Is this bad? I found it during an oil change.

[surechap]

:frown: I don't know how bad this is, or what I might expect in the future. The specks are really small. In one of the pictures I also have one metal chunk that is less than a millimeter in diameter, it was the only one I found.

[1996 328ti]

That's in your oil?
Doesn't look good.
I would certainly be changing the oil filter very often.

[drivinfaster]

engine oil, or gearbox??

if engine, what motor?? any track time or hard driving?? noises??

the last time i saw debris like that was related to an oil pump issue (well, *really* the tech installing the factory replacement motor failed to catch the oil pump drive from the old (failed) lsx motor (due to an overheating issue) was tweaked when installing it in the *new* lsx motor and didn't mate t the oil pump drive properly to raise oil pressure to specs.

he raced it to 6k repeadedly before determining this (factory fresh) motor had a defective oil pump, intalled a new one, and repeated the process.

with the same result...

i never hated service writer work so much...it was a pain to deal with this at each point of the way because the kid simply assumed his way through the install and didn't take the time to, a: prime the oil pump before initial start (and therefore would have revealed the underlying issue when oil pressure was too low), and, b: not kill the bearings by ripping the throttle.

what does the oil look @ the dipstick?? pressure reading in spec??

it looks like bearing particles, which could be thrust, crank, or rod. take your pick. no way to know without a dial indicator, and other precision measuring tools....


if, however, the answer is 'no' to noises or low oil pressure, then i would most likely be leaning to a worn thrust washer bearing. it's to help keep the crankshaft from walking too far. and it's trying....you could try to measure cranksnout movement in and out (front to back of motor). (read expensive to get a shop to do...)


but i have seen much worse come out of many an oil pan (a few were even my own!!) and still had many years of driving them with no issues or concerns.


ymmv.
df

[pdxmotorhead]

If you still have the oil, send in a sample and get an oil analysis, it can tell you what s up..
Dave

[ion_four]

That definitely looks bad. That being said, I had an engine spit out much worse (after a failed oil pump seal) and after replacing the front main seal and repeated flushed with snake oil and a few cheapo oil changes, it lived on for many many miles with no issues. So, not all is lost.

An oil analysis, as suggested, (e.g. Blackstone Labs) would be a good idea, as they can tell you WHAT kind of metal it is...bronze, aluminum, iron, etc. From there, you could narrow down from where it came and attempt a repair. If you have no intention of digging into the engine and no clue why it is there, I would just flush and soldier on.