Pics of my magnetic drain plug.
 

Car has about 22k miles. This was the first magnetic plug. It was in the car for approximately 2500 miles.

Attachment 48376029

Attachment 48376030

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We had "Gearbox Chip Detectors" in some of the aircraft I used to fly (UH-60) that also had a magnetic tip like your oil drain plug.

Looking at yours ... We would say: ... "It's ok, clean it off, it's just normal fuss"

looks clean, I don't see any metal

:iagree:

isn't most of LS2+LS3 motors aluminum. ????

True, the engine block and heads are aluminum alloy, but the rotating assembly (IE: crankshaft) is steel, along with the camshaft, roller valve lifters, oil pump rotating parts, timing chain, rocker arm needle bearings, piston rings, cylinder liners, as well as many other small moving parts.

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Cyl walls and rings are steel as is the crank and cam. I have seen lifters turn in the tray and fill the oil with iron. That is why built motors use link bar lifters. What you see on that mag. is normal ring wear.

Looks like there's a little sludge on the tip...with that said, I'm not going to worry about it. As much as I have read the forum, I have never read a thread about internal engine failures on the LS2 or LS3.

Oh ok. TBH, I wasnt sure if that oil residue contained any metal filings.

Sludge. :(

How should I correct? Anything to worry about?

That's just my backyard mechanic, don't have a real clue, observation.....:lol:

Maybe someone with a lot more mechanical knowledge than I will chime in about it.

Not really 'sludge' ... just a pasty combination of oil mixed in with very very fine metal particulates from the rod and main bearings along with all the other moving parts.

Perfectly normal.
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Here is an example as to what you DONT want to find on your magnetic drain plug:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...MG_9509_cw.jpg

BTW ... those steel pins you see are from a failed rocker arm. There some of the needle bearings from the rocker arm

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:willy:

Ok, I feel better. :flag:

Looks normal; mine almost always have some VERY fine black residue. :flag:

Same here

Looks good. I wouldn't worry about. :lol:

I actually had that happen once on my Boosted C5 after running in very hard for a hill country run, noticed a tapping sound, took it to my mechanic and he said lifter or rocker.

The easiest to check was to pull the oil plug and presto needle bearings were on the tip, found one bad rocker on the drivers side:rock:

Just for reference; are you using Mobil 1? I'm getting ready to change my C5 before I take my next road trip......I'll post a pic if it looks any different, but I doubt it will.

:cheers:

The proper way is to clean the tip with spray solvent / carb cleaner . So all the oil and carbon is rinsed off , wipe the chip plug on a white tissue or cloth . If it looks or feels like crushed glass or larger pieces its bad . If its like paste gray / black graphite no worries . Bigger machines , bigger chips are allowed . View under the microscope if required .

GM part# & cost for the Magnetic Plug . . . please