Metal shavings in the oil filter housing

[jicaino]

Posting this question for a friend that doesn't speaks english
He went on vacation and left the car for 30+ days
Car was absolutely fine before (I've driven it and scanned it and so on and I can vouch for it being ok)
He got back, his brother was supposed to start the car at least once a week but failed to do so. He cranked the car and sounded like a diesel engine. Suspecting bleeding lifters he stopped it and started it a couple of times, drove it around the block once. Nothing, noise still there.
I instructed him to at least check the oil filter to see.. and there's aluminum shavings... I'm not in my home now (away on the road) so I cannot take a look at the car, but have instructed him to drain the oil and remove the oil pan inspection cover and check for more metal or hopefully plastic bits.
I'm suspecting already weakened timing chain guides that couldn't bear with the engine being "dry" after 30+ days of sitting still, possibly oil drained all back to the pan and the "dry" start completed the task of messing the guides up?
Engine is a M62TU with 110k miles on it. I'm almost positive the guides were about to fail, what else could have wrong if it isn't timing chain guides?

[edjack]

Possible that the chain tensioner drained out.

An engine does not become "dry" after setting for a month. Further inspection is required.

[auaq]

Op, where the hell have ya beeeeeenn?????????????

[JimLev]

^_right, he's been gone gone for a while.

As edjack said, it doesn't go dry in 30 days, not even 60 days.
There are check valves behind the vanos solenoids and inside one of the cam to cam tensioner that keep oil in the vanos and distribution units. Also 2 in the deck of the block that feed oil up into the heads.
If these check valves stick open the oil will drain out. Best to not follow the 15K mile oil changes if you don't want them to stick in the open position.
This will cause startup rattle, but should stop after the engine pumps oil to them.
His guides were ready to fail.

[jicaino]

Hey fellows! True I've been off the grid for some time, this is peak season for woodwind repair down here and I've been busy as hell, plus you know, as you get old(er) you have to deal not only with your health/life issues but your elder's...

I don't know what BMW dealers and some indies do down here but they must been effing up... There's very few cars that haven't had some oil related issue, to the point that most folks down here consider our cars unreliable and the M62 ranges as "a nightmare"
I also think that there's no drain in a solid, well maintained engine, but his car was messy when he got it (as in shady records, bad craftsmanship and poor parts) so I could see previous owners skimping on oil changes.
I guess guides were ready to go... But the aluminum shavings concerns me a little. I've searched and found the plastic bits in the pan and such as collaterals but didn't find a word about metal scrap all over the oil filter and inside the housing, so perhaps his engine was deprived of oil to some extent before he parked it for a month...
Sorry about the long post riddled with conjectures... One quirk of yours truly is always try'n figure out what went wrong when and "reverse engineer" the fails.
Winter is coming down here so expect to see me more often, although once all sorted out my car has been a dependable happy puppy.

[agentrnge]

In pics of timing chain guide repairs ( after failure not preventative ), there is often a pic highlighting where the timing chain has dug in to some aluminium as it turns without the guides in place. That might be the source of the shavings. So it is not necessarily anything else wrong with the engine besides the timing chain letting go. Hopefully.

Good luck to you and your friend.

[jicaino]

Thanks!

[whiteghost1]

Last time I witnessed this alum shaving scenario (my source was the U-guide BTW) + diesel sound was when my guides failed. I feel for him, his next move would be to drop the lower pan to confirm.

[jicaino]

Timing chain guides.
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Thanks for the support. Maybe I can learn to do it on his car so when I have to do mine I have experience

[dannyzabolotny]

I would advise your friend to not drive that car at all until the guides are replaced. Metal shavings means the chains have started digging into the metal guide rails, you definitely don't want to keep pushing your luck with that, unless you're feeling up for an engine swap.

[jicaino]

Already panless and starting teardown on the front cover

[geargrinder]

Hey J good to see you back. Sorry for your friends bummer. Seems like you have it nailed.