Glitter in 6.2L oil ... please help

[Biscuit mobile]

I'd look at a used junkyard engine. If you're handy you should be able to swap them out. If you have a local junk yard they may offer install but of course, at a cost.
To get all of those flakes out of the engine will require a total disassembly even if you reuse parts. A guaranteed used engine would most likly be less money and quicker. Most places will have a video of the engine running or not pull it until you buy it. Good luck.

 

[SpareParts]

I'm pretty sure mine was from cam bearings (#2)being the most likely cause from a bad O ring.
Since i installed a new oil pump and O ring my hot idle oil pressure has remained steady using 5w-30 @ 20ish psi.
More worried about my 1 noisy piston breaking. I figure it's gonna run forever or die in a few hours. Either way I don't really care.

 

[thefrey]

I'm pretty sure mine was from cam bearings (#2)being the most likely cause from a bad O ring.
Since i installed a new oil pump and O ring my hot idle oil pressure has remained steady using 5w-30 @ 20ish psi.
More worried about my 1 noisy piston breaking. I figure it's gonna run forever or die in a few hours. Either way I don't really care.

What were your oil pressures before your o-ring replacement?

 

[Geotrash]

I am planning to just drop the pan to swap the o-ring instead of going through the front. My plan is to consider changing the pump if the o-ring does not fix my issues as it may save me some $$ and I don't have to go through the front cover (yet).

This is what I would do for starters. Then run it a while and keep an eye on the oil analysis. It will keep talking to you if it's in trouble.

One culprit for those metal flakes I haven't seen mentioned is the timing chain tensioner. I've seen those wear through the plastic track and start eating into the steel behind it. But you'll see that with the pan off. Might take the front cover off too for a better look.

I think the probability that it's a trunnion bearing is very low. They had problems with them back in the LS1 days, but I haven't heard of an LS3 losing a factory trunnion bearing yet.

 

[thefrey]

This is what I would do for starters. Then run it a while and keep an eye on the oil analysis. It will keep talking to you if it's in trouble.

One culprit for those metal flakes I haven't seen mentioned is the timing chain tensioner. I've seen those wear through the plastic track and start eating into the steel behind it. But you'll see that with the pan off. Might take the front cover off too for a better look.

I think the probability that it's a trunnion bearing is very low. They had problems with them back in the LS1 days, but I haven't heard of an LS3 losing a factory trunnion bearing yet.

Good idea, thank you for the info.

It's gonna suck but I'm at least happy that I'm dropping the pan because it should help me pinpoint the issue. I thought I noticed maybe a plastic piece in the oil but who knows. Dropping the pan will tell me all the debris that is in there so maybe it's something with the timing chain.

I'm gonna take the valve cover off and check out the rocker arms. I'm not 100% sure what I'll be looking for yet - but the last owner said they had new lifters installed which was about 15k miles ago and there's a slight tick. Which is kinda why I'm very curious about trunnion since it's definitely on the passenger side. So either the random intermittent tick I have is related to my o-ring issues or something rocker/trunnion related. Hopefully the lifter isn't going out already.

 

[Geotrash]

Good idea, thank you for the info.

It's gonna suck but I'm at least happy that I'm dropping the pan because it should help me pinpoint the issue. I thought I noticed maybe a plastic piece in the oil but who knows. Dropping the pan will tell me all the debris that is in there so maybe it's something with the timing chain.

I'm gonna take the valve cover off and check out the rocker arms. I'm not 100% sure what I'll be looking for yet - but the last owner said they had new lifters installed which was about 15k miles ago and there's a slight tick. Which is kinda why I'm very curious about trunnion since it's definitely on the passenger side. So either the random intermittent tick I have is related to my o-ring issues or something rocker/trunnion related. Hopefully the lifter isn't going out already.

Check the exhaust manifold bolts as well. A broken/loose bolt is common on these and masquerades like a lifter tick. I had a loose manifold bolt a couple of years after the cam swap on my 2012 and I could've sworn it was a lifter starting to go. But thankfully it was just a loose ARP manifold bolt. I torqued it back down and haven't had a problem since.

 

[thefrey]

Check the exhaust manifold bolts as well. A broken/loose bolt is common on these and masquerades like a lifter tick. I had a loose manifold bolt a couple of years after the cam swap on my 2012 and I could've sworn it was a lifter starting to go. But thankfully it was just a loose ARP manifold bolt. I torqued it back down and haven't had a problem since.

I am almost positive I don't have an exhaust leak. I replaced and was able to successfully remove some broken bolts. I didn't replace the gaskets, but the only bolts that I couldn't repair are the ones against the firewall. So I think it's lifter related unfortunately

 

[Geotrash]

I am almost positive I don't have an exhaust leak. I replaced and was able to successfully remove some broken bolts. I didn't replace the gaskets, but the only bolts that I couldn't repair are the ones against the firewall. So I think it's lifter related unfortunately

All the same, a mechanic's stethoscope is cheap and will help you rule it out for sure.

 

[B-train]

Question about your #3 - Wouldn't bearing wear on these engines mean that any metal shavings be non magnetic? From all the research I've seen everything points to non-magnetic particles being bearing material.

That may be true, but metallic parts definitely ride on them. Any metal is always suspicious. But, based on all that has been said and debated thus far, I'd try the o-ring on the pickup tube and go from there.

 

[thefrey]

That may be true, but metallic parts definitely ride on them. Any metal is always suspicious. But, based on all that has been said and debated thus far, I'd try the o-ring on the pickup tube and go from there.

Heard. That does make sense, even if it’s not all ferrous it’ll give me an idea of what may or may not be wearing if only part of it is magnetic before I do an oil sample

 

[SpareParts]

IF i remember right, it would fluctuate between 10 and 15 psi hot at idle.

