[ThatPreludeGuy]

This is something I've been watching for three oil changes and now I'm worried. I changed my oil a while back and it seemed fine but when I drained the oil waste pan I found some weird looking metal bits. I blew it off since I never checked the waste pan first and it was my friends who's always working on his quad. The next time I changed the oil I used a SUPER clean waste pan and I found some bits again but not nearly as many and they kind of looked like pebbles so I asked the dealer and they said to bring the stuff in next time I do an oil change and they'll setup an appointment to check it out. I just changed my oil again tonight because the cars going in tomorrow for the timing belt auto tensioner. This time I hardly found any metal bits..maybe two or three. However there seemed to be something that looked like sand in the bottom of the waste pan. I ran a magnet over it and it stuck but I think it was the oil holding it to the magnet. We filled the bottom of a cup with brake cleaner and then swished the magnet in it to see if the oil would come off and leave the metal. Only the two or three pieces stayed on the rest came off.

Anyone have any clue what this could be? And what are the chances the dealer will drop the oil pan to see what's in the bottom of it just based on my telling them?

I'm not going to sleep well for days

One other thing...my car took almost an entire 6 quarts and the oil level is just at the bottom of the upper hole on the dipstick. I thought I used to have oil leftover from a change?????

[This message has been edited by THATPRELUDEGUY (edited April 17, 2001).]

 

[joedaddy]

ummm...6 quarts?...5 quarts put mine thing close to the upper hole...hmmm...

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[smoothludey]

couple of things...how old is your car..what year/gen? How many miles do you have? What kind of oil do you use? dino/synth? How big are these metal pieces?

 

[BRacing]

try getting a magnetic oil pan plug. These attract all sorts of debris, and you can inspect and clean it when you change your oil. Any decent Speed Shop should carry them. I've even seen them at some Kragen/Grand Auto stores.

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BRacing
"Going faster since 1994"

"Drag racing is for those that can't steer"

 

[BoYgUaN]

well if its a 5th gen its like that. as a new car owner the metal shards i beleive are from the pistons and stuff liek that in the engine that move around scraping against each other till they fit. i had that in my car also. only put 5 quarts because it was the same for me. it would never get to the dipstick but yeah its 5 only. 5.1 to be exact but 5 will do. run it for a lil while then check it and add as required.

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aLwAyS lOoKiNg To Go FaStEr
2000 Crystal Blue Base Prelude
OEM Body kit
AEM CAI
EIBACH PROKIT
Dc Front Upper Strut Tower Bar
Dc Rear Lower Strut Tower Bar
Mobil One Synthetic 5w-30
AUDIO:Alpine 7965 CD deck,Mtx Thunder 304 @ 375 Watts, Mtx Thunder 302 @ 400 Watts Powering A 12 Inch Mtx 8000, and Alpine 12 Disc Cd Changer

 

[marcucci]

See the dealer immediately- you shouldn't be getting anything out of the engine like that. About how big are these pieces? Can you tell if they are steel or aluminum?

 

[U.K VTEC]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by marcucci:
......Can you tell if they are steel or aluminum?</font>

Steel will stick to a magnet...aluminum will not.

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93 VTEC 4WS & TC (JDM)
"and on the seventh day, God created VTEC"

 

[ThatPreludeGuy]

OK the pieces that were larger where still VERY small but they stuck to a magnet. I'd say they were no bigger then the very tip of a pencil. The other "pieces" looked more like sand and they didn't stick to the magnet.

Here's what my dealer had to say. Since I'm one oil change from being out of warranty and have the extended warranty I should wait til the next oil change, bring in the metal (or oil) and they can go from there. Under the extended warranty I have 4 days caoverage in a rental and now I dont' have any so the $50 deductible for the insurance would be cheaper then the 4 days of renting a car @ $35/day. I agreed just because I don't have anything to show them and they gave me the classic answer of a little bit of metal is normal.

So does my car sound F--ked?

BTW it runs and sounds fine if that means anything....

 

[ThatPreludeGuy]

^^^