Metal in oil, what would you do?

[B5234FT]

So I changed the oil in my 2010 street triple for the first time over the weekend (did a couple of hundred miles after I got it before winter and then laid it up in the garage). Bikes on 14k miles, here's what I found:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/alistairolsen/IMG_20160325_213404_zps48okcszm.jpg

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/alistairolsen/IMG_20160325_213409_zps3pqswxww.jpg

Tub is a 2.5l screenwash container, so not as big as you'd expect.

Now I've a long history with cars where this is basically terminal, however asking a few folk metal in bike oil is pretty normal, but these arent metallic flakes, theyre lumps and theyre not magnetic like transmission slivers.

So to the combined wisdom of BCF, is this bad and if so, how bad? What would you do? As I see it the options are:

1) Heed the warning sign and tear down the engine to find and rectify the cause
2) Heed the warning and sell the bike (I frown on that shit)
3) Button it back up with fresh oil and a magnetic sump plug and hope for the best - it was running fine before I dropped the oil and may continue to for long enough. Risk is I wind up needing a new engine.

Cheers

[DrSnoosnoo]

Without much else input I'll ask a question. How do you know those are bits of metal? You say they are not paramagnetic, so why would the use of a magnetic sump plug be a possible solution to this problem?
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[B5234FT]

[Ariel Badger]

Looks like machining waste from production, very poor quality control if it is.
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[chris-red]

Do these engines have an oil gauze screen you can remove and check?

Personally I'd consider taking the sump off and checking for more bits, I wouldn't think about stripping more down without other symptoms.
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[B5234FT]

[c_dug]

Looks more like gravel than metal, not to insult your intelligence or anything, but are you sure the container was completely clean and empty before emptying the oil into it, it's not possible you somehow kicked some dirt into it or something.

I've had the odd bit of metal come out in the oil before, but never anything that looks like that.
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[B5234FT]

[B5234FT]

[Pjay]

I once had some crap like that in the oil of a car I once owned.
It turned out to be mineral based and somehow formed from using a mix of different types of oil.

Try crushing a larger piece with a hammer.

[Aceslock]

It looks like gravel to me too. Have you picked it up to see if it comes apart?

I can see a bit of loose gravel in the top pic, could have dropped in off a rag or the bottom of your shoe or something maybe???
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[B5234FT]

[chris-red]

I wouldn't worry about that gravity will drop the shit back to the sump. Whip it off and have a look.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[stinkwheel]

What would I do?

Keep riding it.

It's either something hugely problematic and expensive to fix which will eventually prove terminal or nothing at all to worry about. I doubt it would fall anywhere inbetween those two extremes.

To me, a strip down would be only to confirm which it was (new engine time or totally fine).

Schrodingers engine. Do you want to collapse the waveform?
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[Rogerborg]

Slight variant on that murdered moggy: either ride it or sell it to some unsuspecting mug as "mint conditional, wants for nothing, freshly serviced".

Hello BCF.
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[B5234FT]

[pepperami]

Can you identify any piece of that metal as having had been machined or manufactured ? or are they all just round blobs?
Round blobs could indicate melt/heat? possibly? maybe?
Specific shape could indicate broken off parts?

Are they ali or ferrous?... that might give some idea of where they come from? possibly? maybe?

Has the engine ever been run without/very low oil?








OR it could be an indicator that your bike has aids!
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[B5234FT]

[MCN]

To get a better idea of what it is you must remove the oil.

You can use brake cleaner to spray the bits.

Put the debris/detritus on a clean cloth then spray the solids and then you can better determine what it is.

It can be difficult to determine what or from where unless you have some info on what it could be inside.
And 'melted' can a miss call and it is really impacted/rolled/bashed metal from a broken something.

Drain and refill.
Drain again at 1000 miles.

There are companies who can analyse oil which 'can' elaborate on visible signs.

SGS Vernolab on the Wirral, or Alcontrol Robertson’s in Wales

It will cost you about 30-50 quids. But a one off sample will not always give you much info as it is a much better tool to look for 'trends' based on repeated scheduled sampling.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[haroman666]

It really does look like grit or gravel.

Did you recently buy it? Perhaps previous owner has sold it with a little something added to the oil in the hope it would die and then he could revel in the chaos he'd created...

Passing thought anyway.

Or some young scrotes/ex-girlfriend has tried to sabotage you.
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[Pigeon]

[stevo as b4]

I wouldn't worry about it at all.
If you think there's something in the engine then I'd put in a high detergent oil with new filter, and run for 100miles, then change both again and put some good oil in.

If you have good oil pressure, compression pressures, non oily plugs, then metal in the oil would not worry me. You can easily get bits of all sorts in the oil like, gasket material, clutch plate lining etc.

I think colour and what's in your oil is not a good way generally to judge engine condition or health in many case's.

Oil pressure, compression readings, leak down testing and coolant system behaviour is however.

[Gazz]

Did you use an engine flush before draining the oil? It might be bits of carbon deposits which have built up over time.

I was always told not to use an engine flush on high mileage engines as this can do more harm than good - although your bike only has 14k on it so might not be that, just a thought.

[recman]

I've done 3 or 4 oil changes since I bought mine (now just over 10k), I don't remember seeing anything like that in the old oil.
But then my oil drain tray is black. How is your cam chain? A loose one might create a little debris but then, so might a lot of things.

[mudcow007]

might sound stupid this, but is it a bit of "mayo" from cold starts that just hasn't burnt off?