Small Metal Fragments on Dipstick :(

RALM · #1 12-02-2013, 08:22 AM

Hey guys I have just seen the worst of the worst. I went to chech my oil on yesterday an I saw a small really fine peace of metal on my dipstick I though It was dirt in my oil but the oil was recently changed. So I started up the RA since the can had been sitting over night. Let it warm up and Checked it again and their was another very fine peace of metal. My car runs good, no issues or odd noises. I have only seen metal in oil when the main bearings, piston rings or rods are going bad. I just orded a magnectic oil drain plug, and a magnetic oil filter. Any thoughts.

hotkupa · #2 12-02-2013, 08:42 AM

What oil do you use? I heard someone had the same experience when he experimanted with royal purple. If I were you I would change oil right away and inspect what will come out with old oil. Keep us posted.

RALM · #3 12-02-2013, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotkupa

What oil do you use? I heard someone had the same experience when he experimanted with royal purple. If I were you I would change oil right away and inspect what will come out with old oil. Keep us posted.

I used RP once when I first got the car last year after that I have been faithfully using Moble 1. I will once my Magnetic Drain Plug gets in I will install it and get my oil changed. I dont see any blue smoke out of the exhaust and their are no odd noises, just the regular loud injectors. But i will keep everyone posted.

Jackal · #4 12-02-2013, 04:14 PM

Ok This is what you need to do Now! As in TODAY!!. Either get new oil and filter first then put in a liter of automatic transmission fluid in and drive car for 15-20 minutes. This will bring oil up to temperature. The trans fluid has detergents in it to clean debris from all the nooks crannies and low spots. by adding the extra liter of fluid you will bring oil level up beyond normal and may increase oil pressure slightly. Now with oil hot drain it and change filter. Try and have car tilted toward drain plug in possible. Let it continue to drip at least 10 minutes after oil has stopped flowing so you get out as much as possible.

Now use a rag and pour the old oil through a funnel straining it with the rag or filter screen. Also take a look into your oil drain pan you used. See how much metal you find, Take a couple pictures if you can and post them.

Install drain plug and filter then add new oil etc..

RALM · #5 12-03-2013, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackal

Ok This is what you need to do Now! As in TODAY!!. Either get new oil and filter first then put in a liter of automatic transmission fluid in and drive car for 15-20 minutes. This will bring oil up to temperature. The trans fluid has detergents in it to clean debris from all the nooks crannies and low spots. by adding the extra liter of fluid you will bring oil level up beyond normal and may increase oil pressure slightly. Now with oil hot drain it and change filter. Try and have car tilted toward drain plug in possible. Let it continue to drip at least 10 minutes after oil has stopped flowing so you get out as much as possible.

Now use a rag and pour the old oil through a funnel straining it with the rag or filter screen. Also take a look into your oil drain pan you used. See how much metal you find, Take a couple pictures if you can and post them.

Install drain plug and filter then add new oil etc..

Ok, and what type of ATF should I use I have some Mercon V that I use to use in my Fox Body Mustang.

Jackal · #6 12-03-2013, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RALM

Ok, and what type of ATF should I use I have some Mercon V that I use to use in my Fox Body Mustang.

That will work fine. Doesn't matter that much as we are simply adding it for its detergent value to help clean/ loosen and flush out any debris that might have settled in a low or porous part of the block or head casting surface. I am partial to AC Delco / GM brand, but any ATF fluid should work.

I am looking forward to seeing what you find, and any pictures should you decide to take some.

Going to include a quick funny story. A few months ago I have a buddy's kid phone me up freaking out that he found some small metal flakes on his oil dip stick. I had instructed him to do the same thing. But both him and his Father are not car guys so I am told they will pay me to come down to do this for them as the garage they deal with is already talking about rebuilding the engine. The car is a nice looking Mustang and the kid has spent plenty of time waxing and polishing it. Problem is I open the hood and its got a layer of black grease over everything except this shiny new chrome dipstick. I pull the dipstick take a quick look at it and call the kid over. "This come with the car when you bought it?" I ask. "No" replies the kid. "why do you ask?" EBAY? I say. Yeah says the kid great price and I got free shipping too.

I ask the kid how often you change the oil? Oh at least a couple times a year he says, more if I drive lots.

Problem was cheap EBAY dipstick was completely chromed not just the handle and when submerged in hot worn out acidic engine oil the cheap chrome job started peeling and flaking off. LMAO!!

Anyway we used the wire wheel attachment on the bench grinder to remove remainder of cheap chrome off the dip stick. Degreased the engine, changed the oil still added the ATF to clean it out and replaced the dirty air filter, new spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor at the same time so the car was good to go.

hotkupa · #7 12-03-2013, 09:29 AM

Remember to inspect the filter. I would cut it and inspected it.

RALM · #8 12-03-2013, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotkupa

Remember to inspect the filter. I would cut it and inspected it.

Good Idea. will do. And I will be out of town from Thursday to Sunday and cant take off

so I may have to wait till next weekend to do this process and I work over an hour away from my home some by the time i get back its dark and I dont have a garage. The good thing is I wont be driving the car this weekend and I will put a few miles on it next week but I will change it. It sucks to have just gotten and oil change in September and have to change it already while its sitll light brown but I rather pay a little now than a whole lot latter.

RALM · #9 12-05-2013, 08:30 AM

Good day all, this will sound silly but I have not had a change to add atf fluid to my engine and flush it yet (sigh) but for some reason I magnetized my dip stick which has been helping me to remove metal thanfully the peaces are not large but I am seeing less and less of them If I am not able to flush the engine today I will be done when I get back from my business trip this weekend.

RALM · #10 12-19-2013, 11:36 AM

My apologies for the delay guys but, I got my oil changed last Friday and I had the tech screan it. They say no shavings at all. Before getting the oil changed I put a quart of Tranny fluid in the engine ran it for about 10 minutes an had it changed right after. I had the magnetic drain plug intalled so on my next oil change I will see how things look. Since my last oil change I have not seen any metal on the dip stick so far so good.