A34735

Folks,

I've lost a piece of plastic tube in the oil system. Here's why and how...

Why? My 996 is 12 years old, I worry about the IMS. I heard having the oil tested might reveal early wear of the IMS bearings (elevated copper, I think). So I ordered a test kit from Blackstone

How?
The Blackstone kit needs about 3oz/100mL. If the oil isn't collected during a change, they suggest poking a tube down the dipstick holder, and aspirating the oil with a syringe.

I got the tube in about 2.5 feet, then felt some resistance: but I managed to push through, and get some oil out.

But: when I withdrew the tube, the last 1 inch was shredded, with 1.0 X 0.2 inch piece clearly missing.

My questions are:

Q1: Is the area I tested upstream from the filter? In which case I expect the filter will do it's job and catch this piece of plastic. No worries.

Q2: If not, then there's a piece of soft plastic (25mm X 5mm) circulating with the oil. Is this likely to block anything critical - and thence cause localized meltdown?

Any help will be welcome!..

With thanks in advance,

Nigel

ivangene

dude...seriously

OK next time you want to shove tubes into the oil fill hole to get a sample DONT...simply unscrew the oil filter and catch the little bit that comes out...then re-fill the little bit you lost

as for the piece you are missing YES it is a big deal and YES you want it out BEFORE running the motor

It may require oil pan removal and ?? not sure what else. I would NOT START the motor until you are sure it is out - ALL OUT

we say it over and over and I hate to sound like a jack-*** but when in doubt ASK FIRST and when it sticks dont force it.....

time to get your wrenches out IMO

you might luck out and be able to remover the filler tube (at the block) and fish out the piece...i think your oil pan needs to come off though

fpb111

Drop the pan and while you are in there...deep sump kit??

That piece would probably get caught by the coarse screen on the sump pickup. Only gambling with your ~$20k engine.
"Do you feel LUCKY PUN... ah Porsche owner?" "Well do ya?"

Pac996

Hardware stores should have hard clearish white tubing that I see military mechs use for sampling. Hard as heck to take a chunk out of that stuff. Good luck next time.

fpb111

Just a thought, if it is small enough to fit through the hole it might come out when you drain the oil??

A34735

Thanks to all of you for the helpful replies.
I haven't started it since, haven't had the time either; Kahlers recommended a flatbed tow company (Norm's) that will reliably not try to start the engine when they pick it up.
And choice of tubing? There were 2 types of 0.25" at ACE hardware. I picked the wrong one - hard, food grade plastic (PEE, I think) instead of the softer (PPE?) stuff
I will try disconnecting the dipstick tube and see if I can fish it out, but otherwise this will be an expensive little lesson. I'll post again when resolved.
Once again...thank you.

Paul 996

That piece of tube is in your sump caught by the metal screen otherwise it is gone and either circulating (because it is too small) or lodged somewhere where you cannot possible find it without complete disassembley of your motor.

You state that you haven't started it so then it still is in your oil pan. For the cost of new oil you can fix this in an afternoon.

As suggested, drain your oil and take down your oilpan and see if the piece of tube is sitting there. That is about your only solution.

Macster

If you went through the oil dipstick tube and got oil the end of the tube was in the sump. The piece is in the sump though what you encountered, what it encountered to 'shred' its end is beyond me. Perhaps the tube is not oil resistant?

Anyhow, you can drain the oil and the pieces might come out with the oil.

You can remove the oil sump bottom and the pieces should be on the bottom of the sump and come into view when you remove the sump bottom.

I then wrote this:

Or you can start the engine. The piece of plastic is in the sump and it might not even make it through the oil pump pick up screen. If it does it will get pulverized by the oil pump and end up in the oil filter and oil filter oil.

After a few minutes of idling you can shut off the engine, remove the oil filter housing and carefully dump the oil into a drain pan and admire your handy work.

But after some more thought I do think I would advise this course of action. If the tube was not oil resistant it might partially gum up the oil intake screen or the oil relief valve.

Along with the above section in bold would be a caution that in the event you start the engine and hear something amiss shut the engine down. But even if no damage was done to the engine almost certainly the engine would need some teardown and possibly even removal from the car for a more complete teardown to find and remove the plastic.

So, I would not advise you to start the engine but try the oil drain and the sump bottom removal things.

If you do not get the piece(s) of plastic out...It did not make it into the oil sump but how this happened I do not know. The oil dipstick tube has a straight, well make that a bent path straight to the oil sump so I'm at a loss to imagine how the tube could not have made it to the sump.

BTW, when I took my Boxster in for an oil analysis the tech went in through the oil dipstick tube with a tiny nylon (IIRC) tube, smaller in diameter than a pencil.

He cut the end of the tube off at an angle to make it a sharp point. Worked like a charm.

Sincerely,

Macster.

jasper

As it happens I *just* finished installing a new oil pan about an hour ago because I cracked the old one.

It's a darned easy job.

1) drain the oil

2) remove 12 torx head screws

3) pry the pan away from the engine case, it will be stuck on with sealant.

4) fish out your plastic bit.

5) clean the mating surfaces well with a fine scraper (razor blade) and then a good wipe with solvent follwed by a dry rag.

6) lay down a bead of sealent - you will need to buy the right stuff. Pelican has it for $13 - let me know if you want me to dig out a part number.

7) install the pan within five minutes.

8) torque the bolts - not sure what the number is, it's not much that's for sure I did them light hand tight, same as what I used to remove them.

Torontoworker

Do NOT do this.

1. It's of no help in your situation (Go with the oil pan advice from others)

2. I know people who have had to replace the tube because it broke/cracked and they have less hair on their head now then before and it has nothing to do with the aging process...

Good luck

A34735

So...had it towed (my auto insurance picked up the bill) by Norm's towing (recommended by Kahler's, knew not to start the engine) to Kahler's

The put a scope down the dipstick tube, couldn't see it. So dropped the pan and found it. Also returned the sample for Blackstone...(with the missing bit taped to the cap, so I really know they got it!)
Analysis was online day after I mailed the sample.
All measurements were reassuringly OK. Will test again when I've put 4000 miles (same usage point as this sample) on the Mobil 1 oil change.
Cost? $480.
Embarassment? Sky high!
Relief? Priceless!

Barn996

Glad the issue is over, would've been lots more had you started the engine. We've all done similar things during our Porsche ownership.