I found a bit of brown plastic in my oil pan when I dropped it a few weeks ago on my silver '99 C2. After a weekend at the track, I cut open the oil filter and found another bit. I assume this is chain tensioner pad material?

Does anyone have a favorite DIY or tips? Also, what are the easy "while your at it" things to do while I'm in there. I'm going to be selling this car within the next six month so I don't want to go overboard on the scope of the project. I just want to get it to the point that I could sell it to a friend or fellow Rennlister in good conscience.

 

Why don't you call your buddies in Huntington Beach? I hear they're pretty good at making diagnoses with minimal info.

 

 

I can swap you for a rattly engine if you like??

 

I'll trade you the engine out of my '00 that has a broken camshaft among other items. At least then there would be no mystery.

 

Time to open it up... at least the heads..

 

Hmmm let me think about that.....................

 

If your selling I wouldn't open a can of worms it can get expensive while your in there, I think quite a few of these engines this age will be getting the odd bit of plastic whether it gets noticed or not?? The vario pads in the heads are main culprit and easier than the rest as its only valve covers off so maybe do those of you have to, the rear main rails need engine out to get at the bolts , you may possibly get the front main rails, all ims related tensioners need the case to be split so you won't get those!

 

Thx for chiming in Noz. I would definitely prefer not to split the case but don't mind pulling the engine.

And I don't want to change the pads if it's not really an issue. But if it is, I want to get it taken care of so the next guy doesn't have to.

 

What sort of reading you getting on cam deviation?? If its not getting near the limit I wouldn't worry, it's an old car things wear, you can't go through every last bit renewing everything before you sell it!!

 

May not be a problem. That bit of brown plastic in the oil pan could have been there since day one.

The bit in the filter element could be new or from the violence of the oil during the track event a piece in the sump might have been ingested and ended up in the filter element.

Noz1974 asked a good question regarding cam timing deviation.

Provided the CEL is off, the engine is not making any scary noises and runs without any drama -- no varying idle, lumpiness, etc. -- with fresh oil and and oil filter I'd drive the car some. Nothing fancy just about town your normal usage.

Always be on high alert for any signs of engine trouble and if any signs appear shut off the engine ASAP and do not start it again. Flat bed car to a shop.

But I don't expect this to happen.

After some time -- you decide how long to drive the car, run the engine -- an hour? A day? A week? --- then at least drop the oil filter housing and carefully dump its contents into a clean drain pan.

If you find more plastic bits that's not a good sign.

If you find none with a clean housing and new filter and the housing filled with oil install the housing with its new filter and drive some more.

 

I'll check the deviations tonight.

I dropped the sump and cleaned it out 6,000 miles ago. Dropped it, found a bit of plastic, and cleaned it prior to the track weekend along with oil (race oil) and filter change. Checked the filter after the weekend and found another bit of brown plastic and possibly a few bits of black plastic.

 

Deviations are at 0 and 3 which is unchanged since the day I bought the car. And for the record, it runs amazingly well. I just want to make sure to do my part to keep it that way.

 

IIRC the brown bits are from the VarioCam actuator rails, the black bits come from either the crank/IMS chain drive rails or one of the IMS to exhaust chain drive rails.

The actuator rails can be accessed with the engine in the car. The other chain rails at least some of them is an engine out and engine disassembly job to replace. And of course then there is the gotcha of "while you are there"...

Maybe you ought to give tracking a miss?

 

Et tu, Brute?