[Silent-Knight]

So, I'm doing my usual seasonal oil change, the oil looks like it's been barely used so I keep on going.

I remove the oil filter and everything is still looking good. Now, I begin to poor the old oil into some containers and when I reach the bottom I find three things that look like rocks from asphalt in my oil pan.

This seems bad. I'm not sure what it could be from. The bike sounds good. I don't think I have cam chain slap. Does anybody have an idea what these things could be from?

 

[redcloud]

So, I'm doing my usual seasonal oil change, the oil looks like it's been barely used so I keep on going.

I remove the oil filter and everything is still looking good. Now, I begin to poor the old oil into some containers and when I reach the bottom I find three things that look like rocks from asphalt in my oil pan.

This seems bad. I'm not sure what it could be from. The bike sounds good. I don't think I have cam chain slap. Does anybody have an idea what these things could be from?

were they actual rocks? How big were they? My guess would be something that was stuck to your bike fell into your pan just as you were draining the oil out. Might be worth looking at the front of your bike again to see if you find any similar debris that might be stuck to your motor case.

 

[Blindstitch]

Where did you keep the oil pan? Maybe some junk as in it.



There isn't much in the engine that could look like asphalt. Maybe cam chain tensioner and guides but I think that's it.

 

[DanCX500]

Where did you keep the oil pan? Maybe some junk as in it.



There isn't much in the engine that could look like asphalt. Maybe cam chain tensioner and guides but I think that's it.

Have you adjusted your cam chain lately? I bet the guides are where that junk is coming from! It might be time for a chain/guide replacement. The guides are black plastic like material.

 

[NateDawg]

agree with above. Only other thing could be clutch material or epoxy from the stator. Make sure it is not magnetic. Smash them with a hammer. Tell us what it looks like then.But probably chain guide. SOrry!!! RTV? To much thread locker? Jealous Harley scum?

 

[bandit]

So, I'm doing my usual seasonal oil change, the oil looks like it's been barely used so I keep on going.

I remove the oil filter and everything is still looking good. Now, I begin to poor the old oil into some containers and when I reach the bottom I find three things that look like rocks from asphalt in my oil pan.

This seems bad. I'm not sure what it could be from. The bike sounds good. I don't think I have cam chain slap. Does anybody have an idea what these things could be from?

was the oil hot or cold prior to draining?

 

[Silent-Knight]

First, I didn't think that anything was stuck to the bike when I changed the oil.

Second, the oil pan's back edge was just under the bike, since the pressure shoots out the oil about 4 to 6 inches when it is initially opened.

I haven's adjusted my cam lately, usually it's part of my oil change procedure, but the black stuff through me off. There also is not any noise from the cam chain area to lead me to believe that it is the tensioner, but it could just be on it's way out. The bike only has 28000 miles.

 

[NateDawg]

The 30 year old plastic cam chain tensioner doesnt care how many miles you have on the bike. A 30 year old tire could have 0 miles on it, but I wouldn't use it.

 

[stern-69]

Funny enough, Ijust removed crud from my engine that looks exactly like what you have described. Black little bits, almost granular and non magnetic. Turns out it is some form of "carbonized coolant" that was created due to the mech seal leaking and leaking past the oil seal. I removed a lot of little bits from the oil pump screen, and a few from the bottom of the engine. Below is a pic of the back case where most of it stayed.

I would recommend if they look like the bits you described (and the oil is black looking ..... my oil showed clear when I stuck my finger in it, but black in the container, indicating a lot of fine desolved crap) you may want to check your mech seal/oil seal. I am just glad I caught mine before the crap ended up migrating all over the engine

 

[NateDawg]

I had that on the inside of my stator cover.

Think it came from the cam tensioner. Gritty

 

[stern-69]

Well, my advance bits are different than yours, but I had the stuff in mine too (as mine is vented from my pulsar case). I sure looks like you have the same problem I did, the mechanical seal leaks and the oil seal is letting a small amount of coolant past it. It seems to them get carbonised by heat/oil/some magical forces and ends up looking like asphalt. With the amount there I am pretty sure there is no way it can be the cam chain tensioner generating tose bits.



I would recommend you remove the rear case and have a look. I know many view the mechanical seal leaking a bit as being an annoyance, but if it gets past the oil seal behind it (oil seal degridation, weep hole plugged etc) it can start to cause all sorts of crap like this to fill up the inside and contaminate the oil. If you look at the very bottom of the pic I posted earlier, you can see the rubber grommet on the stator lines. Just below that is an opening to the advance housing where I found a bit of that crap (its the same housing your cover your showing covers). You may even be abl;e to get your finger (or small mirror) inside to see if any is on the rear case, but my bet is THERE IS

 

[NateDawg]

Well, my advance bits are different than yours, but I had the stuff in mine too (as mine is vented from my pulsar case). I sure looks like you have the same problem I did, the mechanical seal leaks and the oil seal is letting a small amount of coolant past it. It seems to them get carbonised by heat/oil/some magical forces and ends up looking like asphalt. With the amount there I am pretty sure there is no way it can be the cam chain tensioner generating tose bits.



I would recommend you remove the rear case and have a look. I know many view the mechanical seal leaking a bit as being an annoyance, but if it gets past the oil seal behind it (oil seal degridation, weep hole plugged etc) it can start to cause all sorts of crap like this to fill up the inside and contaminate the oil. If you look at the very bottom of the pic I posted earlier, you can see the rubber grommet on the stator lines. Just below that is an opening to the advance housing where I found a bit of that crap (its the same housing your cover your showing covers). You may even be abl;e to get your finger (or small mirror) inside to see if any is on the rear case, but my bet is THERE IS

Um... yes, that was one of many pictures I took of my triple bypass a couple of months ago. Cam tensioner was broken and the stator was toast. Was just sharing the picture.

 

[stern-69]

Ah, my screw up lol Im getting old and my brain takes a lot longer to process what I read (should be finnished in a day or two, then I will slap myself again lol).



Boy, love that blue underglow its too bad they are a cop magnet here

 

[bear351c]

Yep, cam chain guide or tensioner blades.



Get hot and go brittle. Look like ashphalt.

 

[stern-69]

OK, well that would be a bit better for him than what I had lol Mine looked the same but the tensioner was fine, mech and oil seals (or should i say what was left of them) were not

either way, looks like he will need to pull the rear case to confirm

 

[NateDawg]

Ah, my screw up lol Im getting old and my brain takes a lot longer to process what I read (should be finnished in a day or two, then I will slap myself again lol).



Boy, love that blue underglow its too bad they are a cop magnet here

For some reason I was having trouble resizing that photo in my signature. Was changing it... didn't mean for it to be so big, got it sorted now though.

 

[stern-69]

lol I liked the big version

 

[Silent-Knight]

Well, it seems that a drop of the engine may be in order. I like to ride so much I may have to get a substitute bike to ride on if I assume the worst.

 

[NateDawg]

How large were the bits? Like grains of rice or like sand? It's nice to take a look inside the motor once in a while. You might see something unpleasant, and you might find that everything looks great. I hope the latter, but it will give you peace of mind. I hate surprises, but would rather have them happen in my driveway than miles from home.

 

[Silent-Knight]

The pieces were approx. the size of the aggregate they use in paving. Which makes me wonder if they may have also plugged any of the oil ports.