Metal shavings in oil

[guntop116]

Hi,
A week ago i purchased a 240sx with a redtop sr. Just today i got around to doing the oil change and when we drained the oil there was metal shavings in it. A decent amount of fine particles. Im trying to figure out how serious this problem is. Could it be the timing chain guides? Or could my turbo be going bad, just today i installed a catch can so i dont know if the oil in my pipes was from the turbo or blow by. Another problem was that i dont know how long ago the last owner did an oil change.
Thanks for your help

[McRussellPants]

berrringzzzzzzzzzzz

[nissanberto]

berrringzzzzzzzzzzz

agreed........

[Slidin240Wayz]

Third!

Carlos

[kaotic]

I had the same problem with mine..

I removed the oil pan and found a decent amount of metal in a clump in the corner.. I cleaned it all out.. and never had anything in my oil again... car runs great too..

but my case could be 1/100..

[shogun!]

100% Rod bearings gone bad. You´d better take the motor appart and make a full cleaning (incl the oil channels in block, head, pump, oil cooler, crank etc), measure the crank and then if it has survived, install new bearings.

[sepulchral]

100% Rod bearings gone bad. You´d better take the motor appart and make a full cleaning (incl the oil channels in block, head, pump, oil cooler, crank etc), measure the crank and then if it has survived, install new bearings.

'
DURRRRR

Rod bearings gone bad? They MAY be GOING bad but if he has no knock or major issues don't assume they're bad, and also dont assume they're rod bearings. And if bearings are worn you don't just measure the crank and install new bearings.


What color was the metal of teh bearings, I know with DSMs the bearings are a trimetal - babbot then copper then alluminum or steel. If you've reached copper than I would suggest planning on a rebuild or locating a new block.

And about it being Rod bearings, that is total BS too, main bearings will do the same thing. The best thing you could do is spend a week redoing the bottom end.

Pull motor, pull head, order new HG, new piston rings (std assuming you had good comp before), wait on bearings. Remove the head, keep parts organized. Take lower and upper oil pan, oil pickup off, unbolt rod caps, remove pistons/rods popping them throught he top of the motor. Take crank to a machinist, have him check for egging, or he might as well resurface it, then ask him what bearing sizes you need, then order new bearings, stay away from Clevite-77. Get a new OEM Sr20 oil pump. Then get a napa honer slap it on a drill, crosshatch your cylinder walls, throw on new piston rings on pistons, clean out oiling holes on pistons. Reassemble bottom end, be sure you have right torque specs and use assembly lube with everything. Use ARP headstuds when you replace the head, have the head checked if its True or not, if not get it machined. When u start motor for the first time, let it get warm, shut off, do this about 5 times, then when the engines cool, retorque head studs if they're new. Then change oil to get out the assembly lube, it will clog the filter too.

OR

Get another sr20 motor/block


When i had this issue I started using mobile 1 10w30 synthetic, and stopped seeing metal in my oil.

[twofourzerosx]

thats a pretty solid list... im with sepulchral

could be any bearings, but yeah just rebuild it. if i were you have the block cleaned at the machine shop!!

[johngriff]

Well... the mains rarely go out on the SR.

It also is not like, the bearings have wear indicators. They are multi layer metal to conduct heat, and control expansion/contraction under different temperatures.

In reality, the crank should never really be touching the bearings, metal to metal contact, the bearings should be floating around the crank in a layer of oil.

So, ANY metal contact is enough to warrant an IMMEDIATE rebuild. From what I have seen, once you hear it, it is too late to salvage the crank/make a quick bearing exchange in rods.

[guntop116]

Well i guess i better forget about a paint job and start saving for a build. Next week il do another oil change see how much shavings i get. Since the car is my DD im thinking about buying another block and building it and then swaping the head onto it. Does this sound like a good plan? Or is there another way to do this with little down time and no garage.

[johngriff]

NOPE. The more you drive on this block, the worse the damage inflicted.

[WISH ONE]

yeah...your block is done son. i had the same problem but i actually started hearing noise/knocking.. i just ended up getting a whole long block.. a good bottom end is hard to come up on. when i tore down my old motor my oil pan had all kinds of metallic shavings in it.. and flakes.. like gold dust..

[sepulchral]

NOPE. The more you drive on this block, the worse the damage inflicted.



I have had the same experience and switched to synthetic, and ran for about 10k miles more with maybe a 1/4th a gram of metal in those 10k miles

Change in oil may prolong your engine life but johngriff is right, the longer you drive on it the worst it will get. And it is important to get all your clearances checked out by a machinist, give him the crank, a rod/rodcap, old bearing, and he should be able to figure out what bearings you will need for proper oil clearance onces he shaves the crank+micropolishes it.

I would do a rebuild it is good experience and sometimes cheaper than a new block if you source your parts right.

[sepulchral]

yeah...your block is done son. i had the same problem but i actually started hearing noise/knocking.. i just ended up getting a whole long block.. a good bottom end is hard to come up on. when i tore down my old motor my oil pan had all kinds of metallic shavings in it.. and flakes.. like gold dust..


his block is not done if he hasnt heard knocking--even then it doesnt mean his block is done... bearings, piston rings, and pistons and the crank are all replaceable

[nassin31spr]

his block is not done if he hasnt heard knocking--even then it doesnt mean his block is done... bearings, piston rings, and pistons and the crank are all replaceable

You forgot to mention expensive. If you're not going all out build you should think about getting another motor. I never thought my rebuild would cost so much. Just an opinion though. GL with it.

[sepulchral]

yeah sr20deT parts are expensive and more rare kinda

[steve shadows]

yeah please dont drive on it at all once you hear noise. Not even to move the car from towing...lol...still scored my crank.

[guntop116]

well il probably do another oil change in a few days, and see how much shavings is in it. For now il just have to drive my dads explorer everywhere. Good thing is im getting my tax refund very soon so il have the money for a new long block. Even though i don't have too much mechanical experience i might as well try to swap it out. Would you recommend after buying a new block to get it disassembled, cleaned, and get new bearings and rings? I cant really afford a full build but i don't want this to happen again.

[projekt_s13]

maybe thats why he sold it?

[bshotts]

Sorry to dig this thread up from last month. I was wondering what "noise" is characterized by rod knock. I had some high pitched "whistling" or "whining" intermittently at low low RPMs coming from the valve cover area a while back. Any ideas?

I also found a small washer and 2 tiny metal shavings in my oil pan last night when I dropped it to redo another shop's gasket work.