Metal Shaving in Oil - Maintenance and Repair Forum
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I just took my car to get the oil changed and the worker told me that there was metal shavings in my oil. They also said that they have seen it in more than a few Ecotecs. I am wondering if any one else has had this problem and what may be the cause. I have 54000 on the engine and have changed the oil at the suggested intervals if not earlier. I don't want to have to tear down my engine so any help would be outstanding.
How often do you get youre oil changes done?. Also their are a few signs of metals shavings occuring, Youre using cheap oil, Leaving oil changes over due, driving youre car hard, Or you got some faulty premature bearing wear.
hopefully that helps you out.
good luck.
Please change your oil yourself....
Look at the used oil while it's still in the drainpan...
Use bright sunlight or a strong flashlight...
See if you detect unusual amount of metalic flakes in the used oil...
It would be quite unusual for an oil change 'worker' to take time to do this...
(Could be a 'gimmick' to sell you something, I'm thinking.)
It is hard to say. If they saw metal on the drain plug then it is probably from normal wear. What you can do it go to this site
Blackstone
they will send you (for free) a kit to take a oil sample on your next oil change. When you send it in you send $20 and they will analysis the oil. You will get a print out on what is found "
Spectral Exam: Establishes the levels of wear metals, silicon, and additives present in the oil. Also checks for coolant.
Viscosity: Determines the grade of oil.
Insolubles: Quantifies the percentage of solids present in the oil.
Flash Point: Determines the flash point of the oil. We use the flash point to determine whether any contamination is present in the oil (determined when the flash is lower than the "should be" range)."
I know people who have used it and like the service. I have a kit that I will be using when I change my oil.
FU Tuning
I used to work at one of those oil changes places, couple years ago.
The oil drains down into pan connected to slider across the pits.
The oil draisn down and you cant see it.
I fail to see how he could see shavings.
You may get a littel bit on the plug but thats about it. I wouldnt trust what the worker thinks he saw.
I've seen Ecotecs with over 150k at my work with the original engine
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
The Ecotec is a very robust engine - see link. I doubt very much that there were shavings in your oil unless there was a manufacturing problem. The design is sound.
Next time your oil and filter are changed, have a look at the oil filter cartridge. Any metal in the oil should easily be seen in the filter pleats.
http://www.year2032.com/ecotec.htm
I know I have a 2200 engine, but the screw in the oil pan has a magnetic tip on it so that if any metal is in your oil, it will stick to it. Next time, ask to see the screw in your oil pan. Or heck, do it yourself and check out the screw yourself. That is pretty much the only way you can check to see if metal is in your oil, if I am not mistaken. Also, I would assume that you got your oil change done at a dealership, in which they like to scam people ALOT, especially with their little chart on what every fluid color is suposed to look like.
dan
My 2004 Ecotec does not have a magnetic oil pan screw. I checked that when I changed my oil the first time. In any case, a magnet will only attract steel particles and not aluminum or any other non-magnetic metal particles.
ES wrote:My 2004 Ecotec does not have a magnetic oil pan screw. I checked that when I changed my oil the first time. In any case, a magnet will only attract steel particles and not aluminum or any other non-magnetic metal particles.
D'OH!!! I forgot that the ecotec was mainly aluminum. Oops, my bad
dan
I know that when I pulled my oil pan off the first time I installed my turbo kit there was a huge chunk of curled metal in there. Guess what it was...the metal that was drilled out for the drain plug. Does'nt suprise me one bit that you have a few shavings.
I too worked at an oil change place and I/We checked every car for metal shavings in the oil so they couldn't blame a blown engine on us if it was already damaged.
I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26
i work at a GM dealer doin oil changes, i've seen a few ecos come in for 1st oil changes and seeing large metal shavings in the filter when i pulled it out, i was told it was normal or something like that
Looks like the metal shavings are burrs from the machining process during manufacture that are not being removed. I don't believe it's because of excessive wear. Hopefully the oil filter will remove them. I must be lucky because at my first oil change I especially looked at my filter cartridge for metal and found non. The drop in oil filter cartridge on the Ecotec makes that easy. All new cars tend to have metal debris left over from the manufacturing process.
The Ecotec has a cast aluminum oil pan that needs a lot of drilling and machining. I hope GM jacks up its inspection and remedies this.
Leland Sparks wrote:Please change your oil yourself....
Look at the used oil while it's still in the drainpan...
Use bright sunlight or a strong flashlight...
