flakes of metal in oil

[bensonactec]

While doing an oil change today I found what appears to be small metal flakes in the old oil of my 47 cub, She runs perfect has good oil pressure, what is the most likely cause? I am very handy, but have never torn down an engine, is this over my head. Help
Don

[Bigdog]

Metal shavings in the oil is never good news. I think it would be advisable to drop the oil pan and have a look around.

[Eugene]

It's worth dropping the pan and checking as BD suggested.

What color is the metal flakes? Size and shape? Quantity? Size, shape and color may indicated the source.

There are a number of outside sources that could put a metal flake or shaving in the oil pan.

Eugene

[Boss Hog]

Could be bearings could be gears both not good take a look
David

[Into Tractors]

Don't get too discouraged. Hopefully they are "Flakes" and not "Chunks" of metal? I'd follow the advice of dropping the pan, cleaning things up and checking it out. You might get lucky and find nothing drastically wrong.

Any chance you know the history of the tractor from the previous owner?

They might be able to shed some light on the subject if they had ever opened up the engine to do past work? They might have had to drill something out to re-tap, install a helicoil, etc? If they are indeed small flakes, they could be from that type of repair?

I once found a nut & bolt in the drained oil from a tractor I was working on for a friend. Got worried, pulled the pan and started investigating and could not find anything wrong. When I told them about it, he "Remembered" his Dad working on it years ago and he "Lost" some fasteners while working on the engine, and always thought they fell into the top half of the engine. My guess is, those are what I found as I never found anything missing elsewhere.

[bensonactec]

I think I will be brave and drop the pan and see what is in there, I bought the tractor from a person that knew nothing of the history, I'll repost when we have taken a look
thanks Don

[bensonactec]

forgot to mention they are shinny very very small particles, you have to look just right at the oil pan to see them
Don

[kinelbor]

If the engine was rebuilt recently it could be completely normal. As others have said drop the pan and look around with a light. If you see rods that have baked on oil (brownish stain) then that one is probably heating up and breaking down.

Nik

[beaconlight]

could it be small water immulsion drops from condensation and you are mistaking them for metal flakes? STILL DROP THE PAN AND LOOK AROUND. Feel them with your fingers.

[skooks]

One of the first things I did when I got my Cub, was to place a rare earth magnet on the oil pan drain plug. They are extremely strong, won't just shake off,and will attract any ferrous metal particles. No matter how small.
Get one a bit smaller than the plug, so you can get a wrench over it. And all that swarf will come away with the plug. Then you can take a better look at what's floating around in there.




Bob

[Lurker Carl]

If the metal particles are from the bearings, a magnet won't collect them.

[splicer]

Lurker Carl............would you elaborate on why bearing flakes won't be attracted by a magnet, for some of us less experienced wrench turners.

[Colonel.Shemp]

I have a good idea why. The bearings must be made of something like steel? Im sure whatever it is amagnet WON'T pick it up. Id still drop that pan and check. Any little metal pieces are mostly BAD news.

[Eugene]

Rod and main bearing inserts are laminated. The outer layer is steel. The inner, wearing surface, layer or layers are shells of babbitt or bronze. The actual composition varies by manufacturer. Some shells are made of copper-lead or cadmium-silver backed with bronze or steel.

Bushings are made of a shintered material usually bronze.

The wearing surfaces of bearings are constructed of metal softer than the journals. Being nonmagnetic just happens to be one of the properties of the softer metals.

[beaconlight]

Colonel.what grade you in?