Another sparkly oil thread - how worried should I be?

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Evening Folks - changed the oil today on the 996 ready before the winter.

Mileage is now 67935 -

Last oil change was at 10/09/2019 - 66465 miles

So 1,470 miles ago...

I'm pretty sure the last oil change wasn't as sparkly as this - few pictures of the oil drain pan (which was clean beforehand). From my eyesight most of the fragments appear to be silver and the largest are probably 2-3mm in size (I didn't spot many of these, less than 10 or so). The majority appear to be very fine sandy particles suspended in the oil. I also noticed some black particles but when squeezed disintegrated, so I presumed they were carbon deposits from combustion?

Car has been running fine but not driven regularly at all for the last 12 months. I did notice the coolant temperature gauge was getting towards 100 during the warmer summer days but still within the "safe" zone on the gauge.

I'd love to know your thoughts.... :frustrated: :thumb: :?:

 

[Alex]

Get a kit off millers oil and send a sample for analysis.

 

[911munKy]

Do you have a magnetic drain plug?
If so what was it like? If not does a magnet collect the 'bits' in the oil & pan?

I second Alex on the oil analysis.
Fingers crossed.

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Just a standard oil drain plug, I've bought a new kit from Miller's to send in the oil for analysis. They have put up their prices since I last did it and confusingly offer three different versions now, passenger car, classic and motorsport. I went for the passenger car as it was the cheapest at £34.99.

Going to check the bits in the oil drain pan now with my workshop magnet and see if they are magnetic or not. Will also have a better look to see if there are any copper particles or all silver.

I guess I shouldn't drive the car now until I've found the problem...

When I get the results I will post them up.

Below are the PREVIOUS results from the last oil change which was in 2019.

 

[kas750]

That would worry me.

 

[911munKy]

That would worry me.

Indeed me too but if we look at the positives you may have well discovered a serious problem before it wrecked the engine and as such should have a much lower bill to fix.

Always look on the bright side of life...

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Hmmmm....

Well I went out again today and inspected the particles in the bottom of the oil drain pan. The bits that I thought were silvery just turned to dust in my fingers and the other sand size particles appeared to be just that, sand or dirt / dust.

I'm wondering if I inadvertently contaminated the oil drain pan when performing the oil change.

The oil drain plug almost stripped so I had to hammer the allen key socket in to ensure it was securely fitted before slowly undoing it with my torque wrench.

I'm thinking maybe either when the drain plug started to strip or I hit the socket with the hammer, debris from the plug and dust / dirt from under the engine landed in the pan...

However there did appear to be microscopic particles of some sort at the bottom of the pan, whether this is just dirt as well, hopefully the oil analysis should show what the microscopic particles are if there are any suspended in the oil.

This is the view that worried me the most - taken in the blazing sun so it showed up the particles.

 

[Robertb]

Sounds encouraging... fingers crossed the Millers analysis comes back ok.

 

[Mordibe]

If you have an issue then metal will be in the base of the oil filter canister and in the oil filter but mainly the base of the canister ..

Anything that is not hard and can be squashed by hand is of no consequence .. debris , silicone etc .. IMS issues and the canister base will be covered in chrome particles.

DM.

 

[911munKy]

When I got my car it had a standard oil plug which I changed to a magnetic one after my first oil change. When inspected at the next oil change it had a very fine metallic sludge over it that has never been present on subsequent changes, I assume that the new plug has cleaned the engine of extremely fine particles that oil changes never fully did. Maybe that was part of what you were seeing in the oil?
They're not expensive and it seems as if your existing one has sustained damage now so I'd recommend changing over.

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

When I got my car it had a standard oil plug which I changed to a magnetic one after my first oil change. When inspected at the next oil change it had a very fine metallic sludge over it that has never been present on subsequent changes, I assume that the new plug has cleaned the engine of extremely fine particles that oil changes never fully did. Maybe that was part of what you were seeing in the oil?
They're not expensive and it seems as if your existing one has sustained damage now so I'd recommend changing over.

There are differing opinions on the magnetic drain plugs - however my 944 does have one (I believe from the factory).

Funnily enough the drain plug was a brand new one from Porsche (only a year old), luckily I'd kept hold of the previous one which wasn't damaged but just didn't look nice and shiny anymore

I will probably fit a magnetic plug next oil change.

Thanks :thumb:

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Just had the sample report back from Millers Oil and good results so I'm now pretty confident that the particles in the bottom of the oil pan were non-metallic and due to contamination. I may try and do another change early in the new year and check the filter and oil again for contamination.

 

[infrasilver]

Fingers crossed the oil analysis come back fine, I have had a mag plug in for almost as long as i've had the car, it was one of my first mods and there is always some minor sludge stuck to it so this proves there is still some minute particles floating around that never all come out with an oil and filter change, I would rather have the sludge stuck to the plug than swilling around the engine?

 

[Wh1t3Kn1ght]

Fingers crossed the oil analysis come back fine, I have had a mag plug in for almost as long as i've had the car, it was one of my first mods and there is always some minor sludge stuck to it so this proves there is still some minute particles floating around that never all come out with an oil and filter change, I would rather have the sludge stuck to the plug than swilling around the engine?

Yes will be ordering one of those but will have to wait until the next oil change, I'm not sure why they didn't fit from factory (perhaps one of the many cost cutting exercises) as my 944 has one and I'm pretty sure they are standard on the 944 (seem to remember my previous 944 also having a magnetic plug). And as you say I always had a little bit of sludge on my 944 magnetic plug come oil change time.