Metal filings on oil dip-stick -a false alarm!
04-12-2003 | 05:28 AM
#1
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From: Newcastle, WA
Metal filings on oil dip-stick -a false alarm!
Recently I checked my C4S oil level and discovered tiny
golden colored metal sparkles on the oil level dip-stick.
I though the worse thing was happening -my engine is
starting to grind away....I couldn't sleep that night.
I scheduled for an oil change and upon draining the oil,
no metal filings could be found. My mechanic said the
oil looked very clean. He though I was being too critical.
I sampled some of the 6,500 mile old oil and examined it
under a microscope -still nothing visible. The next day I
checked the oil level and the tiny gold metallic particles
were back -how could this happen with fresh oil?
I examined the particles under a microscope and determined
they did not respond to magnetic fields.
This indicated they were not iron.
Suspecting that the oil dip-stick was causing the particles,
I tried one more test by siphoning oil through a 1/8th inch
hollow plastic hose though the oil dip stick tube. This oil sample
showed no particles. I then checked oil from my 944 and 951.
(944 parked two weeks) and discovered the same type of
metal particles. Knowing that metal particles don't float,
I siphoned more oil samples - no metal particles.
I called my mechanic and he indicated the dip-stick tube
has a bronze inner wall near the end of the plastic tubing.
I called my other mechanic; he indicated the particles are caused
by the abrasive end of the dip-stick grinding against the bronze tubing.
He said this phenomena had nearly mislead him into making an
engine tear down and that many mechanics will make errors in engine
diagnostics as a result. I realize how close I came to having
an expensive mis-diagnostic and that many P-car owners have paid
for an engine rebuild as a result of the dip-stick metal filings.
golden colored metal sparkles on the oil level dip-stick.
I though the worse thing was happening -my engine is
starting to grind away....I couldn't sleep that night.
I scheduled for an oil change and upon draining the oil,
no metal filings could be found. My mechanic said the
oil looked very clean. He though I was being too critical.
I sampled some of the 6,500 mile old oil and examined it
under a microscope -still nothing visible. The next day I
checked the oil level and the tiny gold metallic particles
were back -how could this happen with fresh oil?
I examined the particles under a microscope and determined
they did not respond to magnetic fields.
This indicated they were not iron.
Suspecting that the oil dip-stick was causing the particles,
I tried one more test by siphoning oil through a 1/8th inch
hollow plastic hose though the oil dip stick tube. This oil sample
showed no particles. I then checked oil from my 944 and 951.
(944 parked two weeks) and discovered the same type of
metal particles. Knowing that metal particles don't float,
I siphoned more oil samples - no metal particles.
I called my mechanic and he indicated the dip-stick tube
has a bronze inner wall near the end of the plastic tubing.
I called my other mechanic; he indicated the particles are caused
by the abrasive end of the dip-stick grinding against the bronze tubing.
He said this phenomena had nearly mislead him into making an
engine tear down and that many mechanics will make errors in engine
diagnostics as a result. I realize how close I came to having
an expensive mis-diagnostic and that many P-car owners have paid
for an engine rebuild as a result of the dip-stick metal filings.
11-01-2007 | 08:03 PM
#6
RL Community Team
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,014
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From: San Francisco Area
Stupid dipstick tube bronze inner wall.
On a side note I guess the particles could have been copper (since isn't ferromagnetic), from the bearings, but you said every time you siphoned oil out it was clean, so no worries there.
On a side note I guess the particles could have been copper (since isn't ferromagnetic), from the bearings, but you said every time you siphoned oil out it was clean, so no worries there.