See if you detect unusual amount of metalic flakes in the used oil...
It would be quite unusual for an oil change 'worker' to take time to do this...
(Could be a 'gimmick' to sell you something, I'm thinking.)
Some of us have extended warranties, and simply can't. Well, for the scheduled intervals anyways.
--------------------------------------------------------
2002 Sunfire -->
- Ractive steering wheel
- ASA 17" EM9 + Nexen N5000 215/45/17 (steelies for winter)
- D-Spec Lowering kit @ 1.4" (issues currently
)
- Rockford P250.1 + MTX MZS1004 + Panasonic CQ-C8313U head unit
- Barely legal tint.
firemachine69 wrote:Leland Sparks wrote:Please change your oil yourself....
Look at the used oil while it's still in the drainpan...
Use bright sunlight or a strong flashlight...
See if you detect unusual amount of metalic flakes in the used oil...
It would be quite unusual for an oil change 'worker' to take time to do this...
(Could be a 'gimmick' to sell you something, I'm thinking.)
Some of us have extended warranties, and simply can't. Well, for the scheduled intervals anyways.
So because you have a extended warranty you can not change your oil yourself? makes no sense.
FU Tuning
Warranty is void if you don't bring the car to a certified shop for oil changes at the specified intervals (3 months / 5000 km). They assume/ don't trust people to perform an oil and filter change.
--------------------------------------------------------
2002 Sunfire -->
- Ractive steering wheel
- ASA 17" EM9 + Nexen N5000 215/45/17 (steelies for winter)
- D-Spec Lowering kit @ 1.4" (issues currently
)
- Rockford P250.1 + MTX MZS1004 + Panasonic CQ-C8313U head unit
- Barely legal tint.
Ecotecs are known for eating up cylinder liners, so if your mechanic is correct, this could be a issue.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
First I've ever heard of that. The Ecotec has cast-iron cylinder liners for durabililty. Could you please give us more info on this?
Stock Ecotec cylinder liners are reliable up to 750hp. See my link above. So I don't think they are troublesome.
Here is part of that article.
The super-modified Ecotec was able to achieve a reliable 750 hp on 24 psi of boost at 9000 rpm with 10:1 compression and an unspecified fuel with extremely high octane and excellent heat of vaporization characteristics. But as Bothwell's team pushed beyond the 750-plus range, GM Racing began to encounter such extreme cylinder pressures and thermal expansion that the thin-wall stock cylinder sleeves and support structure began to warp and go out of round, split. Cylinder piston became a problem.
Sigh...................
All I could find was this which is applicable to any engine.
Cylinder Damage
"A cylinder bore of any engine can be damaged by a broken piston ring, a loose wrist pin or clip, or piston debris caused by detonation damage. The Ecotec is susceptible to the same kinds of hazards".
You do know how to click on a link right?
With that said:
Mr.Goodwrench-G.T. wrote:(Sigh) Don't bother to search much, huh?
Scroll down on here:
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=11&i=100583&t=100583#100583
As much as you want to praise them, Ecotecs are not all-mighty nor immortal.
Word of advice and since you're new, the search button will be your friend on many issues.
And if you still don't know what you're looking for:
Cylinder Bore Liner Replacement (L61-Ecotec) (TSB#68)
And you're welcome.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
So...????? What's your point????..... That's how to replace it IF it is damaged. Once again. IF it is damaged. If it were an engine without SLEEVES it would have to be RE-BORED. Fitting a new sleeve requires special tools and equipment. The article is telling HOW to do do it.
NOWHERE does it state that it is a common problem on the Ecotec. Do a Google search on Ecotec premature cylinder sleeve wear/failure and you come up with ZILCH !!!! sheesh........
Point being if it is a common problem GM will bring out a TSB# for a fix (in this case 03-06-01-018), that is how you know it is a problem.
And who the F-uck cares if what you type on Google could not come up with anything, this info is from GM and given to dealers and their mechanics.
Also just so you know, in almost 8 years it's been out, this engine went through some rough roads in terms of real world reliability.
And if you want to question that too, go for it, but I'm not going to do your job of researching.
I'm done here.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
You really do jump to conclusions don't you? Who says I do not have access to GM information? What you have quoted is service information. Not an ongoing problem. Once again, Ecotecs are NOT eating up cylinder liners as you have said. No more than any other engine that damages cylinder bores when a piston ring breaks or anything else goes wrong.
Those are my last words on this subject.
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