A big thanks to everyone who posted on the first 40 oil filter thread. You inspired me to take off the oil pan to see what was in there.
I first drained the oil over a magnet and through a strainer and got nothing on the magnet or in the strainer.
So next stop is to remove the oil pan since I'm in there to see what might be hiding in the bottom
So here is a picture of the pan contents immediately after removing it
The most notable thing is the dark stain in the oil on the lower left corner. That was the main deposit in the oil pan. It was ferrous material as it was easily picked up with the magnet, but it was dust, no size at all to the individual pieces. On wiping the pan down the paper towel (use the ones for painters in a box from Home depot - no lint and they don't tear) the towel had some gray on it from the contents of the pan which may be from the ample amount of black moly - graphite assembly lube used during build up. So, the truth is you can't be too clean, and an ultrasonic cleaner may have removed this, or it may be from the new timing chains. In any event, it's gone now and I'm satisfied with the small amount of FOD in the sump. The area in the center of the pan was very clean.
Here is a picture of the *almost* cleaned up version - still have a bit of scraping to do.
And here is a bit more learning I recieved, don't use caustic degreasers on aluminum as it will etch the aluminum. Unlike mine, the inside of your oil pan is shiny because you didn't do that, and I got a little carried away with the cleaners.
Even though the oil looked pretty good I'm going to change it out so I know there is no suspended particulate in it waiting to bite me in the arse.