How much metal would be normal in an engine with about 200 miles and run on a dyno? I tore the filter apart today and there is some in the all the pleats. I ran a magnet across it and got metal. I also have a magnetic plug, and found metal on it when I removed it. It was covered in little slivers. This engine has already had one rebuild with about this many miles. Had 3 rod bearings fubar'd and ruined the crank. I am afraid it is the same thing. Before it was knocking and didn't run good and ran hot. This time I am getting it running really good, no knocking, and running cool.

I am about to loose it. Let me know what you think. I am going to put some miles on it and then try changing the oil again and see how it looks.

Thanks

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your going to find some. try this some time, when you change the oil in your daily driver, cut that filter apart, you might just be suprised at what you see.

 

With my car, I dismantled a computer hard drive and took the powerful magnet out of it and dropped it in my oil pan. No metal chips make it through my oil system anymore, they all get stuck to the magnet like a porcupine

 

If your clearances within the engine are correct, and you run a flat-tappet cam, yes you will have some mettallic particles in your oil. On my fresh 413" small block, my first oil change after breaking in the cam had all kinds of metallic particles, which was expected. The 2nd oil change looks fine. If you had to rebuild after only 200 miles the first time, and with 3 rod bearings shot, I'd suggest you pay a vist to your engine machinist.

You did have the rods resized before building the engine this time, right?

 

Thanks for all the replies. The reason for the first rebuild was 3 rod bearings. The inside of the filter pleats was gold. I sent it back to them and they rebuild it and couldn't give me a reason. When I got it back I had it put on the dyno straight out of the crate. I have about 200-250 miles on it after the dyno and have changed the oil(std Mobil One 10w-40) several times. Seems like everytime I changed the oil, I dropped the plug into the pan and had to wipe it off before looking at it. This is the first time I have cut open the filter.

I'm going to drive it easy about 100 miles and change the oil. And do this for about 3 times and then come to a conclusion. Thanks for the help and I'll keep you updated.