Oil PAN contents 40 miles after IMS repair
 

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

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1392248605.jpg

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.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1392249297.jpg

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.

James, are you running a magnetic drain plug? They can pick up some ferrous bits. I am using one and it picks up a negligible iota of dust every year.

I have 3 neodymium mags glued near the drain at this point

a pair of tweezers (they were near by) easily sticks to the inside of the oil pan over these magnets. I will eventually put a magnetic drain plug in, but I'm thinking I will also set up a magnetic field under the oil pump inlet on general principle.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1392255880.jpg

Hope you get this sorted. Jake has a engine rebuild class. Don't know if he is still doing that though.

Yep, still do it.. They stay packed!

Details here:

Engine Rebuild School

I consider this a victory with the small amount of debris in the sump after a complete rebuild due to IMS failure. Put the pan back on, install a new O2 sensor and new oil and it's good to go. :cheers:

Keep changing that oil... Over and over again.
To the engine the particles that you can see are HUGE, I am more concerned with the ones that you can't see.

New oil and filter tonight. Yikes! Everything about this car is bucks, the most expensive oil, plenty of it, and a Porsche tax on the filter as the cherry on top. Oh well, if you wanna play...

If your going to go the route of changing your oil frequently to flush your engine, why not use a conventional oil to flush with and save yourself some money? It sounds like your not keeping the oil in there long enough for it to break down, you just want it to carry out any particles to the filter (40-50 miles between changes). You could even add the EOS additive to give a little more slippery.
Maybe someone with more experience can confirm if this is ok.

I agree. Flush oil is best when its cheap. Use something with a ton of detergent.