Metal Debris in Oil Filter

[JohnelP]

Hi,

I changed my oil yesterday, and after hearing so many spun bearings stories, I decided to have a look at the oil filter. As usual, when exploring for trouble, it is always guaranteed to find it. Car has N63 engine @ 120k miles.

I have found some hairline non-magnetic metal debris (like hair strands). Those are very thin. They are not long (say 2-3 mm long ~1/8 of inch). I have counted about 7 of them in the filter. Picture and video with them attached.
https://youtu.be/jeBI2mP3siE

The oil does not have the metal glitter in it. I did not see anything suspect there.

I heard any metal trapped in oil filter should not be there.

What do you think? Are the journal bearings made of steel (so magnetic)? As said, the debris is not magnetic.

InkedForum1_LI.jpg

[f10_M550i]

Hi,

I changed my oil yesterday, and after hearing so many spun bearings stories, I decided to have a look at the oil filter. As usual, when exploring for trouble, it is always guaranteed to find it. Car has N63 engine @ 120k miles.

I have found some hairline non-magnetic metal debris (like hair strands). Those are very thin. They are not long (say 2-3 mm long ~1/8 of inch). I have counted about 7 of them in the filter. Picture and video with them attached.
https://youtu.be/jeBI2mP3siE

The oil does not have the metal glitter in it. I did not see anything suspect there.

I heard any metal trapped in oil filter should not be there.

What do you think? Are the journal bearings made of steel (so magnetic)? As said, the debris is not magnetic.

InkedForum1_LI.jpg

it could be an indication of a problem brewing; are you sure those are metal, not plastic? (valve stem seals are plastic) are you having any issues with the engine? oil consumption, smoke when you push on the accelerator, etc.?
If I'm not mistaken there's also a magnet in the bottom of the oil pan to catch metallic objects. Seeing this, I might pull the oil pan and check there for more.

[JohnelP]

Hi, They have the metallic shine. I will check again to make sure they are not plastic. What is weird is that all the debris has the same thickness, as if they were cut from the same metal string. Valves were worked last year (-> 7k miles ago) as part of the customer plan. Timing was not touched at all. The report mentioned just "checked timing - ok". Wish they had changed the timing guides. I do not hear any different noises and car drives normally.
It is just I am scared of spun rod bearings, as I see it is very very common. It is just I do not know how debris from spun rod bearing should look like in the oil filter.
it does not smoke (too much). I need to fill a quart of oil every 700 miles (give or take).But, the upper oil pan gasket leaks. and I see some oil on the clean air pipe to the turbo inlet joint.
At the next oil change, yes, i will take the lower oil pan off.
However, i am thinking each failure scenario will have its own metal "debris fingerprint", hence opening the topic on the forum.


You are correct the rule of thumb is any metal debris in the oil filter is an indication of big trouble. I know taking the engine apart will be next, but i need to get the tools and my wife's approuval (most difficult)

[f10_M550i]

Hi, They have the metallic shine. I will check again to make sure they are not plastic. What is weird is that all the debris has the same thickness, as if they were cut from the same metal string. Valves were worked last year (-> 7k miles ago) as part of the customer plan. Timing was not touched at all. The report mentioned just "checked timing - ok". Wish they had changed the timing guides. I do not hear any different noises and car drives normally.
It is just I am scared of spun rod bearings, as I see it is very very common. It is just I do not know how debris from spun rod bearing should look like in the oil filter.
it does not smoke (too much). I need to fill a quart of oil every 700 miles (give or take).But, the upper oil pan gasket leaks. and I see some oil on the clean air pipe to the turbo inlet joint.
At the next oil change, yes, i will take the lower oil pan off.
However, i am thinking each failure scenario will have its own metal "debris fingerprint", hence opening the topic on the forum.


You are correct the rule of thumb is any metal debris in the oil filter is an indication of big trouble. I know taking the engine apart will be next, but i need to get the tools and my wife's approuval (most difficult)

I think you should first make sure whether they are metal or plastic. A small magnet should do the trick. If they're plastic, they could have come from the valve stem seals prior to your valve job 7k miles ago.
if metal, then I would pull the oil pan and check. I would not wait for the next oil change. imo.

edit: I see that you said they were non-magnetic in the OP. My impression is that if they were from rod bearings, they would be.

[JohnelP]

It seems the rod bearings are made of 3 layers, and each layer has its own alloy. Only the outermost is steel. The middle layer is copper alloy. the one closest alloy to the crankshaft has Nickel, or Lead (Pb) or even again copper. It seems contact of different metals have lower friction than same material (eg friction between steel on steel)
I was wrong to say the bearings are steel.....

