Went for an oil change today. They found a piece of metal stuck on the magnetic drain plug. It is a piece broken off something..... Not i retainer ring or anything piston related...... i dont think. It looks like it broke off a round tube. It has tiny holes in the piece..... like so oil could pass through. I am going to try to get some pictures of it and will post the link. My truck is a 2003 f 350 7.3 L. Is there any common troubles that would cause this broken piece? She pushes a little blue smoke from time to time and will NOT start with out block heater if weather is cold but other than that I thought all was good for having over 250 000 km?! Any ideas on where to start ..... or is it off to Ford??? Thank you in advance for any help offered!

 

Does it look like this? (see pics in first post)
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-ofcourse.html

As far as I know, no one has figured out what that piece is from yet. I don't think it's a bearing because I don't think bearings are magnetic (could be wrong though....it's been quite a while since I've rebuilt an engine....)

 

Can you post a pic somehow? From the description, it sounds a bit like you are describing the piston oiler tube (not sure what the technical name is....).

 

Sounds like the oil pickup tube broke at the very end. If that is the case then you will need to pull the engine, pull the oil pan, and change the pickup tube. Not a terrible task, but will take a little bit of time.

 

If its not the oil pickup tube it could just be possible its one of those piston oiler jets-tubes Greg mentioned. Not sure but I wonder if its a bad thing to run your motor without the proper lubercation to that piston-cylinder area. It would concern me.

 

that is why im not going to run the fumoto valve any longer...been a few of these post,,...with out the magnet that thing would have been all over the place..with the fumoto in place you would have never found it...if it is part of the cooling jet..welding them in place wasnt going to stop that piece from breaking off...i would find a big magnet and run it across the oil pan and drag it to the drain hole to make sure there is nothing else in there...

 

Bearings are indeed magnetic. This should explain,

http://www.cat.com/cda/files/1408425/7/pehp8042.pdf.

 

Well now i know that my piece is a piece of a bearing for sure thanks hammer65!!! Can you post that in my thread

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...lp-please.html

I can i just want to make sure you get the reps for it.

 

My find is not a bearing piece like the pic. I am working on getting a better pic of my piece uploaded on here.

 

Greg,

I have posted the pics in an album named Scary Find on here but I can not seem to figure out how to post them in this thread?!

I think this would be the link to where i have put the pics:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/m...cary+find.html

 

Turbo thrust bearing?

I think it's time for a new turbo.

 

I dont think you can post if you are not a supporter or have a certain number of posts. I'll add them for you.

 

The holes make it look like a thrust bearing, but the thickness throws me off a bit. I'd pull the intake off and see how the turbo feels before I even started the truck any more.

This is a thrust bearing


I'm not positive if it would be possible for that piece to make it out if it did break?




Edit, after looking some more I would say Clux has nailed it, it is looking like a thrust bearing.

 

Here's the pics for easier viewing