Aluminum in the Oil

Jason_W · Full Member Joined: Jan 12, 2009 Posts: 20

I found a bunch of bits of aluminum in the oil when I pulled the sump today. The sump filter was original I believe (8,000mi). It had a pretty major hole in it. I'm guessing that the metal was from the front cam guide (based on this board and other sources).
1 - Is there any way of checking this part without pulling the head?
2 - Are there any other areas I should check before tearing the head down?
3 - Is it possible these particles are from original break in or something and have just been in the sump for years? I only ask because 8,000mi seems relatively low for a cam guide to be this far gone.

jayel · Posted: March 9, 2009, 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Aluminum in the Oil

8,000 I wouldn't think chain guide unless there was black nylon stringers in it too from the guide itself, how much noise was the chain making?

Jason_W · Full Member Joined: Jan 12, 2009 Posts: 20

I didn't see any black plastic and there definitely weren't 'stringers'. Their were a few small black pieces, but the oil was very black and old and I assumed the pieces were just dirty aluminum bits, I didn't look too closely.

The biggest pieces I found were maybe 1mm long and no thicker than a fingernail.
I only heard it run for a few minutes, but I didn't hear any grinding, chain slapping, screeching, scraping, etc. It sounded like any other XS650 I have heard (several).

y next step is to remove the other filter and see if there is junk in there too. I'm hoping all the crap was just old and I can filter it all out, replace the oil and filters after a few hundred miles and hope the guide is OK. The problem is, the engine is completely out of the bike right now, so if there was a time to pull the head it's now.

xsleo · Posted: March 14, 2009, 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: Aluminum in the Oil

If it were me I would go ahead and pull the head, then you can see whats wrong.

pamcopete · Posted: March 14, 2009, 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: Aluminum in the Oil

Jason_W

I had a similar experience when I first got my '78/E about 13 years ago with 18,000 miles on it. Actually pulled the engine to take it apart, but changed my mind, put the engine back in the frame and rode it for 60,000 miles. Engine is still running with 78,000 miles on it...

The hole in the sump filter is "normal" for these engines. And, you're sure it was alliminum and not shavings from the starter gear? Pull the wet side cover and have a look at the starter gear pinion...

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