Found this on my engine oil drain plug?

1986911 · 1986911's Garage

How concerned should I be?

I found this changing the oil over the weekend. There was more "fuzz" than usual on the magnetic drain plug and these two pieces were stuck on it.

Car is low mile 45k 1986 911 3.2 and unfortunately seldom driven. Aside from valve adjustments, no engine work ever. It sat for around 2 months before I went for a drive to warm up the oil prior to changing it. No strange noises coming from engine.

I plan to cut the oil filter tonight.

chrisbruck · chrisbruck's Garage

I'm assuming it's steel (not aluminum) if stuck to the plug?

yelcab1 · 03-04-2015, 07:14 AM

That is not good news. It looks like a piece of a ring.

grizzfan · grizzfan's Garage

Strange. 1983 pennies were still mostly copper and would not be attracted to a magnet like the coated steel one of the last several years. Of course it could have settled there and obviously did.

tom

zippy_gg · zippy_gg's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by grizzfan

Strange. 1983 pennies were still mostly copper and would not be attracted to a magnet like the coated steel one of the last several years. Of course it could have settled there and obviously did.

tom

Uh... the penny is just there to show the size of the couple of metal pieces found attached to the magnetic drain plug...

chrisbruck · chrisbruck's Garage

I'm thinking part of a ring too if steel.... has that flat thin profile.

Agreed that's in the "not good" category.

grizzfan · grizzfan's Garage

Zippy_qq says:

Quote:

Uh... the penny is just there to show the size of the couple of metal pieces found attached to the magnetic drain plug...

My bad. What's wrong with me??!! A penny is larger than the drain hole!!!

Tom

Targa Me · Targa Me's Garage

I would do a compression test and leak down test to what those numbers are.

douglas bray · 03-04-2015, 07:41 AM

Rings can not escape their grove without carnage to the piston. Don't think its a ring.

zippy_gg · zippy_gg's Garage

If there was a lot of fuzz on the magnet of the drain plug in addition to these small pieces I would suspect a failed bearing.
Do you have a picture of the drain plug with all the fuzz on it?

T77911S · 03-04-2015, 07:51 AM

the 2 post above ^^^but it sure looks like part of a ring.

dist drive gear?

perhaps more pics and closer up.
is it flat? teeth from a gear would have a tapper to them

Derek911 · 03-04-2015, 08:09 AM

I didn't realize there was copper components in the engine, but what is really remarkable is that it looks like a real penny. This is like the woman in Florida that found the face of Jesus in her toast.

Jerome74911S · 03-04-2015, 08:15 AM

If you are able to take a real 'macro' photo that would help. And, on a plain white background.

joe payne · joe payne's Garage

Just drive it. It's too late now. If the car seems fine the hell with it..

db_cooper · db_cooper's Garage

Would not be a ring..there would be big chunks of piston in the oil. Not likely anything from the timing chest..and if it is steel..there should be some big time collateral debris in the engine oil.

Someone may have dropped some junk inside the valve cover when the valve adjustment was done.

Most shops have a parts cleaner that is used for cleaning everything..and they do get old engine debris in them..and if you are not paying attention while you are washing your 911 valve cover..the old metal bits get brushed up inside the valve cover.

I used to find some interesting things on the old 911 engine oil sump plates..sockets, nuts, washers..feeler gauges, etc. With the 3.2 drain plug..no sump plate to collect and inspect bits dropped inside the engine.

Jerome74911S · 03-04-2015, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe payne

Just drive it. It's too late now. If the car seems fine the hell with it..

^^^ I would be very reluctant to agree with this. There are plenty of places for additional pieces of shrapnel to hide in an engine, and every one of them is itching to get loose and do additional damage.

Derek911 · 03-04-2015, 08:36 AM

Do what most people do. Drive it until you get more symptoms or sell it and play dumb. Nothing against your car, but this is one reason why I don't overvalue low mileage cars. These cars need to be driven, and 45,000 miles in almost 30 years is crazy. People pay a premium for low mileage but they are the one stuck with all the problems that haven't popped up yet. Things get stuck and frozen and oils dries, seals get dry, when sitting, then you crank it up and things break or leak.

joe payne · joe payne's Garage

Do a complete re-build of the motor @ an average cost of $10,000. That's the other choice.

Targa Me · Targa Me's Garage

[QUOTE=Derek911;8515101]Do what most people do. Drive it until you get more symptoms or sell it and play dumb. Nothing against your car, but this is one reason why I don't overvalue low mileage cars. These cars need to be driven, and 45,000 miles in almost 30 years is crazy. People pay a premium for low mileage but they are the one stuck with all the problems that haven't popped up yet. Things get stuck and frozen and oils dries, seals get dry, when sitting, then you crank it up and things break or leak.[/QUOTE]

Interesting note: When I bought my 3.2 it had 95k miles on it. Which at the time equates to the car being driven about 4500 miles per year. When I took ownership the engine had 4 oil leaks. Before buying any new gaskets or seals, I drove the car every day putting about 150 miles on it, per day. Long story-short, 3 of the 4 leaks sealed up and 1 I needed to take care of.

Bottom line, these cars are meant to be driven.

Going back to the original issue, do the compression check and leak down as stated earlier. Maybe put on a couple thousand miles on it and recheck the drain plug magnet again.

jlex · jlex's Garage

broken piece of feeler gauge. Mic it...