Metal Flakes Found in Oil Filter

[san rensho]

Rattle at start up is common in these cars, its usually worn chain tensioners making noise until they get pumped up by oil pressure. Newer tensioners have a spring that eliminates the start up rattle.

[ubii]

My car is still in the shop and I am hoping to get it back on Tuesday. When they dropped the sump cover, they did not find any metal debris, but did find plenty of brown plastic chunks. The chain tensioner paddles were all ate up, so they replaced them. The IMS bearing was showing signs of failure, as there was bearing debris present, when they removed it. The clutch was pretty much toast, so they replaced it as well. I decided to have them install a LN Engineering 160F low temperature thermostat and a RSS lightweight underdrive pulley. I had previously planned on installing these myself, but since they already had everything torn apart, I just had them do it. Once the last of the parts arrive on Monday, they will start working on re-installing the engine and transmission.

[WhipE350]

Thanks for keeping us posted. Can you get your hands on that IMS and take pictures for us all to see, would be very curious.

Good luck, sounds like she'll be ready to drive the hell out of soon.

[ubii]

Originally Posted by WhipE350

Thanks for keeping us posted. Can you get your hands on that IMS and take pictures for us all to see, would be very curious.

Good luck, sounds like she'll be ready to drive the hell out of soon.

The mechanic has been really cool throughout this whole process and has been taking photos of the damaged items. I will take some additional photos of what is left of the IMS bearing, when I pick up the car next week. He already set everything aside for me, so I can see the damage, in person.

[clickman]

Originally Posted by ubii

When they dropped the sump cover, they did not find any metal debris, but did find plenty of brown plastic chunks.

I'd love to see some pics of the "chunks". Mine has some flakes in the filter at every oil change.

[ubii]

Originally Posted by clickman

I'd love to see some pics of the "chunks". Mine has some flakes in the filter at every oil change.

The first two photos are of the brown plastic chunks from the damaged chain tensioner paddles, which were found in the sump cover and oil pickup. The third photo shows one of the damaged paddles, before it was replaced. It is difficult to see the extent of the damage, because the chain is still in place. I will try and take some additional photos of the old paddles and IMS bearing next week, when I pick up the car. I am eager to see just how far along the IMS bearing was and how much play it has in it.

[WhipE350]

The damage is easy to see in the third photo if I'm understanding correctly. Probably would have run OK with just some rattling at start up...but I'm just guessing. It is strange how some have this and some never will, I wonder what little difference in manufacturing causing this to catch up and wear years later.

[ubii]

Well, I went and picked up my car this afternoon, after a week at the shop. The final bill was very painful, as it ended up being about $2K in parts and $3.4K in labor. Here is a list of the items that were installed or replaced, including several additional items which were found to be defective or which I requested to be installed.

1) LN Engineering IMS retrofit kit
2) clutch kit
3) flywheel bolts
4) RMS
5) chain tensioner paddle kit
6) camshaft seals
7) vario cam seals
8) AOS vent line
9) AOS bellows
10) spark plug seals
11) drive belt tensioner
12) accessory belt
13) RSS underdrive pulley
14) LN Engineering low temp thermostat
15) LN Engineering magnetic drain plug
16) oil filter

The following fluids were changed.

1) antifreeze
2) motor oil
3) power steering fluid
4) transmission fluid

About a third of the labor was associated with replacing the chain tensioner paddles, as they ended up pulling the engine. The IMS bearing did not look bad, there was wear on the external diameter of the bearing, but no real internal damage to the ball bearings or inner/outer races.

LN Engineering stated the following on their website, in regard to this external wear.

"Shown above are three used dual row bearings, all in good condition. A normal bearing shown at far right, as we would expect to find. Note two left bearings have wear on the outside diameter of the bearing. At best, we attribute this to tolerances in the manufacturing of the intermediate shaft itself, measured as ovality, taper, or any other variations that might allow a bearing to actually move and loose its press fit. It may be that part of the issue with failing IMS bearings are that the intermediate shafts themselves are not "all made equal", where some do not have the proper press-fit on the bearing or others do not have the bearings centered in the shaft!"

source: IMS

Even though the inner/outer seals appeared intact, the bearing itself was fairly difficult to turn. What was interesting is that 2/3 of the back side of the IMS flange was extremely pitted, which I am assuming is the metal debris that they found, when they removed the bearing. I will follow up with them to see if they took any photos, during the removal of the bearing, which included this metal debris. Listed below, is a link to photos that I took after I got home, of the chain tensioner paddles, the IMS flange, and the IMS bearing (both inside and out).

Photos

[san rensho]

Thanks for posting all the pics. One set of the chain paddles were really chewed up. Were they from bank 1 (backside of the motor)? Were you able to determine definitively where the metal came from?

You're set for good long time. Drive it hard and sleep easy.