 

[rdezs]

You'll know more when you drop the pan. If you find little needle bearings you lost a trunion bearings.

 

[Feadcap]

Well, this is not exactly a post I would like to be making... Let me back up and give context.

I recently bought this truck at 197k miles in January, and it's been a project. I have put 3500 miles on it and it's at almost 201k now.

I have been having a little issue with my 6.2 having low(ish) oil pressures, about 40psi cold, 45ish max cold under throttle, then 10-15 psi idle hot and 22 hot cruising. Also, there has been a lifter tick, but intermittent and random, so most things suggest it could be the pickup o-ring sucking air. The last owner claimed that they did all new lifters, but I am beginning to wonder if they didn't do them, considering I replaced the exhaust manifold bolts to rule out an exhaust tick. One of the bolts was pretty far backed out (since I believe the exhaust manifolds come off for new lifters). Other than that, the engine feels strong and hasn't given me other issues.

So, my initial thoughts were that it is the oil pickup tube o-ring, as the Yukon has been neglected by past owners, and I highly doubt it has been done before. I have thoughts on dropping the pan and cleaning out any sludge and putting a new o-ring and pressure relief valve.

Today I tried to do the overfill test, parked the truck on a slope, and then check the oil pressure. Which did seem to help about 5-10psi. So that's good, and it seemed like any tick went away or was almost inaudible.

View attachment 455148


Waited a couple hours, then came back out to drain the excess oil out of the pan. Which is when I noticed some glitter:


View attachment 455149View attachment 455150View attachment 455151

There was a good amount of glitter and a couple larger flakes. Also seemed to be a lot of (carbon chunks?) debris. I am also very concerned considering I really only drained a little over a quart out of the engine, so this isn't the full picture of what is in the crank case.

Any advice is much much appreciated, as I am not really sure what the best course of action forward is. Is this amount of glitter normal for this high of miles? Is it abnormal? Should I get rid of the car ASAP? Am I on borrowed time?

Also, I am a college student and currently job hunting. I don't need to give ya'll my life story haha but I don't have a large amount of money to throw at the car right now for any pertinent issues that I face. But I bought the car cheap and have been slowly chipping away at maintenance and upgrades. And I am by no means a mechanic, but I'm not afraid to do some repairs. So a full rebuild isn't exactly on the table at the moment (or AFM delete lol). So any advice helps, even if it stings a bit.


Edit: after trying to fish out some of the larger flakes, some of them seem like they are not metal and maybe some sort of plastic or paper?

Before going to extremes, flush your oil a couple of times add one can of Seafoam in each time. Put 50 ml miles on it between oil changes. I would then suggest using full synthetic oil with one quart of Lucas (synthetic) high mileage additive. Drive it and see if the problem persists.

 

[thefrey]

Before going to extremes, flush your oil a couple of times add one can of Seafoam in each time. Put 50 ml miles on it between oil changes. I would then suggest using full synthetic oil with one quart of Lucas (synthetic) high mileage additive. Drive it and see if the problem persists.

I just dropped the pan today and really there wasn’t much. A lot of the stuff that appeared gold fell apart when I touched it. I cut open the filter and there was almost no metal in there after I squeezed all the oil out of the pleats. So I just buttoned up the oil pan and I’m gonna send it for a bit and do an oil analysis if I see more shavings in the metal

 

[rdezs]

I hope you changed out the o-ring while you're in there?

The gold flakes fell apart... Like they weren't metal? That makes me think of that gold hue that covers the inside of the engine from normal use. It's from the oil. Never heard of it getting thick enough to flake off though. Usually it's more of a stain. But if it dissolved into nothing I wouldn't worry about it. Could be just a layer of oil impurities that was collecting in the pan.

 

[thefrey]

I hope you changed out the o-ring while you're in there?

The gold flakes fell apart... Like they weren't metal? That makes me think of that gold hue that covers the inside of the engine from normal use. It's from the oil. Never heard of it getting thick enough to flake off though. Usually it's more of a stain. But if it dissolved into nothing I wouldn't worry about it. Could be just a layer of oil impurities that was collecting in the pan.

Yes haha that is the main reason why I was in there was to change the o-ring. I swapped it out and replaced the pressure relief also and checked out the cam too.

I was using high mileage oil so I’m assuming there was extra detergents in there so maybe that was the leading cause of the flakes

I’m waiting for the RTV to cure before I add oil and do a startup. But everything that I could see the cam was fine but I don’t exactly know what would constitute a bad cam

 

[rdezs]

Oh yeah, that o-ring was way past ready to be replaced. That coating on the bottom of your oil pan... I can visualize small pieces of it flaking off, looking like metal as you drain the oil. That looks like an engine that has significant blow by, a partially plugged PCV system, or more likely the previous owner didn't change the oil often enough.

 

[rdezs]

That should bring your oil pressure up, eliminate the ticking sound. I'd run some Valvoline r&p through it... First batch I change after 500 miles. Second one maybe 2000 miles. And I'd probably keep changing it every 2000 until it stopped looking ugly when it drained. Then start changing every 4500 miles with a full synthetic

 

[thefrey]

That should bring your oil pressure up, eliminate the ticking sound. I'd run some Valvoline r&p through it... First batch I change after 500 miles. Second one maybe 2000 miles. And I'd probably keep changing it every 2000 until it stopped looking ugly when it drained. Then start changing every 4500 miles with a full synthetic

As far as I know there’s no significant blow by. I think it was definitely neglected for awhile. I’ve already got some r&p ready to go with an extended WIX filter.

Do you think that the flaking off would also explain the glitter?

 

[rdezs]

I'm thinking so....