I just drained the oil and expected to see some silver from a wiped cam lobe as I have in the past. Instead I had no silver, but a noticeable size of metal. It looked flat on either side and I didn't like that.

I OJT'ed the lash adjustment wrong and there was play in the valve train. When I pulled the rocker cover off only two were still tight. None of the lifters showed noticeable damage, but two of the lobes certainly looked wipe. I'll be done taking it out tomorrow.

Opinions? One edge looks a bit serrated like it was sheared. This was a previously good cam and lifters. They went back in in their correct sequence.

 

Is it magnetic or not ?

 

It is. It looks too thin to be a crank bearing. The edge is flat like it was made that way. There is the faintest curve to it.

 

Could it be a beat up and sheared valve spring keeper? Is there indication of a ring that used to fit in a valve stem groove visible on the inside of that? I looked but cant tell from the photos.

 

I'll investigate tomorrow. I've already come to terms with the fact the engine is coming out and there will be another 3 weeks of me stuck at the house.

 

I am a bit confused by your first post. You said you pulled the valve cover off and that the lifters looked fine but the cam didnt look good. You mentioned nothing about pulling the head off to get to the lifters. So did you pull the head or you are just looking at the tops of the lifters?

 

If it's a valve keeper it could have been from a previous head and head issue. Not the current head that's on it now.

 

Its hard to tell from the photo ..but it kinda looks like what's left of a drilled out bolt or stud...is that threads I see??

 

It's not a crank bearing unless you REALLY trashed something.

Since it is magnetic, it's not babbitt, which is what comes off the bearing shells when wiped, so you didn't wipe a bearing and get that (may still have wiped a bearing tho).

Since it is magnetic, it also means it is a hard part, and not part of the piston or ring lands or skirt, or maybe a pushrod (don't remember if thee are aluminum or steel on the 4.0).

Could be many things...just have to figure it out...starting at the top and working down.

 

The cam wipe and me pulling the head off happened two weeks ago. I'm just now draining the oil from that even and found that metal. The head has been pulled at this point, along with rods and lifters. Cam has been left in block, until today. Nothing is wrong with rockers, rods, or lifters. I can see two wiped cam lobes from looking down into the lifter bores as it sits in the engine bay, having seen it happen before. Shiny reflective surfaces on cam lobes is always a wipe.

I tested the magnetic capability of some Clevite 77 bearings that I have on the shelf and they are magnetic. I am guessing they are tri-metal and not aluminum since aluminum is not magnetic.

It's a flat faintly curved so it's not a push rod. I already pulled them with the top end weeks ago.

 

I'm taking an old pro approach to reducing metallic particles since I have to pull this thing and clean it.

Samaraian Cobalt magnets are going inside the engine.

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com...s/magnets.120/

 

My only question would be, how are you going to look at those to see when you might be getting some debris warning you of potentially worse problems coming?

While they might be grabbing stuff to keep it from circulating, they might also be grabbing stuff you might be better off seeing as a warning sign.

 

I'm not. It's better to have the preventative protection than find the aftermath of damage. If a cam wipes out I'm going to know it, and have peace of mind that my bearings else where have drastically reduced metallic contamination, if any at all. Taking a crank and block to a machinist for work is time and expense consuming.

I may be in that boat right now. If I ever have a cam wipe in the future the engine is coming out anyways and I'll see how much was caught and how other surfaces were protected as a result. Then I'll clean them off and repeat installation.

From the looks of it they should be accessible just from dropping the oil pan since they're going on the block under the lifters. Should I ever wipe a cam and not have the ability to pull and overhaul an engine in the future it will also give me the ability to be able to just swap the cam and go. Is it ideal? No. But like I said, I want the flexibility to be able to do that in the future if I have to. Simply having them there to catch all metallic particles at the point of formation will extend the engine life alone.

I'm still putting bars on the oil filter and a few more discs on the oil pump.

Considering breaking in a cam requires wearing out metal parts to a pattern it's a really good idea regardless.

Pulling the oil pan for inspection every once in a while is far more preferable than rebuilding an engine.

 

I got you. One thing though... Everything you attach a magnet to is going to become magnetic. Honestly, I'm not sure magnetizing the oil pump will do you any favors man. Just a heads up...

 

I hope I magnetize the fruitloops out of it. Replacing a stroker crank is harder than replacing a pump. I keep hearing the cranks are becoming hard to find and I don't want to find myself not being able to find one because a .5mm piece of metal went rogue and took a journey through the oiling passages.