Found during oil change

[joey4420]

So after changing my intake manifold gasket twice (both times it has leaked from different area's) not my week. And I need to do it again.

I changed the oil and found the following attached to my drain plug magnet.
I also found some greasy metal shavings. It doesn't look good no matter how I slice it.

Thoughts?

[Gaz64]

That is not good.

Difficult to say what it is.

Whatever is was has been beaten up a bit.

I'd say it is engine out for disassembly.

Gary

[DWRAT]

It looks like rubber but i'm guessing it's metal?

[joey4420]

Sadly it is metal. I plan to pull the pan at minimum. I am hoping it isn't a tear down as the engine and car only has 5100 miles.

[jhv48]

That's a head scratcher. If it's in the pan, if there's any damage, it's already done. Almost looks like a broken piece of valve seat. Any weird or unusual noises lately?
If not, do a leak down or compression test and if all checks out ok, I personally, would try to forget about it and go for a drive. If it's serious, you'll know soon enough but I doubt it. Doesn't look like bearings, cam, piston, rings, lifters, etc.

Good luck sleeping.

[joey4420]

No bad noises at all. Only issues I have had is a oil leak in the intake manifold so I change the gasket, well a friend of mine did the work as he was in town visiting. Sadly it was then pissing out the front and rear so I changed it again myself and it as a slight leak out the rear only.

I have also have a slight over heating issue but this is sadly common on the west coast Cobras so I am working through all the fixes.

[Gaz64]

Have you fixed the leak or you still have a leak?
If the manifold needs to come off again, I would check all the lifters for a dislodged circlip.

If it was part of a valve seat, the engine would be misfiring and that bore would damaged beyond repair.

I would also pull the valve covers off for valve train inspection.

Can you get the oil pan off in car?

Gary

[DWRAT]

I agree with jhv, don't do to much yet.
It could have come from a scraping tool or something like that when you or your buddy was changing the intake gasket.
Give it some time and see if anyone here knows exactly what it really is.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by DWRAT

I agree with jhv, don't do to much yet.
It could have come from a scraping tool or something like that when you or your buddy was changing the intake gasket.
Give it some time and see if anyone here knows exactly what it really is.

That's right, it could be something foreign.

Was the valley covered up while the intake was off?

What tools were used for cleaning the gaskets off?

Gary

[joey4420]

I can get the pan off. I am still debating if I should try doing the gasket again or take it to the local Perfromance shop. The guy builds ford engines and sells backdraft and superformance. So if nothing else I hope tendrils by with the little piece and ask his thoughts. I just figured I would ask on the forums first.

[carmine]

That looks like metal clip from valve seal

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by carmine

That looks like metal clip from valve seal

Yes, it could be.

The large end looks like a break, the other three sides look original.

The valve spring partly straightened it out when it jumped through the coils?

Gary

[joey4420]

Bottom was cover tools were a razor scrapper and acetone and rags.

[spdbrake]

It looks like a thread that broke off. I say that because in the second photo it looks tapered. Hard to guess the Diameter of what this came from since the bend radius appears tighter on the right side and opens up moving left on the top photo. Hopefully its from the pan plug bung or dipstick bung.

I highly doubt it is a valve seat as there is no real path for it to get in the oil pan, unless PFM was at work.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by joey4420

Bottom was cover tools were a razor scrapper and acetone and rags.

I didn't think it was a workmanship issue.

[Jac Mac]

Looks more like the tapered end of a 'flat' damper coil from valve spring to me, occasionally find one missing/broken off on teardown, particularly if the spring does not match retainer or spring seat correctly.

[ICCARS]

Hi Joey,
I agree with Jac Mac, it's the end off the damper spring 100% Easy fix though and doesn't mean the engine has to come out if you have the right tools to pull the spring out with the head on. Pull the rocker covers off and you will find the culprit.

Cheers
Wil

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by Jac Mac

Looks more like the tapered end of a 'flat' damper coil from valve spring to me, occasionally find one missing/broken off on teardown, particularly if the spring does not match retainer or spring seat correctly.

Yes, that what it is alright.

[1795]

If you have blown 2 intake gaskets, you might want to take a close look at the intake manifold. Mine went through several intake gaskets and we noticed towards the end that the manifold was not flat. If you put it on a bench it would rock corner to corner like a table in a cheap diner. Bought a replacement intake manifold and the problem was solved. No more intake manifold gasket problems after 10,000 miles.

[joey4420]

Originally Posted by 1795

If you have blown 2 intake gaskets, you might want to take a close look at the intake manifold. Mine went through several intake gaskets and we noticed towards the end that the manifold was not flat. If you put it on a bench it would rock corner to corner like a table in a cheap diner. Bought a replacement intake manifold and the problem was solved. No more intake manifold gasket problems after 10,000 miles.

Oh I hope that isn't the issue with my leaks... the initial leak was out of the front and only after driving it home 12 hours the day I bought it. Changed things and it leaks out the front and back. Changed again and just the rear leaks. I just think I didn't get the "Right Stuff" on thick enough. Prior to this the last intake manifold I had done was when I was in High School and changed the intake on my brother 76 chevy blazer. I don't remember it leaking, so I must have done something right.