Minimal metal specks in oil— need suggestions

[Danb]

A recent oil analysis showed a slight increase in some metals. I just did another oil change at 20 hours and submitted it for analysis, did a compression test all cylinders in 70’s except two at 66, borescope revealed everything looked normal, valves perfect pizza pie depiction and I use about 1/2 quart oil between oil changes, basically no oil needed. Since everything in engine seemed good to excellent in addition had a complete top done near 200 hours ago total time on engine is 530 hours.

What now should I do or expect, is there another place that could cause increased metal specks in filter.

 Thanks Dan

[dkkim73]

I imagine the type of metal and size would be good info to add. Do you subscribe to Savvy? This is the kind of thing I would also run by them. 

[Marc_B]

21 hours ago, Danb said:

I just did another oil change at 20 hours and submitted it for analysis

Did you send off your filter for analysis to identify metal composition to help identify potential source...or just an oil sample?

https://avlab.com/product/oil-filter-analysis-kit/

[N201MKTurbo]

Do you have a pic of the specs?

 

[DXB]

On 2/3/2025 at 5:25 PM, Danb said:

A recent oil analysis showed a slight increase in some metals. I just did another oil change at 20 hours and submitted it for analysis, did a compression test all cylinders in 70’s except two at 66, borescope revealed everything looked normal, valves perfect pizza pie depiction and I use about 1/2 quart oil between oil changes, basically no oil needed. Since everything in engine seemed good to excellent in addition had a complete top done near 200 hours ago total time on engine is 530 hours.

What now should I do or expect, is there another place that could cause increased metal specks in filter.

 Thanks Dan

Are you referring to "specks" in the form of abundant ferrous metal sticking to a magnet when you run it over the filter (which is concerning), or just the oil analysis (which is much less concerning - so much so I'd suggest quit with the oil analysis, which is generally not actionable information).    If visible "specks" are nonferrous, analyzing their composition via Avlab can be informative, as mentioned already.

[Danb]

The specks are a few, small, showed up in oil analysis, they stuck to a magnet. I am a Savvy membership no picture of specks since there few small and minimal 

 

[Danb]

My snalysis.

[Schllc]

While I don’t necessarily believe oil analysis to be a useless tool, I am very suspect of its accuracy for long term predictions.  It may be able to indicate a serious and closely imminent catastrophic failure, but the numbers would look a LOT different from what is shown here. 
Even how the sample is drawn can dramatically impact these numbers. 
Say one oil change you do an oil change immediately after a 3 hour flight, when the oil is hottest, and maybe you are pushing 30 hours, as you are here.  

The next time you just drain it cold, and maybe you are closer to 20 hours, as your last sample.  Or if you take the sample from the first drop of the draining, or the last of the residual oil. 
we are talking parts per million here…

I don’t have any advice,  but if it were me, I would fly the crap out of a 2016 acclaim with a 500tt engine with less than 200 on a new top, and I wouldn’t pay much attention to these minuscule changes.  
I see nothing concerning in those numbers, just a little creative writing in the comments section. 
Last, but most importantly, what else can you do?  These numbers, with good borescope and compressions, and as long as it’s making full power, there is nothing you can/should do but fly!

[N201MKTurbo]

They say it is cylinder metals. I wouldn’t worry about that. What would you do? Change out all your cylinders?  It would be good to take a look at them to see if anything  is happening. Which you did, so be happy your cylinders are still doing fine and sleep well.

[Danb]

7 hours ago, Danb said:

The specks are a few, small, showed up in oil analysis, they stuck to a magnet.

 

[N201MKTurbo]

There could be a small piece of dirt that got past the air filter and got stuck in the side of your piston. It rode up and down a few thousand times. It could be scratching the cylinder wall until lit went away. This can make debris like that. The rings will scrape it all smooth after it is gone.

[Danb]

Rich I hope your right, since we checked a lot of stuff it could be

D

[Pinecone]

If that was my engine, I would fly it, and continue to monitor.  And borescope the cylinders each oil change.

With a couple of cylinders low on compression, if they are still low the next oil change, I might try a ring flush.

Oil analysis is not about sudden failure in the near future.  It is about seeing small changes to address early before they cause more damage.

[Fly Boomer]

On 2/3/2025 at 4:25 PM, Danb said:

A recent oil analysis showed a slight increase in some metals. I just did another oil change at 20 hours and submitted it for analysis, did a compression test all cylinders in 70’s except two at 66, borescope revealed everything looked normal, valves perfect pizza pie depiction and I use about 1/2 quart oil between oil changes, basically no oil needed. Since everything in engine seemed good to excellent in addition had a complete top done near 200 hours ago total time on engine is 530 hours.

What now should I do or expect, is there another place that could cause increased metal specks in filter.

 Thanks Dan

This is probably not the black/white answer you are looking for, but if you digest this article from Mike Busch, you will stop worrying:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/july/pilot/savvy-maintenance-unbelievable-compression