Metal in Oil

[N54TT]

Hey guys,

Just did a random oil change today and notice there's some metal in the oil filter when I took it apart. The oil isn't glazed its clean and inside the oil filter housing it's clean with no glazing on the oil. No copper either. Just these tiny pieces of metal that appear to look like aluminum. I tried to find a magnet to see if it will stick, but I couldn't remember where I had put it. The engine runs smooth no knocking or any sort of weird idling. The stock turbos are leaking though and they're whining in the lower RPMS. I have some RB GF replacements on the way.

If anyone had to take a wild guess?

 

[RuskiRacer]

Rod bearings

 

[N54TT]

Rod bearings

Something I should look into replacing soon then I'm assuming?

Is it the KING bearings or ACL that people like to use?

 

[RuskiRacer]

Both are good im using acl race bearings

 

[SLOWESTN54]

Hey guys,

Just did a random oil change today and notice there's some metal in the oil filter when I took it apart. The oil isn't glazed its clean and inside the oil filter housing it's clean with no glazing on the oil. No copper either. Just these tiny pieces of metal that appear to look like aluminum. I tried to find a magnet to see if it will stick, but I couldn't remember where I had put it. The engine runs smooth no knocking or any sort of weird idling. The stock turbos are leaking though and they're whining in the lower RPMS. I have some RB GF replacements on the way.

If anyone had to take a wild guess?

Just changed my cars oil yesterday, filter looked the same way. I guess it's time for some ACL bearings.

 

[RNM]

This car is the Amber Heard of cars. The car looks good and it can give an amazing experience, but when it shits the bed, it will drain you emotionally and financially.

Thankfully I caught this before any knock was induced, so hopefully I should be good to go after replacing the rod bearings. My father was the original owner and we have been maintaining it meticulously for its duration of 135k miles. I never went wide open throttle when the oil was cold.

 

[RuskiRacer]

Id polish the crank at a minimum to reduce the risk of the bearings going out again quickly. 135k is very early for n54 bearings to go bad. I had a n54 with 230k and only pulled it out to put my built motor in and the bearings were still in good shape

 

[carabuser]

I had the same flakes in the filter of my 335i when I first changed the oil. It had done 75k at that point without any mods. Pretty much identical to your photo but just half as many.

I assumed at the time that they came from the cam bearing ledges. I opened the head up to replace them and they were did have quite a bit of material missing that would match what you are seeing there.

The car did have leaking injectors though, so it's possible it was from the crank bearings. I'll see if the same flakes show up in the next change.

 

[iminhell1]

Why do people think that metal does not pass through the oil pump prior to anything?
Ya, the heart of the oiling system will be fine. It doesn't have any tight tolerances or anything.

You find metal. You at minimum check all things that come in contact with pressurized oil.