What is this in my oil drain pan? Toyota 1MZ-FE.

[Big Smoke]

The car is a 99 Camry with a 1MZ-FE (6 cyl.) 280,000 miles. Regular oil changes and maintenance. Oil used has been synthetic. M1, PP, PUP, and Valvoline have been the oils over the last few years. It burns or consumes no oil between changes which have been at 5,000 – 6,500 intervals. Timing belt, water pump, tensioner, cam seals, valve cover gaskets done 93,000 miles ago in December 2013. Under the valve covers were clean with no sludge, just some varnish which I see is common in these engines.

About 6 or so oil changes ago I noticed some shiny gold like material in the oil drain pan after the changes. Drain pan completely clean before draining. This has continued every oil change since. Still runs perfect with no noise. I need help with the potential source of this “glitter”. Any ideas on what is coming apart? Obviously, I am concerned with what is happening.

Also, what are your thoughts on timing belt replacement? The belt is just over 3 years old but has run 93k miles. Would you feel comfortable running another 15k or so on it? I used the full AISIN kit if that matters.

I do plan on a new car soon so I am not looking to pump a bunch of $ into this. I am strongly considering a Dodge Charger with the 3.6L. The severity of the glitter will determine how quick I move on this.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Glitter is obviously not good. Usually bearing material.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: Big Smoke
I need help with the potential source of this “glitter”. Any ideas on what is coming apart?

I find it difficult to believe that you've been a member here since 2006, have >100 posts, yet never heard of a $20 oil analysis.

 

[spasm3]

This warrants cutting the filter open to confirm bearing material.

 

[Big Smoke]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Glitter is obviously not good. Usually bearing material.


Thanks. I know it's not good. This has been shedding for the last 30k miles. If it is a main wouldn't it be making noise by now?

 

[ragtoplvr]

I would collect that and save it, because what you have there is probably going to cost you about $1000 a gram.

New now rather than later.

 

[Chris142]

Im going to guess the thrust bearing

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: Big Smoke
I need help with the potential source of this “glitter”. Any ideas on what is coming apart?

I find it difficult to believe that you've been a member here since 2006, have >100 posts, yet never heard of a $20 oil analysis.


I would think that to properly characterize that material it would have to be filtered out of the oil and acid digested prior to a spectrographic analysis. I don't think Blackstone does that (you could ask) but I know some analysis places do. It will be more than $20 but would give you an elemental analysis of the solid material.

When you feel the material is it hard like a metal or more like carbon particles? Based on the shapes and the apparent color, it doesn't look like metal to me but that is only a guess.

As for a timing belt, all the ones I have changed looked pristine at 100,000 miles. So did the water pump. The only real failure I ever had was that on my first change I did not put in new tensioner pulleys. One of them started knocking 45,000 miles later and I had to go back in to install new ones.

 

[Ramblejam]

Sorry for not being clear; my bad!

Not referring to the material specifically (or independently), but getting an UOA to confirm general lube condition. I'd certainly think with this much large debris floating around, there would be something within the range of ICP that would be picked up.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Not referring to the material specifically (or independently), but getting an UOA to confirm general lube condition. I'd certainly think with this much large debris floating around, there would be something within the range of ICP that would be picked up.


It might. I'll confess to being somewhat surprised that particles of this size aren't being trapped by the oil filter. Maybe I should look closer at my used oil for comparison, I never do.

 

[4WD]

1.) change oil
2.) trade in

 

[Big Smoke]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Not referring to the material specifically (or independently), but getting an UOA to confirm general lube condition. I'd certainly think with this much large debris floating around, there would be something within the range of ICP that would be picked up.


It might. I'll confess to being somewhat surprised that particles of this size aren't being trapped by the oil filter. Maybe I should look closer at my used oil for comparison, I never do.


I am also surprised that the filter isn't seeing this material. Been using Fram TG's lately. Could it be coming from the topside of the engine draining back to the pan and the pump never picks it up?

As far as the oil analysis - yes I am familiar with them. I just figured it was too late for that. When I can see it in the pan it's too late.

 

[eljefino]

Is anything else different, like wind blowing sand in from a driveway?

I agree with cutting the filter open.

And check your air intake for leaks.

 

[BrocLuno]

I suspect timing chain cutting into block or head casting... You don't usually loose bearing material in pieces that big. And there is not enough of it to sustain that amount for 30K. The crank would have been into the bearing support long ago ...

Something else is going on here ...

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
I suspect timing chain cutting into block or head casting... You don't usually loose bearing material in pieces that big. And there is not enough of it to sustain that amount for 30K. The crank would have been into the bearing support long ago ...

Something else is going on here ...


There's no timing chain on this engine.

 

[Ramblejam]

Do you have a good magnet available? If not, go to the local hardware store, pick one up, and report back; that'd be significantly more beneficial in determining what we're dealing with than just looking at the pictures and making guesses.

 

[Big Smoke]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Is anything else different, like wind blowing sand in from a driveway?

I agree with cutting the filter open.

And check your air intake for leaks.


Negative on the driveway sand. I've been seeing this for a while.

I'll cut the filter this evening and see whats inside.

The brake booster was shot and leaking air massively back in July but was repaired. It was driving fuel trims crazy and triggering the engine light.

 

[kschachn]

Also try crushing some of those particles between two pieces of metal and see if they fracture. That will help determine if they are metallic or not. Some of the ones you show on the paper towel look like silica or sand to me (or carbon). The ones still covered in oil would be impossible to guess at until they are clean.

 

[Big Smoke]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Also try crushing some of those particles between two pieces of metal and see if they fracture. That will help determine if they are metallic or not.


There were 3 - 4 slightly curved small radius pieces. Definitely not main bearing radius. First time I have seen something like that. It broke easily into several pieces when I pushed it into the paper towel. I was trying to clean it up to take a picture.

I changed the oil Friday. The oil is gone but I still have the filter.

 

[Big Smoke]

OK here is some additional information. I cut the filter open. I also checked the used oil that was left in the jug. I dumped it Friday but did not drain it completely so there was some material remaining in it.

The filter looked good overall. The material that was in the filter was all magnetic. I grabbed what I could get out with the magnet, wiped it on a paper towel, then picked it back up with a rockauto magnet.

The material inside the can was the same as what I found in the pan, only in a lot smaller quantity. This material is not magnetic. The used oil contained a mix of materials. The magnet picked up some and it matches what I found in the filter. The gold material / chunks in the first set of pictures is not magnetic.

Hope this helps narrow things down. Does that appear to be an excessive amount of metal in the filter?

Filter is a Fram TG3614.

P.S. I have a new appreciation for those that cut filters open with a hacksaw. This was my first cut.