Small shavings on magnetic drain plug... Problem or not?
 

As many of you know, I've got a reground stock cam in the motor. I installed a magnetic oil pan drain plug in order to be more aware of any metal shavings coming from the motor. Upon changing my oil yesterday, this is the extent of what we found:

https://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e...Picture004.jpg
Some very small metal bits stuck to the magnetic tip.

https://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e...Picture007.jpg
Slightly larger shaving.

Is this more metal than should be generated in approximately 4000 miles? Thanks!

when you put in the reground cam, did you fill with cheap oil, run for 5 mins, drain, replace filter, and fill again?

Yessir, and it has probably undergone five or six oil changes since the swap. Maybe it has been more, since we did the swap around Thanksgiving of 2005.

I'm not sure how much metal comes out of a stock motor, if any.

Honestly Ben..I wouldn't worry about that little bit. It could be residual etc. Now if you find a ton when you open that oil filter...then worry. If you find nothing.. consider this as maybe a little that fell in when cleaning the gasket surfaces.

I have always found about that amount on my friends Malibu when we change the oil... He had less than 40k on it too...

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If your that worried, you could install one of these things. You would have to tap a new drain port on your oil pan. Yet, it would let you know when the shit would hit the fan.


Turbine engine chip detector.
http://www.tedecoindustrial.com/electric.htm

Easy circuit to install. The detector, a voltage source, and a light bulb. Ignore the 24Volt specs. Thats used for aircraft electrical systems. 12 volt would work fine because of the 12volt light you would use.