mail order parts. Hood was closed but it was humid. Cam flash-rusted. Put it back together, ran it, all was good.


What would be good to spray on to prevent that? I mean, something that you could leave on, and would just get washed away by the engine oil. I'd think a sap ray of WD40 would be sufficent, but not last too long.


It was already coated in motor oil.

It was just one of those weeks where the fog never left.

 

[901Memphis]

Sounds like a good time to use comp cams valve train assembly lube.