engine wear

[A26B]

My reaction is the same as Dynomite's.

There's only two (not one) sources of copper and that's rod pin bushings & crank bearings. I would hope the "white" metal is babbit flakes rather than aluminum.

If it turns out to be bearing material, the saving grace is that the crank will probably be OK. The real question is why?

Considering the oil flow path, the crank is oiled from the inside-out and oil is filtered before going to any part of the engine, less & except the oil pump. So, it's very unlikely that any of the metallic debris, of a damaging size, could end up hurting anything else.

I have seen thrust bearings where the flange is nearly broken off. The way they were made with "no" radius where the flange is attached to the main bearing itself, is not so cool.

Please keep us posted on the findings. If you have to go into the engine, locating the cause is imperative.

[90ZR1#1221]

I was thinking main bearings/thrust washers. Ill get the pan dropped tomorrow and probably pull the air plenum and check the cam housings and valves stuff like that till I get the results of my oil analysis. Bright side is I think I caught this before any major damage was done to the engine. It's still an all original #'s matching car so if I ruined this engine it would kill me. Although still something doesn't make sense with only 30k miles on it. Maybe I should I contact GM and tell them I want some sort of special warranty policy on this lol

[batchman]

Maybe it's bronze, any bronze bushings in these?

Hmmm,
- Jeff

[90ZR1#1221]

Getting ready to drop the pan on this beast. Any tips for getting it off. Looks like maybe some oil cooler lines might need to be moved? Looks like pretty much all 10 and 12 mill bolts

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by 90ZR1#1221

Getting ready to drop the pan on this beast. Any tips for getting it off. Looks like maybe some oil cooler lines might need to be moved? Looks like pretty much all 10 and 12 mill bolts

Three 8mm bolt heads (6 mm bolts) in front and the rest 10 mm bolt heads (8 mm bolts).
The trick is getting to the three in front....remove the motor mount bolts and jack up the engine just a bit to remove those three bolts.

[90ZR1#1221]

It looks like the cross member those motor mounts ride on will unbolt and come out.... Or is that going to cause me more problems? Also where is a good place to put the jack to lift the engine up, is there any clearance issues? I found the problem to my oil leak too. The pan was probably missing five or six bolts.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by 90ZR1#1221

It looks like the cross member those motor mounts ride on will unbolt and come out.... Or is that going to cause me more problems? Also where is a good place to put the jack to lift the engine up, is there any clearance issues? I found the problem to my oil leak too. The pan was probably missing five or six bolts.

Now that will cause an oil leak for sure....I have never heard of missing oil pan bolts before in that quantity. If that many missing, most of the rest must have been very loose.

Just get a short 2x4 and place between jack and oil pan. Jack up on oil pan. I never have removed those cross members but as I recall, others might have.

[rkreigh]

little 7 mm bolts up front are tough to get to. I unbolted the k member and was able to reach them, but jacking up the motor is a good idea and will make it a snap

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by rkreigh

little 7 mm bolts up front are tough to get to. I unbolted the k member and was able to reach them, but jacking up the motor is a good idea and will make it a snap

Me thinks on the front of the oil pan the bolts are 8 mm heads and 6 mm bolts......three on 90'-92' and four on 93'-95' .......but might be mistaken
The two Engines 90'-92' and 93'-95' take a different Oil Pan and Gasket (I think).



Jerry's New Oil pan gaskets
Note Jerry's Part #10106189 Seal, for use with the 90'-92' gasket Oil Pump Suction Tube (o-ring)
Later Motor has NO Pickup Tube "O" Ring

[90ZR1#1221]

Well I brought my old oil filter in to work today (I sell construction equipment) had one of the mechanics look at and apparently all the crap in the filter was paint from the hacksaw blade I used to cut the filter open with... Rookie mistake I know. But there was no metal in the media itself. I had them use a filter cutter to cut open the other filter I put on it to flush the engine and once again there was no metal. I just got to get those last three little bolts out and the pan will be ready to come off but the guys in my shop just think I'm being overly dramatic.