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How bad is it

vwbusman66

vwbusman66

Stößelstange über alles
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Location
SE MI
Pulled the pan and found this:
nB1H9k0l.jpg

RD68kWrl.jpg

Cg7uilAl.jpg

KU2fwiol.jpg


This engine has digested a cam and lifters and was ready for its 2nd post break-in oil change (500 miles) when I yanked it to do the oil pan and rear main seal. Drained the oil, saw a tiny bit of shiny stuff (small particulate matter from the fresh cam). Pulled the pan, and found slivers/shavings.

Bearings look fine, thrust bearings show copper but not ruined. The crank has some texture from what I suspect was contamination, but I suspect it's less than 1 thou.
 
Reliability is relative, and you are generally correct. An 86+ 240 would've been a better choice for a daily though.
Unless you know who owned it and the maintenance schedule, assume it hasn't been well cared for.
I assumed the same with mine, but it didn't really need anything other than a cam & valve job. I just had the crank & cylinders cleaned up, and was able to use STD piston, rings, and bearings.
So, mine would have been considered a "reliable" engine even before I tore it down and rebuilt it.
Yours will need be cleaned, measured, and most likely bored .015" over, and the crank turned for rods / mains .010".
Good luck.
Steve
 
I'm going to suggest a tear down. If you want reliability, you need to know what's going on inside the engine.

If it really bad inside, you can try to find a good used engine or you can rebuild yours.
 
sksmith said:
True, they can handle quite a bit of abuse!
But something is going on to have that amount of metal sludge.
Steve
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if that sludge and flakes are from the cam that the engine digested a few years ago and I ended up replacing.
 
From the pic with the oil pump, #3 rod journal looks a little worn.
Suck to put it back together, head off for school, and lose a bearing (or worse).
Steve.
 
dl242gt said:
Test the flakes with a magnet. If they are ferrous. They could be the cam, rings..
If they are non ferrous that could be bearing, or piston material.
Click to expand...

Went out with a magnet and everything in the pan was steel. I separated them out, and the curvature sure looks like cam lobe shavings to me.

Looked at the bearings and crank again, and it really isn't that bad. I'm going to make sure to clean everything thoroughly, install an HD oil pump, a magnetic drain plug, and really excellent oil and a good zinc additive. I'll change it after the first 100 miles, then again at like 500, and then do it at 3000 mile intervals. If it dies, it dies.
 
vwbusman66 said:
Went out with a magnet and everything in the pan was steel. I separated them out, and the curvature sure looks like cam lobe shavings to me.

Looked at the bearings and crank again, and it really isn't that bad. I'm going to make sure to clean everything thoroughly, install an HD oil pump, a magnetic drain plug, and really excellent oil and a good zinc additive. I'll change it after the first 100 miles, then again at like 500, and then do it at 3000 mile intervals. If it dies, it dies.
Click to expand...

Did it have oil pressure issues before?

Just wipe out the pan, fill it with Rotella 15w40 and rock on.
 
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