metal flakes in the oil? 2006 jetta tdi

I just did my 30k oil change.
Pulled the magnetic drain plug and found a bunch of metal flakes on it.
About 5 or 6, flat metal flakes. Pretty small.

Where would this be from? Pretty sure bearing material is non-ferrious.

Did this show up for the cam failures?

Time to pull the valve cover.

guess it wouldn't hurt. Didn't find anyone reporting it as a symptom but will check.

Andrewh said:

guess it wouldn't hurt. Didn't find anyone reporting it as a symptom but will check.

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You will find alot of people here prefer top side oil changes. They will use a suction device such as a Pela or MightyVac. In which case I doubt they would find metal. Mostly because if they do top side changes they will not be pulling the drain plug and will no have a magnetic drain plug, to capture the metalic bits. Who knows, I'm probably wrong.

I think topside draining when you've got a drainplug there for the purpose is at least objectionable.

well, just incase someone recognizes the pieces before I tear in (raining now) here is a pic of the pieces. With a scale next to them.


They looked like parts of a leaf at first. Seems like veins running through them, but they are definatly ferous and picked up by the magnet.

Pieces of lifter maybe?

D-Cell_Mekanick said:

Pieces of lifter maybe?

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X 2. I don't like those "veins", they look like they're from a scored surface.

Kinda looks like casting??

In the absence of any other symptoms, drive on.

Bill

Can't see it being lifters. Those are normally shiney metal, not rust colored.
No dust either.
Can't pop a valve cover till next weekend.
I will continue to drive it till I see somethign else.

Andrewh said:

Can't see it being lifters. Those are normally shiney metal, not rust colored.
No dust either.
Can't pop a valve cover till next weekend.
I will continue to drive it till I see somethign else.

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I just pulled my valve cover to inspect and all was well at 100k...this was a few weeks ago.

Found some small metal shavings/flakes on my drain plug when I changed the oil yesterday...smaller than what you have in the pic, but not the fine graphite looking "stuff" that I'm used to finding on other vehicles with magnetic drain plugs.

I just kind of shrugged when I saw them. Cam and lifters look like new and she runs just fine. I used some brake cleaner to remove the light sludgy layer that concealed them, but there was definitely a bit of something hanging on. If it wasn't for the magnetic plug those little bits would be floating around, so I'd rather have them under control.

Not worrying about it.

D-Cell_Mekanick said:

You will find alot of people here prefer top side oil changes. They will use a suction device such as a Pela or MightyVac. In which case I doubt they would find metal. Mostly because if they do top side changes they will not be pulling the drain plug and will no have a magnetic drain plug, to capture the metalic bits. Who knows, I'm probably wrong.

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I haven't used my pela on the TDI, that oil is just too nasty. I use a fumoto valve though.

I can understand doing a top side, thanks to VW's "DIS SPLASH GUARD WILL NEVER COME OFF BECAUSE WE USE 97 FASTENERS ON IT" design.

seriously it takes me 10 minutes to remove the splash guard and 5 minutes to change the oil, ***?

philip_g said:

seriously it takes me 10 minutes to remove the splash guard and 5 minutes to change the oil, ***?

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I've got a miniature cordless impact gun. That cover comes off in thirty seconds-

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PS40-2A-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Impact/dp/B001C4AQVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1266927473&sr=1-2

Andrewh said:

Can't see it being lifters. Those are normally shiney metal, not rust colored.
No dust either.
Can't pop a valve cover till next weekend.
I will continue to drive it till I see somethign else.

Click to expand...

I have yet to view the pictures on my computers 27" monitor, just use my iPhone for most of my forum pleasure. If I get time today I'll pull it up on the big screen.

I had some of this on my drain plug,

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2724649&postcount=77

the cam was not inspected at the TB change or anytime afterward. I don't have a vagcom to further diagnose.

however the car still runs great as it always did so guess what, I am just driving it and not worrying about it. I'm currently at 120,000 miles. I plan on keeping the car so I know a cam replacement is in my future - perhaps at the next TB change or if any symptoms appear before then.

For all this talk of BRM cam wear I have not seen too much discussion of what is showing up on magnetic drain plugs.



link to thread, post #77

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=2724649#post2724649

Looks like flakes of cast iron to me. Could it be from the block casting?

abakos said:

I've got a miniature cordless impact gun. That cover comes off in thirty seconds-

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PS40-2A-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Impact/dp/B001C4AQVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1266927473&sr=1-2

Click to expand...

You could probably accomplish the same with a 1/4" drive electric screwdriver.

Yeah, I expect to see the sludge too, but only got the flakes.

Guess it could be casting. Weird to only see it at 30k.