Steel shavings in oil...what to do?
- Thread starter Ken01GTvert
- Start date
Well when I first change the oil on my brand new GT at 1000 miles, my dad told me that there might be some metal stuff from the piston rubbing against the wall because the engine is new and all. Well surprisingly, there were no metal at all. Hopes that you get it fix soon. Extended warranty is always nice.. because cars don't start to break down until the normal warranty has expired.. go figures. 
CeSaR333
Founding Member
Sometimes, carbon can have the appearance of metal particales. if you still have the oil, strain it through a rag and save the particales. Place the material on a flat surface and strike it with a hammer, if it shatters then its carbon, if it stays the same or changes shape then its metal.
The best thing to do is get a magnetic drain plug and run it for a month and then drain it. If theres material on the plug then its steel, or if its aluminum it will be in the oil. Steel is acceptible in certain amounts, but if its accompanied by aluminum, then its usually a sign of warped pistion rings. But in anycase, what are you gonna do? tear down your engine and do an overhaul? not worth it.
The best thing to do is get a magnetic drain plug and run it for a month and then drain it. If theres material on the plug then its steel, or if its aluminum it will be in the oil. Steel is acceptible in certain amounts, but if its accompanied by aluminum, then its usually a sign of warped pistion rings. But in anycase, what are you gonna do? tear down your engine and do an overhaul? not worth it.
It's worth it if he has the Premium Care 7 Year/100,000 Mile ESP Ford Extended Warranty. Then if his engine breaks down, he can get a brand new one from Ford. That's what I would do. If I couldn't do this, then I would sell or trade in my GT for a BRAND NEW one. You only inherit problems when you buy used. Especially when you buy a used Mustang GT. You never know what type of abuse the car went thru with its previous owner(s).
85MustGT
Founding Member
Have the oil examined by a lab.
I have had my 98 Mustang for 6 months here is what I had fixed under my extended warranty. Ball park dollar figures cause I am at work.
A/C compressor 900.00
O2 sensor 75.00
MAF 75.00
electrical issue 200.00 (turn signals etc.)
It only has 45,000 miles on the car.
I have had my 98 Mustang for 6 months here is what I had fixed under my extended warranty. Ball park dollar figures cause I am at work.
A/C compressor 900.00
O2 sensor 75.00
MAF 75.00
electrical issue 200.00 (turn signals etc.)
It only has 45,000 miles on the car.
Str8Pimp'n
Founding Member
85MustGT said:
That's exactly what I was going to say. It's cheap ( about 15 to 20 dollars) and the lab can definitely see what kind of particulates are in the oil and that can lead you to find the cause of the problem before you take it in to the dealer. I believe NAPA still carries the lab kit. When you were asking if the mods might void the warranty, the only thing that I spotted in your sig was the addition of underdrive pullies, a lot of dealers will void the warranty on that alone. When you call the dealer and ask them what aftermarket stuff they will accept, don't tell them about the pullies.
Thanks for all the great replies. I'm pretty sure the shavings I'm getting are steel instead of aluminum since they shine in the sunlight. During my next oil change I will use a magnet to verify that they are steel and not aluminum. I found a magnetic plug listed on the Summit Racing site which I plan to order if they say it fits. If that doesn't work then I'll go the route of an external magnet on the oil pan or plug. If things don't get better (less shavings) in the next month or two then I'll explore the extended warranty route. Thanks for all the great ideas and information!
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