Found this in sump

[wolf k]

Found this in the oil pan after 100 mile break-in. Now in process of pulling engine for tear down. I have successfully assembled many engines, reciprocating compressors, and other machinery and have never seen this type of failure. Do not yet know the source, the shavings are copper, they do not seem to be galled, just nice shavings. Oil pressure was good. Any guesses?

[DAVID GAGNARD]

If the shavings are cooper, my guess would be bearing material, if the oil pressure was good, I'd guess cam bearings????
Could the shavings have come from the cam bearings after installing the cam or when the new cam bearings were installed???

David

[Racer_X]

That would be my guess also, cam bearing material.
One of the cam bearing surfaces have a knick or scrape in it and it shaved the bearing material off.

[PANAVIA]

My 20 $ -Thrust bearing face material with to much clutch preload.

[Wbulk]

Since we are guessing, how about the sides of the main thrust bearing. They look about the right size.

[RICK LAKE]

Wbulk What bell housing and trans are you running?? This looks like thrust bearing that has been shaved. If you are running a GM input shaft in some ford motors, with a lakewood bell housing, The input is too long by .380" This need to be removed to unload the crank shaft. We don't know your new buildup but they have changed the back ends of crankshafts and not cut them as deep as needed. More info on the bottom end will help. Rick L.

[vettestr]

Remains of thrust bearing surface has been mentioned a couple of times, add one more time.

Regardless of what you find .... IT SUCKS ! keep your chin up.

[trularin]

Two possibles:

junk left over from pushing out old CAM bearing and some how stayed in the engine

Thrust bearing material

Very scary.

My vote

[wolf k]

Good news; no damage to engine internals, all bearings look good, no particles imbedded in bearings or found anywhere in the oiling system, Just in the sump and a few behind the cam thrust bearing? I can't remember if there was some small shim behind the cam gear, but everything was tight. The shavings I now believe are brass, not copper. It was not the distributor gear. Going to button it back up after a cam change, (less aggressive). In the future, will pull the pan every now and then for inspection.

[RICK LAKE]

wolf K One check before putting motor back togeather, check the endplay of the camshaft before installing front cover. I have a torrington bearing on my motor. Some guys just run shims. There is a spec, but a don't have it in front of me at this time. I also doubt that those shaving are not new. We all clean or motor pretty good. 1 peice of material or even 2-3 peices I can see. Not all the parts you had come out. Cut open the oil filter and check inside there too for metal pieces. If you find none I would say motor is OK. IF you find a bunch, I would recheck all bearings, that material came from somewhere. 20K motor don't grow on trees either. I have found that a second pair of eyes also helps. Good luck Rick L.

[wolf k]

Good points Rick, I do believe the shavings are new also, I was very thorough cleaning the block. Will cut open filter today.

[wolf k]

To put this thread to rest, it was definitely a bronze spacer/ thrust ring that was behind the cam gear. Dug up the instructions for the timing gears and there it was in the diagram. This was the so called quiet gear drive sold by JEGS. It was not so quiet, but kind of cool. Going back with a double roller chain.

[ERA Chas]

Glad you found it and no major harm. KISS is best again...