Check it out...

Paul Merolla · 01-05-2015, 04:47 PM

So last year I finally got my oil to stay under the rings and went a best of -.700 in 1,700 ft. DA.
At some point during the season I had 3 lifter c-clips disappear...luckily, everything stayed put and I didn't have any disasters. Fast forward to yesterday...dropped the pan to check bearings and look for the c-clips. I found 2 c-clip halves stuck to the drain plug, but that was it. Then I pulled the #2 main cap...
I know what I need to do, just thought I'd share with the rest of the class.

Alan Nyhus · 01-05-2015, 09:36 PM

Paul, were they the round wire retainer clips or the flat style? -Al

Paul Merolla · 01-05-2015, 09:55 PM

Al, they were the round wire bent into a "U" shape ones. I'm puzzled how they could've made their way into the bearings, though...

Sean Marconette · 01-05-2015, 11:12 PM

Paul,
Do you have magnets installed by the oil drain back holes in the block? Sorry to hear about the issue.

Sean

Paul Merolla · 01-05-2015, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Marconette

Paul,
Do you have magnets installed by the oil drain back holes in the block? Sorry to hear about the issue.

Sean

I sure wish I did! (and will from now on)

ss3011 · 01-06-2015, 12:29 AM

Do you have the filter adapter modified so all the oil goes through the filter ? How do the gears look on the oil pump ?

GTX JOHN · 01-06-2015, 07:48 AM

The wire retainers drove us crazy..............We replace
them with "Tru Arc" style snap rings before installation.

Paul Merolla · 01-06-2015, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss3011

Do you have the filter adapter modified so all the oil goes through the filter ? How do the gears look on the oil pump ?

Yes, the bypass is plugged on the adaptor...haven't taken the pump apart yet. I need to pull the rear main cap and make sure the plug is in there that sometimes gets left out.

Mike Taylor 3601 · 01-07-2015, 10:36 AM

Paul,
You had small foreign object go through your bearing, but your clips from lifters couldn't have made through there,if got one of those in oil pump it would locked up oil pump.
You just had something small ,piece metal,alum.,dirt get in to bearing,good chance came out of oil galley in crank itself. If haven't ran brushes through oil galleys before,do that you be surprised what will come out of what looks like a clean oil galley in a crank or block.
Mike Taylor 3601

Paul Merolla · 01-11-2015, 04:43 PM

I got the motor apart yesterday and my suspicions were confirmed...the well plug was not present, so oil hasn't been going through the filter on any of my runs in the past 2 years.
The pump gears show that the clips went through:

And, with no filter, they went through the oiling system and did their thing:

Tomorrow I'll take the crank to the machine shop and find out if it's junk.

01-05-2015, 04:47 PM	#1
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 608 Likes: 238 Liked 293 Times in 65 Posts	Check it out... So last year I finally got my oil to stay under the rings and went a best of -.700 in 1,700 ft. DA. At some point during the season I had 3 lifter c-clips disappear...luckily, everything stayed put and I didn't have any disasters. Fast forward to yesterday...dropped the pan to check bearings and look for the c-clips. I found 2 c-clip halves stuck to the drain plug, but that was it. Then I pulled the #2 main cap... I know what I need to do, just thought I'd share with the rest of the class. Attached Thumbnails

01-05-2015, 09:55 PM	#3
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 608 Likes: 238 Liked 293 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Check it out... Al, they were the round wire bent into a "U" shape ones. I'm puzzled how they could've made their way into the bearings, though...

01-05-2015, 11:12 PM	#4
Sean Marconette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 977 Likes: 786 Liked 274 Times in 76 Posts	Re: Check it out... Paul, Do you have magnets installed by the oil drain back holes in the block? Sorry to hear about the issue. Sean __________________ Sean Marconette 84 Mustang 5060 SS/N

01-06-2015, 12:29 AM	#6
ss3011 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 908 Likes: 70 Liked 238 Times in 113 Posts	Re: Check it out... Do you have the filter adapter modified so all the oil goes through the filter ? How do the gears look on the oil pump ?

01-06-2015, 07:48 AM	#7
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,719 Likes: 2,765 Liked 2,425 Times in 687 Posts	Re: Check it out... The wire retainers drove us crazy..............We replace them with "Tru Arc" style snap rings before installation. __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock

01-05-2015, 09:36 PM	#2
Alan Nyhus VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lower Dakota territory Posts: 1,180 Likes: 1,074 Liked 799 Times in 236 Posts	Re: Check it out... Paul, were they the round wire retainer clips or the flat style? -Al __________________ "That'll never work....." Last edited by Alan Nyhus; 01-06-2015 at 09:17 AM.

01-07-2015, 10:36 AM	#9
Mike Taylor 3601 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somerset,Ky Posts: 1,361 Likes: 333 Liked 279 Times in 96 Posts	Re: Check it out... Paul, You had small foreign object go through your bearing, but your clips from lifters couldn't have made through there,if got one of those in oil pump it would locked up oil pump. You just had something small ,piece metal,alum.,dirt get in to bearing,good chance came out of oil galley in crank itself. If haven't ran brushes through oil galleys before,do that you be surprised what will come out of what looks like a clean oil galley in a crank or block. Mike Taylor 3601

01-11-2015, 04:43 PM	#10
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 608 Likes: 238 Liked 293 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Check it out... I got the motor apart yesterday and my suspicions were confirmed...the well plug was not present, so oil hasn't been going through the filter on any of my runs in the past 2 years. The pump gears show that the clips went through: And, with no filter, they went through the oiling system and did their thing: Tomorrow I'll take the crank to the machine shop and find out if it's junk.