Found in oil pan - ideas?

[graciante]

It started with a blown head gasket.

I dropped the oil pan to clean it, and found found pieces of hard rubber in the pan and stuck to the screen for the oil pump. They are about 1/16" thick and looked like they are curved and would make a circle if pieced together. Some of the chunks are as long as 3/8". From the pieces I've got it looks like it would make a tube. I just have no idea where this might have come from.

I've built a 302 before, but I don't remember any thing like this in the build.

Thanks.

 

[graciante]

Figured it out. The husband loves it when I am in the garage in the middle of the night......

 

[zookeeper]

If I gues right, do I win? The most common thing I've seen in a small block pan is parts of the plastic-covered timing gear. Am I close?

 

[danny clemens]

I would guess valve stem seals. I've know of cases a long time ago where these rubber seals would get hard, crack and end up in the oil pan. They could then work their way up in the oil pump, lock it up and break the oil pump drive shaft.

 

[Soaring1]

No doubt it is old hard valve stem seals that have finally broken off and dropped into the pan. How much oil are you burning?

 

[StangDreamin']

Add me to the "stem seals" crowd. At least they didn't plug up the oil drian holes in your heads; leaving you to wonder where your oil presure went while the vavle cover gaskets ruptured and smoke billowed out from under the hood from hot oil landing on hotter exhaust manifolds.


Yes, I've got the tee-shirt - somewhere........

 

[Rusty67]

I would guess the front and rear oil pan gaskets from a 4 piece oil pan gasket set.

 

[graciante]

Thank all of you gentlemen for the replies.

I guess I should have told you what I found. It is the valve stem seals.

The last time I did this, I pulled the heads, and they went straight to the machine shop. I looked under the springs with a light (after talking to my brother) and there are entire seals missing.

I bought the car 2 years ago as a resto project. It is a 1969 Coupe. The head gasket blew right after I got it home moving it in the yard. So as far as the engine running and what it does.....can't tell you a thing. I've never got to drive this car. The previous owner drove it to my house with a coke bottle for a gas tank. I have NO sheet metal in the trunk.

Right now the engine is out of the car. I finished pulling the motor yesterday.

Now I need to play musical engines. I have to take the husband's 65's motor off my engine stand and get mine on it. The man bought me a 65 Stang with a 6 cyl 200 in it. I won't repeat what I told him when I looked under the hood. He now owns the 65.

I will check the timing gear. Been there done that before with a motor. That timing gear sheer ate that particular motor. It was only in a Crown Vic though. It wasn't a Stang.....

Thanks again gentlemen.