Checked again, and the slivers are non-magnetic metal, with a yellow/gold colour. They are not plastic. Tested them with ohm-meter. I used my kids microscope to zoom them.
I suspect one bearing has the Nickel layer worn out and is wearing the copper layer. Trouble is main bearings, rod bearings and even camshaft bearings (may) have this set-up. Don't know how to find the culprit without tearing the engine down completely.
* Credit to these sites:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019/...aring-failure/
https://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/do...ring_materials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pSQ...ature=youtu.be
(skip first 30 seconds)

[f10_M550i]

It seems the rod bearings are made of 3 layers, and each layer has its own alloy. Only the outermost is steel. The middle layer is copper alloy. the one closest alloy to the crankshaft has Nickel, or Lead (Pb) or even again copper. It seems contact of different metals have lower friction than same material (eg friction between steel on steel)
I was wrong to say the bearings are steel.....

Checked again, and the slivers are non-magnetic metal, with a yellow/gold colour. They are not plastic. Tested them with ohm-meter. I used my kids microscope to zoom them.
I suspect one bearing has the Nickel layer worn out and is wearing the copper layer. Trouble is main bearings, rod bearings and even camshaft bearings (may) have this set-up. Don't know how to find the culprit without tearing the engine down completely.
* Credit to these sites:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019/...aring-failure/
https://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/do...ring_materials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pSQ...ature=youtu.be
(skip first 30 seconds)

you might be interested in this. Blackstone Lab claims to analyze oil and give you an accurate assessment of what's going on with the engine. seems legit. the standard analysis includes detection of metal that you can't see with the naked eye for $30
www.blackstone-labs.com

[JohnelP]

Hi,

I have taken off the lower oil sump / pan. I uploaded (on youtube) the following clip.
https://youtu.be/xUgNG_9XzTc
Basically I have seen two dirt mounds containing some dirt, few ferro magnetic speckles, two or three copper alloy slivers similar to the ones i have found in the oil filter. And brown plastic debris. Not very big, but not microscopic either. The metal filter of the oil pump was clean. Nothing in there.

Based on feedback I got, the copper slivers are most likely shavings from the bearings (I would assume the thrust bearing to be the first to check, then rod bearings, and mains). Possibly some lateral or corner bearing shavings.

The brown plastic debris, I assume it is from timing chain guides. As I do not think there is any other brown plastic in the engine. or is it?

It is clear I need to open the engine and change the journal bearings. And the timing chain guides.
Now, my question is if it can last few more months until it gets warmer. Say 2k more miles. Or does it need to be fixed "yesterday"?

[f10_M550i]

Hi,

I have taken off the lower oil sump / pan. I uploaded (on youtube) the following clip.
https://youtu.be/xUgNG_9XzTc
Basically I have seen two dirt mounds containing some dirt, few ferro magnetic speckles, two or three copper alloy slivers similar to the ones i have found in the oil filter. And brown plastic debris. Not very big, but not microscopic either. The metal filter of the oil pump was clean. Nothing in there.

Based on feedback I got, the copper slivers are most likely shavings from the bearings (I would assume the thrust bearing to be the first to check, then rod bearings, and mains). Possibly some lateral or corner bearing shavings.

The brown plastic debris, I assume it is from timing chain guides. As I do not think there is any other brown plastic in the engine. or is it?

It is clear I need to open the engine and change the journal bearings. And the timing chain guides.
Now, my question is if it can last few more months until it gets warmer. Say 2k more miles. Or does it need to be fixed "yesterday"?

Here's a pic of the timing chain guide rails, as you can see they're pretty large pieces of plastic compared to the pieces in the bottom of the oil pan. At 120,000 miles, I'm thinking that's a normal amount of wear.

Bearing issues will continue to get worse over time.

My opinion is to close it back up and keep driving it, and as long as you're easy on it, it's probably ok for a few thousand miles at least.

[White94RX]

N63 engines are dirt cheap. If it was me, I would just drive it till it blows up, and then buy a new engine.

[JohnelP]

White94RX - License Suspended -

Russ, I am sure you are not serious about leaving this forum. You have to come back!!!! People appreciate and value the information you share. At least I do.

Truth is, I may end up buying a new engine. As I am set to change the timing chain guides. For that I was hoping to avoid touching the head gaskets, as for sure i will end up resurfacing the cyl heads. Since block is aluminium, i may need to resurface the block, too. It sounds strange to throw an engine for few plastic pieces. Isn't there any trick to replace the chains guides without removing the cyl heads?