oil filter - beating a dead horse

[s_tones]

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The continuing saga.

Following up on microscopic shinies seen glistening in light on filter.
Got me a stereomicroscope (Ebay)
The shinies are oil dampened flat surfaces of debri - mostly carbon and "dirt"
Washed the pleats with solvent.
Examined the material. Vast majority is carbon and non-metallic debri.

There is however scattered microscopic metallic looking stuff. Looks like tiny flakes of tin foil. Size generally less than 1/10th mm (about the width of a hair). I believe this material is tin. Non-magnetic. not reactive with Na Hydroxide. Dissolves with bubbles in conc HCL. (See Sac Sky Ranch)

The total of all this metallic material if collected in one blob would still be miniscule, well smaller than, say, a pencil lead. None of it is visible with the naked eye.

Sources of tin are bearings and anti-wear coatings. So, the question is which is it? and is such a finding significant or just normal wear?



I'm sending my next filter to Second oilPinion to see what they have to say...

Steve

[captainron]

Sell the microscope and quit scaring yourself!

[s_tones]

I think that's good advice.
I doubt anybody looks this closely and I'm not sure it's advisable.
For one thing, dirt looks like boulders.

I called Lycoming today and spoke to a rep. He doesn't think much of it.

Steve

[Geico266]

Originally Posted by captainron

Sell the microscope and quit scaring yourself!

I agree. Without an oil analysis you are just making up your mind there is a problem.

[Yukon]

Hair in your oil can't be a good thing..............Check for a HEAD in the oil pan!