stuff in oil pan

[rmk57]

 
  I pulled my oil pan and found these bits in there. The engine has been together for 7 years now and runs great as in oil pressure, compression, etc. So I'm thinking this hasn't passed through the engine via the carb or intake but rather internally or through the drain back holes in the heads. I've checked most everything I can think of and nothing seems missing or broken. The bigger piece is aluminum and I'm not concerned about, more than likely a scraped piece from out of the timing cover.

The pieces are very uniform in shape and size and made of steel.



 

[Capt997]

They look like valve retainers or "keepers" some people call them.  Perhaps someone changed the valve springs while the heads were on the car and they fell down the oil return holes.  Check the top of the valves to see what I'm talking about.

[rmk57]

  All the locks are accounted for but I have changed valve springs with the heads still on. The more I look at it the more it resembles a broken oil ring. I'm not sure how the broken pieces would get passed the scrapper though.

[hiball3985]

I don't know how lage a 10 cent Canadian coin is compared to a US but I'm assuming they are similar.
So those pieces are small ? What about timing chain?

[rmk57]

  The 10 cent coin is pretty much the same size. I have a Cloyes True billet timing chain setup in it and it's like new. I took one piston out for a look and my oil ring package is totally different than

what the pieces in the pan could be ,so it isn't a broken ring either. The bores look in great shape as do the heads so I'm thinking whatever it is dropped in while I had the valve covers off for a

lash adjustment or years ago when I assembled the engine.

[FiveSevenLiter]

Today it is 19% smaller than a US dime.
Terry

[hiball3985]

I could see were a piece of something may have dropped in but 6-7 seems highly unlikely. Things like this screw with my head  I'll keep guessing, Good luck hope you figure it out.

[John Palmer]

I have no idea either, sorry.

Here's my guess.

Check the breather caps for missing tabs, or internal parts.  Sometimes on the inside of the valve covers they have a baffle with possible small parts like your debris.  Anything on the bottom of the intake.  Oil pump pick up screen?

I agree, things like this drive you crazy until you figure it out.  You know it did not go together with loose parts floating around.

Please post what you find, so we can all get some sleep.

John

[SkylinerRon]

The big piece sorta looks like part of a carb booster venturi.

Ron.

[Ecode70D]

I could see were a piece of something may have dropped in but 6-7 seems highly unlikely. Things like this screw with my head  I'll keep guessing, Good luck hope you figure it out.

    I hope that someone comes up with answer to what those pieces of metal are.  I'm stumped. 

[djfordmanjack]

could this be sheared off tabs of a lock washer, which typically goes into a keyway on a shaft or in a drilled hole somwhere and some are bent over to lock a bolt, f.e. keeping a timing gear on a cam.
we are talking about an FE, I guess ?

[81TTA]

Those kind of remind me of gear teeth that have been bent over and broken from a gear.  One side appears to have a consistent profile/taper while the other looks like squared off "torn" metal.

From the side view, it looks like they might have been case-hardened or something.  Seems like I can see a "shell" of sorts surrounding a core.  Of course, that could also just be shadows from the picture, too!

You say the engine has been "together" for 7 years.  Assuming this means it was rebuilt.  Was there a catastrophic failure that prompted the rebuild?  Maybe something to do with the timing gears (i.e. worn or broken chain)?  If so, these might be evidence of the previous damage that didn't get removed at that time?

[rmk57]

  I know exactly the type of washer your describing but there is nothing like that in my engine. It also has nothing to do with the timing chain, gears, thrust plate, fuel pump, fuel pump eccentric.

No catastrophic failure, the engine runs great. Good oil pressure, compression is fine, all the valvetrain, oil pump, it all looks good.  The engine is out for a cam change and also some transmission

work that needs to be done. It was all brand new parts that went into the engine, except the block which was hot tanked, bored, align honed, etc...

I'm still away off from reassembling so I'll keep on looking.