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I have taken one main cap off, and if I look very closely, there are a few fine scratches ending with a tiny piece of different colored metal. I can't feel the scratch, but I see it.
The oil that remained in the pan is basically clean, a but sludgy, but there are no flakes or particles like I saw on the dipstick. The lifter valley is built up in places up to 1/4" thick with heavy black sludge.