Bearing problem?

Hello. I have a 2008 Tahoe 5.3. I changed the oil the other day and noticed a bunch of copper sparkling in the oil. Everything that I could find suggest it can be the piston bearings or main bearings, or the cam shaft bearing(?). I don't have any codes, and the oil pressure seems to be fine. The engine does hesitate or seem to lack any power. And the particles were not there the last time I changed the oil about 7000 miles ago.

I used Valvoline Restore and Protect when I did the last oil change; could that have caused anything?

Any thought of what the issue can be and what I could be looking at as far as repair costs?

Thanks

The oil did not cause the problem. Would help to know the engine mileage. You said, "The engine "does" hesitate or seem to lack any power". Did you mean to say doesn't?

Best to take the filter and use the correct tool to cut it open and cut it so the pleats can be pulled out and look down in the pleats for material and then post the pics. If you changed oil the "other day" and noticed a bunch of copper then, why wait till now to post about it? Do you still have the oil filter?

7000 miles is way too much on a dod/afm engine with vvt...
Oil cleanliness and pressure is Everything!!!!
It's def bearing material if it's like tiny sparkles
If it still runs fine, keep the oil changed way more often.. Install a magnetic
tip drain plug (won't catch non mag metals of course)

OR VietVet said:

The oil did not cause the problem. Would help to Yeah, I meant it doesn't.the engine mileage. You said, "The engine "does" hesitate or seem to lack any power". Did you mean to say doesn't?

Best to take the filter and use the correct tool to cut it open and cut it so the pleats can be pulled out and look down in the pleats for material and then post the pics. If you changed oil the "other day" and noticed a bunch of copper then, why wait till now to post about it? Do you still have the oil filter?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I meant it doesn't. I still have the filter. I waited to post anything because I was trying to understand what I was seeing and what I need to potentially get fixed. The mileage is now "25600" with 1700 hours on the engine. It is a CBP Tahoe.

Cut the oil filter open and spread those pleats and show the pics, But from what you are saying, does sound like bearing material.

@JTS197
oil analysis is your friend
as is
cutting open the filter and inspecting.

How many miles on the engine?

I also concur, 7,000 miles is way too long between oil changes. If you do short trips and basically stay in town in traffic, 3500 miles. If you do mostly highway driving stretch that out to 4500-5,000.

I'll put my money on the front camshaft bearing as most likely.

rdezs said:

How many miles on the engine?

I also concur, 7,000 miles is way too long between oil changes. If you do short trips and basically stay in town in traffic, 3500 miles. If you do mostly highway driving stretch that out to 4500-5,000.

I'll put my money on the front camshaft bearing as most likely.

Click to expand...

@JTS197
especially with Valvoline R&P. Its a good oil but not for extended oil drain intervals. 5k max if mostly hwy miles. 3,500 if mostly city.

most enginea don't usually stop producing metal once they start.

cutting the filter open should show you what you need to know. beyond that, you're not really going to fix it without replacing hard parts. if its the cam lobe/lifters it will start ticking soon enough. if it's the rod bearings it will start knocking ever so lightly at first and then get worse. about all I can say is start saying money of you want to fix it, and don't plan any long road trips for a while.


on a side note, did you see glitter specs in the bottom of the drain pan, or just when you swirled around the oil would like a stick or something. I've seen that in almost every engine I change oil on and I've changed a tons of oil in all kinds of stuff. we have slowly transferred the fleet to electric equipment, so much less these days but still. I've see guys say omg this engine is hurt and about to blow up, while out living them. they are long retired and gone and it's still out there running daily. slivers in the filter is what will really tell you it's a time bomb.