UH OH

[JExpedition07]

What am I looking at, 50,000 miles this is what came out in the oil change today. Bearings letting go? I used my dad’s pan and he said he changed his vans oil last week so it’s possible it’s from that. That van has 160k but now I’m paranoid. I don’t want the bottom end to let go randomly.

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[JExpedition07]

Expert analysis is that it’s a cracked piston, particularly a piston skirt. I used a borrowed dirty pan so no way of knowing which motor is about to have a bad day lol

 

[My 2ND Ford]

What am I looking at, 50,000 miles this is what came out in the oil change today. Bearings letting go? I used my dad’s pan and he said he changed his vans oil last week so it’s possible it’s from that. That van has 160k but now I’m paranoid. I don’t want the bottom end to let go randomly.

Pieces like this missing should be causing noise of some sort. They look awful thin to be piston skirt material.

 

[Mosey]

I doubt those are the only pieces in the engine, your’s or your father’s. Change out the oil in your dad’s van (use a clean drain pan) and cut open the oil filter. Look for metal, even minuscule pieces. If none then do the same for your engine.

 

[jhelrey]

Cut your filter open!

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

Yeah, a suggestion you really need to cut your filter open.

 

[SALEEN961]

This is what happens when you tow with 3.31 gears, you should have listened to all your elders when they said you need 4.10s. jk

Now that that is out of the way, can you tell what type of metal those small pieces are? What kind of van does your dad have?

 

[JExpedition07]

This is what happens when you tow with 3.31 gears, you should have listened to all your elders when they said you need 4.10s. jk

Now that that is out of the way, can you tell what type of metal those small pieces are? What kind of van does your dad have?

They appear to be cast pieces, that’s where we come up with probable piston material. He’s got a 2017 GMC Savana with the 6.0 LS in it.

 

[JExpedition07]

I have the filter so cut it now and while a great idea in theory it doesn’t work in practice the way I did it. The metal blade spread bits of the housing all over the garage floor and in the filter media. You can’t use a saw of any kind since I could feel the hot pieces of cut metal hitting my legs as I went. All we can do is drive them and see now.

It still has 10,000 miles of warranty left so I don’t think I’m going to sweat it. Maybe I’ll buy an extension as we get closer.

 

[dochawk]

mine was easier to identify on my E-150.

While removing the torn oil pan,

one of the bolts spun endlessly. Reaching up,

yes, that's a piece of the block.

and so

?

 

[Dakar09]

I agree with the fellas that this is well worth a fresh drain and refill of your truck in a clean pan. This would drive me crazy not knowing.

But as noted my @Mosey, those would not be the only pieces in there and you should see something as soon as you drain it. Or your dad will se something. One of you has a problem

 

[JohnMcClane]

Two things I think may help:

1. Figure out the piston material in your dad’s van, if it’s steel and the material in your hand is steel, it’s not from your Coyote which has aluminum pistons.

2. Get yourself one of these for filter analysis.

https://a.co/d/dDLLM1I

 

[Je1279]

mine was easier to identify on my E-150.

While removing the torn oil pan,

one of the bolts spun endlessly. Reaching up,

yes, that's a piece of the block.

and so

?

On the plus side, you scored a new inspection port...

 

[madsend81]

Use a magnet on the pieces of debris. If they are aluminum, they will not be magnetic.

Cast iron vs steel can be trickier, but by using a grinder you can determine. Steel will produce lots of bright yellow sparks. Cast iron will be a few dark orange sparks.

 

[JohnMcClane]

Use a magnet on the pieces of debris. If they are aluminum, they will not be magnetic.

Cast iron vs steel can be trickier, but by using a grinder you can determine. Steel will produce lots of bright yellow sparks. Cast iron will be a few dark orange sparks.

Figured everyone knew the magnet trick based on our trucks aluminum bodies, but the other information is good too.

Steel will be more magnetic than cast iron, but just looking at the photos, very smooth breaks and appearance to be cast iron.

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