Changed the oil for the first time in my car a few months ago (a few days after I bought it @ 42k miles), and when I pulled the magnetic plug, there was a small, but hard, piece of metal about the size of a pencil lead on the magnet. No gray metal paste, no shavings... just one little piece of magnet sensitive metal (not aluminum)

The car was running perfectly, and I didn't know the last time anyone had changed the oil, so I decided to not worry myself to much about it.

Well, today I changed the oil for the second time at 46k miles, and there was another piece on the magnet; a twin... just like the one I had found before, all by itself with no other metal particles, shavings, or paste. This time, however, I checked the drained oil and filter by eye and by magnet... didn't find anything else.

This has me really worried, but the car shows to signs of any problems whatsoever... no noise, no loss of power (car ran great at the track last weekend, very strong!) The motor has absolutely no ticks or slaps whatsoever...

Anyone have any ideas? Should I go ahead and get an extended warranty just in case something goes South?

Thanks

 

Look like a little needle bearing?

 

i would laugh my **** off if it was a needle bearing lol
jeremy

 

why?

 

Actually, it is thin and flat... looks nothing like a needle bearing.

PhantomTA- Why do you ask? Furthermore, why with a smile?
Jerm93- Why would you laugh?

It's hard to describe; I was ready to take a picture of it, but a friend was looking at it and dropped it in the grass. Anyhow, it is about the size of a pencil led, a little smaller and flat.

HELP!

 

you got them backwards.. read the posts again..

i wasnt the one laughing!

If it was a needle bearing i could tell you the problem.

however its not.

what color is it?

 

Sorry bout that... edited the post.

Anyhow, it is just a dark metallic color...

What would you say it was if it was a needle bearing?

 

Needle bearings are bad retaining clips on the rockers.

any way you can take a pic of what you are finding?

you will always have metal on the plug, its magnetic
some shavings no matter how small will be in your oil, thats normal.

My cars plug is always silver in color even if i cant actually identify any "shavings". and occasionly ill get some very small ones, but nothing large.

I had an oil pump goin at one time, and i would have a plug that was covered in small shavings which wasnt good at all. had to have a rebuild done

So i guess im asking, how big is this peice of metal?

 

This piece didn't come from a needle bearing unless it was smashed and broken.

This piece is about the size of a pencil led from a yellow wood pencil... except flatter, and of them had a slight curve in it... it's worring me that it could be a hunk 'o bearing.

 

well..

hows your oil pressure?

 

Great! Highest out of the 3 Camaros I've had. It runs above 40 at all times, even idle, and will run up a little ways past 60 at high revs.

Hmm...

 

dont worry about it... just change your oil sooner next few times and keep an eye open..

 

Anyone else?

 

hey sorry about the laughing remark i made earlier, i was just talking about the huge thread about the defective rocker arms in the LS1's... this would have been the first i have heard of needle bearings in the oilpan and it just so happened to be the day after that big thread.
anyways, im trying to think of a possibility as to what that piece of metal is.... have you done any work to the maf lately?
jeremy

 

Jerm93- No offense taken, I was just curious what the inside story to it was. From the looks of this thing, I just can't see it being a needle bearing... also, how would anything the size of a pencil lead from the intake get into the oilpan?