mystery part

[lowgearfarm]

While I've changed the engine oil and filter more or less regularly since buying my '49 cub #59016 in 1976, I had never done a deep dive into the engine oil filter canister until last week. I found this mystery part in the sludge. It looks like cast iron, machined on the inner circumference. It's similar to a broken valve seat, but doesn't have quite the right cross section. My best guess is that it's a scrap from the original manufacturing machining of the block. I've never had the head off. Bought the cub from a local dealer with no written repair history. It doesn't keep me awake at night, but I keep wondering wazzit?

[Waif]

Just a bonus scrap from cleaning up a casting ,maybe.

[Rick Spivey]

I don't think that could have migrated to the filter canister, so either a previous owner dropped it in there somehow, or it was in there from the start. No idea on what it exactly was to start with, so I'll go with some residue from the block machining process.

[BigBill]

Filter top gasket? Block machine unless it was rebuilt sloppy but I doubt it. Rubber will harden due to heat.

I grew up mopping out filter canisters when I worked on the old Chrysler’s, jeeps now the IH stuff will follow me to my grave.

[lowgearfarm]

The general consensus seems to be that it's a piece left over from the casting of the block - it IS pretty obviously cast iron. Exactly where it came from and how it got into the filter canister will remain a mystery. One observation is that it may NOT have been a result of sloppy cleaning of the original casting, but instead, the piece may have broken loose after a few years of running. Thanks to all (above) for helping sort out my "mystery part".
~Ned at Low Gear Farm