Metal flakes in oil....normal or doomed? (Pics)
- Thread starter gregk24
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On the other thread mentioned above.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
I am not at all convinced that Xw20 grade oil caused any of this. It's highly unlikely that a couple more CST would prevent metal from shaving off the engine. Please.
Yes, I agree. That's why I said 15w50 and not go to 5w30.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
I am not at all convinced that Xw20 grade oil caused any of this. It's highly unlikely that a couple more CST would prevent metal from shaving off the engine. Please.
Yes, I agree. That's why I said 15w50 and not go to 5w30.
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Ok guys I just went outside and recheck the the filter with the light on my iPhone. In between the pleats I saw very few shiny particles. I did see some at the bottom of the filter but not as many as in the pic I posted above. If it was shedding flakes as seen in the pictures I posted...wouldn't the filter be loaded up? This drain pan was used one other time yesterday when disposing of the oil that was extracted from my brothers Tundra.
You might drop oil pan and see if they are still there. Its 2012 so I would go 5w20 pp and change in 1000 miles and drain to see if it was from your Honda or the Toyota.
Did you cut open the tundra filter?
Looking down the threaded hole of a spin-on filter is the clean side (return side) of the filter. You shouldn't see chunks in there?!?
First strain the oil and check if it's magnetic, then go buy the cheapest oil and filter you can find and run it for two weeks to a month. Drain and check if you see the particulates again plus get a UOA if you think it will help.
Bro, sorry to hear it. I would be slightly freaked out as well.
I'm going to echo a lot of what was said here. UOA, 1000 mile run and then drain and dissect the filter.
If a lot of metal shows in the UOA or the short run I guess you are at a crossroads. Baby it and wait for the inevitable or trade it in.
Hopefully this is just a fluke, though. Keep us posted.
I'm going to echo a lot of what was said here. UOA, 1000 mile run and then drain and dissect the filter.
If a lot of metal shows in the UOA or the short run I guess you are at a crossroads. Baby it and wait for the inevitable or trade it in.
Hopefully this is just a fluke, though. Keep us posted.
Ok, just cut open the K&N that was on the Tundra. It too had some metalic flecks in it. So I don't know what to think now. I opened up the pleats and it wasn't excessive, but I could see a flake here and there. Both filters had some flake.
Originally Posted By: Hemispheres
Edit: this is looking like a common issue on the forum. OP had two vehicles flakes.
Just like me and the poster with the jeep.
I am just a bit lost. I suppose that the flakes could be cause by the cutting the filter with a hacksaw? But even that doesn't explain the flakes from the oil drain. And since there were flakes in the oil drain you would think the oil filter would be LOADED with flakes, but they aren't. Just a couple here and there.
Edit: this is looking like a common issue on the forum. OP had two vehicles flakes.
Just like me and the poster with the jeep.
I am just a bit lost. I suppose that the flakes could be cause by the cutting the filter with a hacksaw? But even that doesn't explain the flakes from the oil drain. And since there were flakes in the oil drain you would think the oil filter would be LOADED with flakes, but they aren't. Just a couple here and there.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Would a UOA show anything going on? Or would that be a waste of money?
I think it would be a good idea. However since the pan was dirty before you started the oil change I would not take the oil from the drain pan. I would take it from the stream of oil coming out of the engine a few seconds after you pulled the drain plug. If you haven't collected oil that way then at this point I would wait until you're due for another oil change. Then take a proper sample, and have a pristine drain pan and have another look at the oil. Taking a sample from a dirty oil pan would be a waste of money, and skew the results making them meaningless.
Would a UOA show anything going on? Or would that be a waste of money?
I think it would be a good idea. However since the pan was dirty before you started the oil change I would not take the oil from the drain pan. I would take it from the stream of oil coming out of the engine a few seconds after you pulled the drain plug. If you haven't collected oil that way then at this point I would wait until you're due for another oil change. Then take a proper sample, and have a pristine drain pan and have another look at the oil. Taking a sample from a dirty oil pan would be a waste of money, and skew the results making them meaningless.
You still haven’t told us if the flakes are magnetic or not?
Is this the car with the noisy chain tensioner?
Cutting a filter that you are looking for metal in with a hacksaw is dubious at best, still hacksaw detritus should be smaller than the other flakes seem to be.
Even if you do have a clean sample from the drain stream I think a UOA would be a waste of money. It won’t pick up large particles and you have no information on what this particular engine makes historically for wear metals. So best you can do is compare to universal averages
Is this the car with the noisy chain tensioner?
Cutting a filter that you are looking for metal in with a hacksaw is dubious at best, still hacksaw detritus should be smaller than the other flakes seem to be.
Even if you do have a clean sample from the drain stream I think a UOA would be a waste of money. It won’t pick up large particles and you have no information on what this particular engine makes historically for wear metals. So best you can do is compare to universal averages
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Originally Posted By: gregk24
Ok guys I just went outside and recheck the the filter with the light on my iPhone. In between the pleats I saw very few shiny particles. I did see some at the bottom of the filter but not as many as in the pic I posted above. If it was shedding flakes as seen in the pictures I posted...wouldn't the filter be loaded up? This drain pan was used one other time yesterday when disposing of the oil that was extracted from my brothers Tundra.
As DuckRyder said, try seeing if the flakes are attracted to a magnet. That oil reminds me of what came out of a new power washer of mine, after a short break in run.
Ok guys I just went outside and recheck the the filter with the light on my iPhone. In between the pleats I saw very few shiny particles. I did see some at the bottom of the filter but not as many as in the pic I posted above. If it was shedding flakes as seen in the pictures I posted...wouldn't the filter be loaded up? This drain pan was used one other time yesterday when disposing of the oil that was extracted from my brothers Tundra.
As DuckRyder said, try seeing if the flakes are attracted to a magnet. That oil reminds me of what came out of a new power washer of mine, after a short break in run.
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