Metal Flakes in Oil Filter ?

[Rfan88]

Hello everyone,

I just signed up to this great site and glad to be here. I have a quick question and would really appreciate if experts like you could chime in.

I recently did an oil change on my 62K miles CSL and noticed small metal flakes in the oil filter. Should I be alarmed ?
I put on about 200miles after the oil change and yesterday I checked the new oil filter to see if there would be new flakes but there were none. Could the previous flake incident be an isolated issue ? Or is 200 miles too soon to see new ones ?

I know that all CSL's came with upgraded bearings for s54 but maybe the mileage is the issue ? Although I read on this forum a lot of high mileage CSL running flawlessly. Should I change the bearings and the oil pump ?

Sorry for all the questions and dumb assumptions but I would truly appreciate any input from experienced CSL owners.

Thanks,

Max,

[Mark CSL]

Was it metal did you try a magnet on them or was it alloy ?

[shane@mbtech]

Definitely an issue mate.

Get your sump off and bearings checked is my advice

[AlexGTT]

Definitely an issue mate.

Get your sump off and bearings checked is my advice

+1. Don't drive it and get investigated asap.

[shimmy]

+1. Don't drive it and get investigated asap.

Unless its warrantied in which case wait until it blows up :hahaha:

[Rfan88]

Was it metal did you try a magnet on them or was it alloy ?

I didn't check on them with magnet. What would be the differences on each material ?

[AlexGTT]

I didn't check on them with magnet. What would be the differences on each material ?

Probably shell material which will not be magnetic as will piston debris. If steel could be cam/finger follower or cylinder/bore material.

[Rfan88]

Oh ok. Thanks.
Would you guys recommend an oil pump change too while we replace the bearings ?

[Mark CSL]

If it was metal you should replace pump and oil cooler and clean out all the pipes as ithere could be small particales that can dameage it again

Never a good sign :banghead:

[Neil M]

I didn't check on them with magnet. What would be the differences on each material ?

It might give some indication as to the source of the problem, steel flakes would be attracted to the magnet whereas alloy wouldn't, which would suggest the source being within the engine itself and not a peripheral component . :bigcry:

[shimmy]

It might give some indication as to the source of the problem, steel flakes would be attracted to the magnet whereas alloy wouldn't, which would suggest the source being within the engine itself and not a peripheral component . :bigcry:


I'm glad you wrote that, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by sounding like I didn't know one part of the engine from another :thumbs:

[Rfan88]

Thank you all for your valuable insight. I will go for bearing+oil pump change and hope to bring another life to my engine.

[AlexGTT]

Thank you all for your valuable insight. I will go for bearing+oil pump change and hope to bring another life to my engine.

Do yourself a favour and never pre-diagnose. Get the engine apart and inspect everything. Once contaminated oil has circulated an engine you need to clean and flush everything and inspect every exposed component. Especially highly stressed areas - cams, finger followers, gears, cam journals/bearings, etc. Otherwise you could be opening the engine again very soon.