Some non ferrous sparkles in oil filter

[Alan Maurer]

Hello, Similar problem. Oil changes with very small sparkles of non ferrous metal. IO550 with 870 hours since new. Boroscope of cylinders did not show 

scored cylinder walls and exhaust valves looked OK. My #5 always runs hotter CHT than the others. Wondered if the alternator in front of it blocks some cooling. 

We are watching this. Oil analysis showed increased aluminum and iron. Engine develops full power.  So far no diagnosis?? Could pull a cylinder off but

would like to avoid that....any ideas.....Thanks....Alan

[ArtVandelay]

Aluminum pistons, possibly some iron from the rings….I would borescope your cylinders.

[EricJ]

If it's not a lot of sparklies and the oil analysis isn't going crazy, the usual advice is to keep flying it and monitor things.    Whatever it is will either continue to get worse and become more obvious, or may stabilize.

My Lycoming was making a *lot* of metal (but still less than Lycoming's max allowed, which is a lot), and the local Lycoming rep and the local engine shop that had done a tear down on it both said to just keep flying it and monitor it.   Continentals may be slightly different, and they don't give official guidance of how much metal is too much, but without a definitive symptom of some kind any tear downs or disassembly might do more harm than good.   Oil analysis will continue to provide trends, and borescopes and compression checks will also help to track cylinder health if a piston or something is eroding, as well as give an idea of which one it might be once it gets to that point.

 

[PT20J]

Are you sure it's not carbon in the filter? It can reflect light and look like metal. It's brittle and breaks if you press it with your fingernail which metal will not.

When I inspect the filter media, I cut it from the filter core and wrap it in a clean rag and then squeeze it in a vice to get it pretty dry which makes it easier to examine anything I see on the media.

[carusoam]

Pics of your sparkles would be helpful for your discussion…

Have you given the engine any extended time off for Covid?

Some cam followers have decided to protest the lack of oil from sitting too long around here lately…

Engine monitor data can be helpful… but not always…

Pp thoughts only,

-a-

[Guest]

This broken piston pin plug from a 550 shed aluminum into the oil filter and left scuff marks on the cylinder wall.  Borescope revealed which cylinder.

Clarence