# Name this mystery metal from my oil change.



## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

That's no good 😕

I don't know much about the diesels, but my LUJ head didn't have valve spring shims.


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Not sure if the diesels do. Can't find much in the way of diagrams. Seems to small to be a thrust bearing. If it were whole it would be about nickel size


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

@MP81 , Do you know what that is?


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I've been trying to figure out what it is, but I cannot think of what could have made its way down to the sump...I've seen big parts of the top land of a piston _inside_ the oil pump pickup, so nothing is out of the question. But that engine (a 2.3T in an '88 Ranger) was obliterated.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

For reference, this is what the 2.0TD cylinder head looks like:


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Maybe it was the mechanics, who was trying to fix the emissions problem, solution to getting rid of this car lol drop some random metal in the oil fill and wait till it dies


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

It kind of looks like a flange at the end of a brake line.

Can you offer us a few more images? Maybe on a black background.


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Tomko said:


> It kind of looks like a flange at the end of a brake line.
> 
> Can you offer us a few more images? Maybe on a black background.


Edited original post with more pics


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

CamaroKidZ28 said:


> Edited original post with more pics


Now it looks like a fragged oil drain bolt gasket. Or like a bearing surface shim between a wrist pin and a piston head.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Tomko said:


> Now it looks like a fragged oil drain bolt gasket. Or like a bearing surface shim between a wrist pin and a piston head.


Yep. Here it is:










You’re about to loose a piston!


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Tomko said:


> Yep. Here it is:
> 
> View attachment 291734
> 
> ...


I'm not sure what part of the connecting rod this would be the wrist pin? I would think that's a larger diameter bearing than what I found


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

I think it is the oil drain plug sealing washer. Maybe it was double stacked??


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

The drain plug seal was my first thought. However they seem more petite. And they seem to be a larger diameter


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

CamaroKidZ28 said:


> The drain plug seal was my first thought. However they seem more petite. And they seem to be a larger diameter


All the pics on the black mat appear to have a bit if sealing rubber on the ID of the piece of metal. Maybe an after market sealing washer from an auto parts store.

If it is internal it won't be long before something goes.


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)




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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

CamaroKidZ28 said:


> I'm not sure what part of the connecting rod this would be the wrist pin? I would think that's a larger diameter bearing than what I found


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Looks like it got really really hot at some point. It's hard to get good pictures of it. This thing is more reflective than a mirror where it's polished


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

Kinda looks like the washer from under the head bolt. Not exactly sure on the size though. I'm struggling to match up anything inside the engine to the markings though. It looks polished like a bearing. But nothing inside the engine would use a bearing this small. I don't believe the wrist pin is this small. Probably not even the head bolt washer is this small.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Something was definitely on the inside of that. Like it looks round like a hole, but then at the same time it's also jagged from other angles.

I was initially thinking the end of the wrist pin as well, but that looks to be a fair amount larger than what we're seeing here (based on the radius of the piece if it were complete).


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

MP81 said:


> Something was definitely on the inside of that. Like it looks round like a hole, but then at the same time it's also jagged from other angles.
> 
> I was initially thinking the end of the wrist pin as well, but that looks to be a fair amount larger than what we're seeing here (based on the radius of the piece if it were complete).


It is jagged on the inside. It looks like a piece of cast metal. Not a stamped washer. It also is shiny on both sides but one side note than the other.


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

@CamaroKidZ28 When you do your next oil change, take apart the old filter and see if there are metal fragments in it.


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

BDCCruze said:


> @CamaroKidZ28 When you do your next oil change, take apart the old filter and see if there are metal fragments in it.


If the engine is still running that long I will cut the filter and open it up. I looked at the one I removed but didn't see anything huge, like the other half of that object. Maybe I'll change it a little early lol


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## rwagoner (Aug 15, 2020)

The angle looks different to me than the possibilities in the photos. Very odd. I am curious how this ends up ...


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

rwagoner said:


> The angle looks different to me than the possibilities in the photos. Very odd. I am curious how this ends up ...


There is no angle. It is the shape of a standard flat washer. Except you know. Like missing half lol


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## rwagoner (Aug 15, 2020)

CamaroKidZ28 said:


> There is no angle. It is the shape of a standard flat washer. Except you know. Like missing half lol


Whoa, you're right! The lighting on some of the photos makes it look like a cone cut. but it isn't once you look more closely.


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## catherder (Apr 21, 2021)

Have injectors ever been replaced? The shape makes it look like an injector seat (seal) but typically they're nickel coated copper.


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

catherder said:


> Have injectors ever been replaced? The shape makes it look like an injector seat (seal) but typically they're nickel coated copper.


I do have an injector o ring for comparison. That was my first thought. This fragment is much larger than the injector o ring


And yes the polished portion of it play tricks with the camera. It's quite difficult to photograph


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## CamaroKidZ28 (Mar 26, 2021)

BDCCruze said:


> @CamaroKidZ28 When you do your next oil change, take apart the old filter and see if there are metal fragments in it.


Just did my oil change. It's been 7,000 miles. The drain plug magnet did not have any metal flakes on it whatsoever. The oil filter also had no debris in it. It surprisingly was very clean. So.. I have no clue where that came from


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