akfalar

So leaving work a few days ago (after about 5-min of driving) I was pulling from a stop in third gear (lets say 60% load) and the engine missed and immediately i heard a "bzzzzzzzzzt" about 2-3 sec long. All followed by what could be an Antemortem Outburst of a puff of black smoke. The CEL came on and gave the drive to workshop message. The engine is rough up to 3700 and it smooths out after that but its still not right. I made it back to the shop and parked it.

So i pulled the oil filter and there are Aluminum metal shavings in there. Not a ton, but they are there. I bought UMW's data logger kit and will pull codes perhaps tomorrow.

I am the second owner, and the car has 61,000 miles on it. I bought it at like 54,000. The original owner was a physician and his temperament made me think he NEVER got into it. I'm not afraid to drive the car vigorously but i don't lug it and certainly do not push high RPMs. The car had near full oil (Mobile 5w40 Diesel) and it Sounded great other than the LWFW.

Particles are all Aluminum, no ferrous material found.

Any comments or suggestions are desired. I'm just gathering info right now.

haulinkraut

I am guessing that the issue is head related based on the recent run of variocam issues. What was your oil pressure doing?

jpflip

or IMS bearings....

PAULUNM

I don't think IMS bearings are aluminum.

Macster

No signs of any camshaft guide/tensioner rail composite plastic material in the filter so I'm going to agree with haulinkraut's opinion that a VarioCam component has failed.

Regardless, you are not going to fix the problem without at least a partial engine teardown and maybe a full one depending upon what you find.

Added: Just so happens I came across a car in for this suspected problem a while back and snapped some pics. Here's one.



It is the bluish cylinder shaped item that the chain sprocket is part of. Well, what is inside that bluish cylinder shaped item.

It just so happens I caught at least one of the camshaft chain guides in the pic and you can see the composite plastic facing on the aluminum rail. Unless this piece can come loose in one piece then I don't see how the alum. in the oil can be from the chain abrading the bare alum. of this rail (or the others that are inside the engine).

Sincerely,

Macster.

akfalar

The oil pressure was notably normal. I should have data on Monday (if indeed it was recorded), I appreciate the comments! I'm going to see if Napa is open on Sundays and if i'm lucky I can be on the road Tomorrow!

porka

i have wanted to cut up my oil filter and inspect.. but its so messy that when it comes down to it i always just throw it away and save myself the sterilization! lol

akfalar

The rubber gloves i had restricted dexterity. Oil on the hands is not my favorite. I uses aviation snips.

jpflip

There is a piece that looks like bronze....

akfalar

Perhaps its just the photo, All of the pieces i could see were bright (aluminum) and non ferrous

PAULUNM

I was also thinking- I wouldn't assume the CEL and poor running you're having are directly related to the metal in your filter... Just a thought.

Let us know what codes you pull...

PorscheDoc

Could be the aluminum rings on the cam have come apart.

Kevinmacd

Are the rings aluminum, or carbon steel?

Kevin

The rings are steel.

This will be interesting. The car is displaying misfires. As Doc has posted, the disappearing rings will have aluminum and metal showing up in the oil filter.

Macster

The tech tells me he has seen a few of those rings fail. Not sure the cause.

Also, another problem is a pressed in sleeve/bushing (pressed into the end of at least one camshaft if I heard right) loosens and rotates and in doing so the oil hole in the bushing no longer lines up with the oil hole/passage and something starves for oil. I do not know the effects of this, whether some functionality of the VarioCam system is lost or whether there is metal to metal damage due to lack of oil flow.

Sincerely,

Macster.