C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Metal chunks in pan

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 09:22 AM
  #1  
Hvymtlc5's Avatar
Hvymtlc5
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 18
From: Lake Ozark, MO
Default Metal chunks in pan

Just pulled the oil pan off of a project 454 I bought. Lots of chunks of metal (bb size) in the bottom of the pan. I used a light to check out the bottom end an all the piston skirts are intact and the pistons show no gouging or scuffiing. Crosshatch in cylinders in bright a looks new. Any idea where this stuff is coming from. The guy I bought it from said is was rebuilt aboout two years ago when he bought it. I have no reason to doubt that - but concerned about the metal.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 09:24 AM
  #2  
nhlgopens's Avatar
nhlgopens
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 23,957
Likes: 174
From: South West - but north of Dayton, Ohio
Default

Could be a wiped cam...
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 09:35 AM
  #3  
BlueL36's Avatar
BlueL36
Le Mans Master
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,217
Likes: 1
From: End of the Ike IL
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Default

Metal chunks or nylon/plastic chunks? If nylon, might be from the OEM cam timing gear coating that will harden and break off.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 09:36 AM
  #4  
SanDiegoPaul's Avatar
SanDiegoPaul
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Default

Originally Posted by BlueL36
Metal chunks or nylon/plastic chunks? If nylon, might be from the OEM cam timing gear coating that will harden and break off.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 10:32 AM
  #5  
CA-Legal-Vette's Avatar
CA-Legal-Vette
Race Director
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Default

Could also be from the oil galeries if they weren't cleaned out properly after the rebuild. Do you know if the block was decked? Do they look like the type of shavings that could be from machining? If so, this could be your best case scenario.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 10:49 AM
  #6  
Pop Chevy's Avatar
Pop Chevy
Le Mans Master
Supporting Lifetime
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,436
Likes: 1,253
From: Sarver Pa
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Default

If the engine still ran before you dropped the pan , then it almost has to be from the timng gears. If you have the pan off already then it will be rather easy to to pull the w/pump, damper, and front cover to change the gears. Have fun !
Pops
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 11:02 AM
  #7  
Hvymtlc5's Avatar
Hvymtlc5
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 18
From: Lake Ozark, MO
Default

Well the pieces are metal. The cam looked great when it cam out, as did the timing gear (block is still in the car) . Again, since the pieces are so big (IMO)...I don't know where they came from other than a piston/piston skirt???
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 11:21 AM
  #8  
Corvus's Avatar
Corvus
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
From: Elizabeth New Jersey
Default

Yea I would only think they came from the pistons, but you said the pistons and skirts looked fine right?


try removing the pieces, run the engine again, and see if more pieces collect!
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 12:25 PM
  #9  
saudivette's Avatar
saudivette
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 1
From: Aussie expat in Saudi Arabia
Default

Do the particles sort of look like silver solder? Could be the white metal from your bearings. Wrong bearings fitted during rebuild could cause that or a serious overtemp.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 12:46 PM
  #10  
Freepop's Avatar
Freepop
Pro
20 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
From: South Central MI
Default

Are they ferrous? (will they stick to a magnet?)
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 03:59 PM
  #11  
Hvymtlc5's Avatar
Hvymtlc5
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 18
From: Lake Ozark, MO
Default

I'll check the magnet thing - that will elminate a lot of guessing... They are good sized pieces/chunks BB size or a little bigger.
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 04:05 PM
  #12  
SmokedTires's Avatar
SmokedTires
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Default

I would look closely at the bearings
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 04:09 PM
  #13  
MEGALADON's Avatar
MEGALADON
Safety Car
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,997
Likes: 1
From: WAY DEEP INSIDE AMERICO,YES YOU LIVE HERE TO!! TX
Default

Originally Posted by nhlgopens
Could be a wiped cam...
what is this, does it mean a flat lobe
Reply
Old Aug 25, 2004 | 10:31 AM
  #14  
Hvymtlc5's Avatar
Hvymtlc5
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 18
From: Lake Ozark, MO
Default

Chunks were non- magnetic so bearing or pistons can be the only source..don't under stand how a bearing can be torn into small BB sized chunks. Piston is more logical?
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Metal chunks in pan





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:47 PM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE