aowolf

This morning when changing the oil we noticed this martial in the oil filter. I've seen a few metal flakes from time time but nothing like this before. One of the pieces was like a dull ceramic colour and one was transparent like glass. Almost like pieces of sand you would find at the beach. Any thoughts on what it could be? (The car does have an upgraded ceramic IMS bearing, and it also has a 3 inch PVC pipe between the air box and the the throttle body. Not sure if thats relevant or not)

Macster

If the pieces are hard/brittle like sand particles would/should be I find it difficult to imagine how they could have come into the filter housing and filter via the oil pump route. The pump's gears would have crushed the pieces.

Thus this suggests the pieces arrived at the filter via a more direct route and one such route is the pieces were the result of sloppy oil filter servicing. IOWs, the filter or housing was contaminated during the filter service.

Also, I vaguely recall seeing, at least with some filter elements some kind of expoxy and a particle or two of this could have come loose and of course ended up in the filter.

That the engine was disturbed by the fitting of the IMS bearing can also result in the first oil filter inspection finding 'trash' in the filter, a higher level of trash than would otherwise be found.

I do not believe the particles are from the bearing.

With just those two pieces I really do not see anything to be concerned about.

'course, I have to add this: If the engine starts to exhibit any signs of distress, acting in any way abnormally, making noises, anything shut the engine off first thing and ask questions later.

Sincerely,

Macster.

aowolf

The IMS was changed just over 20,000 miles ago. There was a a little more of the same type of debris in the filter then was on my finger. I change the oil every 4,000 miles, and have been present every time the filter has been changed. After we pull the filter cap off we always blow it out with an air compressor to get rid of any debris. It's still possible of course that that stuff was somehow on the filter. The only other variable I can think of is that for the first time I used 0W-40.

Macster

I do not use air around the car when changing the oil or filter.

To clean the filter housing I use some kind of aerosol cleaner -- something like a MAF/TB residue free cleaner -- to clean/degrease the oil filter housing. Afterwards I dry it off, wipe it with clean lint free paper towels.

The filter element stays in the box it came in until I remove it and put it into the clean housing.

You never did answer my question: Are they really hard like grains of sand or are they of something softer?

Just two tiny pieces that do not look like they went through the oil pump.

They could be from something as simple as a slip in hygiene when doing the oil/filter service.

If you're really concerned, with a *clean* filter housing and a new filter element and fresh oil run the engine for a while. Let it idle to near warm. Remove the filter housing and carefully dump the contents into a *clean* drain pan.

If you see more after a short run time... well, then you have to think about your next step.

If you do not see anything else, clean and replace the filter housing along with a new/clean filter element and top up the oil if it needs it then drive the car.

You can say do the above again at 500 miles or 1000 miles or whenever you want before the next scheduled oil/filter service.

The slight risk is if the bits are a sign of something going wrong you may not have 1000 miles or even 500 miles of engine run time left.

It is just my layman's opinion that the bits are nothing to be worried about, but you are certainly free to get a professional mechanic's opinion and at the same time ask him what if anything he recommends you do or have done going forward.

I do not think the type of oil in this case had anything to do with the debris unless -- but there is no way of knowing -- the stuff was in one of the bottles of oil.

(I've never seen anything in the bottom of an oil bottle -- and I look before I tip the entire contents of the bottle into the the engine -- but I once spotted a nasty globule (a bit smaller than a pea) of water/muck in the bottom of a bottle of diesel fuel additive that I was adding to the tank of my VW Golf TDi. I spotted the stuff and discarded the bit of fluid left in the bottle. I also stopped using that fuel additive.)

More likely, much more likely is the stuff was on the funnel that was used to help direct the oil into the oil filler tube or on a glove or on your hand and dropped into the funnel while the engine was being refilled with oil.

It is quite important to be careful that no dirt (which includes anything foreign) gets into the engine cranks/oil for while invariably the stuff does no real harm the stuff if it shows up in the filter when the next oil service is done can put a bit of scare into one.

Sincerely,

Macster.

aowolf

As best as I can say it felt like sand it wouldn't crush in my hand. I'll take your advise on checking the filter again.