evoroadster

Paperclip is for scale. I had just finished R&R of the starter, water pump, thermostat and housing and the coolant expansion tank as well as a few of the radiator hoses. Changed oil opened filter and found ferrous metal bits in the filter element. Sent out for oil analysis and then dropped pan and found these pieces. They too are ferrous.



Anyone have any ideas about what I am looking at?

2003 Carrera Coupe, 56000 miles. November oil analysis numbers were fine.

Porschetech3

Tension spring from a RMS

TexSquirrel

WOW, someone pushed the RMS seal into the engine and left it there?

That's got to be the worst quality job ever!
I can see how it could happen, but to just leave it!

Porschetech3

Probably popped off the spring from the old RMS when they drilled the holes for the removal screws and didn't see it.

Then it flopped around and got caught by the timing chain and chewed it up.

Things like this is what causes the scavenge pumps to lock up when they get sucked into them, then breaks the snout or the timing chain and all hell breaks loose !!

I have seen them in the sump plate before...not good....

yelcab

Oh wow

TheChunkNorris

Oh jeez.

Eurocarguy911

These cars never cease to amaze me!

GC996

Bad mechanics never sense to amaze me in how they destroy these cars.

De Jeeper

So what to do now?

At a minimum u will want to pull the oil pick ups, remove and inspect scavage pumps, remove and inspect main oil pump. I would even consider pulling the cam cover. No guarentee u will get all of it but worth the time considering the cost of a rebuild

ZuffenZeus

Seems like we've seen this one before here on RL a few times. No telling the damage this spring did to the engine.

evoroadster

Car has been running fine. I went ahead with some cooling system maintenance due to a leaky reservoir. Changed reservoir, water pump, thermostat, a few coolant hoses as well as dragging starter motor. Filled cooling system and ran until thermostat opened; shut down and after cool down changed oil and filter. Found debris in filter element so decided to drop pan and take a look. The spring pieces were the only things in the pan. Sent off for an oil analysis. The November analysis was normal. Previous owner had IMSB and RMS changed back in May 2013.

Porschetech3

The spring probably flopped around on the rear of the crankshaft harmlessly since 2013, until the right combination of G-forces/centrifugal forces caused it to sling into the path of the timing chain after November and get chewed to bits...

Your Iron in the recent oil analysis should show this....

evoroadster

Sounds reasonable. I don't like it but it is what it is. I will consider De Jeeper's advice while I wait on the oil analysis.

evoroadster

I have the oil analysis results. Comment appreciated. The 1 quart add on oil during that time was 10W/40.

Porschetech3

This goes to show you why I opted for the Oilvue Analysis that includes the PQI test. The PQI test shows ferrous metal particles that are too BIG for the spectro-analyzer to detect.

Here is a report from 3.4 100k miles engine I bought from a speed shop in NY who pulled it (running fine) from a 1999 C4 that they were doing an LS swap and some Wild Wide Body KIt to.

I could tell the sump plate had never been off, and had a film of soot coating the bottom, but no metal bits, just plastic from the cam pads. BUT you can see the report has normal Iron levels, BUT the PQI is off the chart, meaning heavy ferrous metal that is TOO BIG for the Spectro-Analizer to detect...

I do a review/post of the OILvue Product when I get time...I suspect this engine has a failing IMSB in it with the PQI off the charts..