Oil Filter Element Inspection

[Robert Eilers]

I cut open my oil filter today and inspected the paper filter element inside. My first time at this. I found in the folds of the paper filter element fine copper colored particles - very fine. The engine has just over 100 hours on a 2003 overhaul. I would welcome any opinions regarding how excited I should get about the copper particles. I plan to put another 10-15 hours on the engine, do another oil and filter change, send oil out for analysis, and reinspect the filter element. I am hopeful that the copper particles are just the result of the engine finally breaking in.

[Bill Hart]

Fine copper particles should not cause too much concern. The oil analysis is a good idea but they are best when used over a period of time to spot trends in what is happening to your oil. It takes more than one sample unless there is something seriously wrong.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Don't panic yet.

While it is real difficult to judge what you saw from you description it sounds about normal specially for a newer engine. How much metal did you find. Any more than say half a teaspoon might be case for worry. I'm assuming there weren't any parts big enough to have a part number were there?

I'd do another oil filter check in 10 or 15 hours. This time show the material if you find any to a local mechanic. Actually show it to a few local mechanics to get more than one opinion.

[N2865C]

Here is a link to some info on what you might find in your filter and how to identify what it is.
http://www.sacskyranch.com/cancut2.htm

[derf62]

Just after I overhauled mine I was up at OSH. thought I'd get a little advice from the Cont guys. Well Here's what one guy said. On your first oil change just throw the filter away and wait until the next change to analyze. If you start cking you will scare yourself to death.

I took his advice running fine w/ 165 hours. I do send my oil out for analysis, same thing looking OK. .

[GAHorn]

Yep, to all the above. And as regards "oil analysis".... It is only useful if you 1) use the same lab 2) every time 3) at the same intervals 4) and the exact same oil wt/brand/etc.
A "one or two" time analysis is a waste of your money. The most economical analysis you can do yourself, by regular oil changes and checking the filter/screens.
And lastly, the most common "discovery" of an oil analyisis program? ... You have a leaky intake/induction system which is allowing silicon (dirt) into your engine.
The most erroroneous discovery? That "silicone' is in your oil and that you must have some huge problem. (use of silicone (rubber) gaskets, materials, etc. will skew your results.) My practice is simply to change the oil regularly, frequently, and inspect the filter/screen. I feel that oil analysis in a piston engine is a huge waste of money. It's technologically cute...but it's economically virtually useless. It began popularity in the late 60's early 70's with turbine engines which, to a corporate operater who was afraid of the new, expensive jet engines (they could cost more than the airplane they were screwed onto was worth!)... so whenever a corporation (who usually had a mechanic who needed to justify his presence on the payroll and therefore needed to utilize every tool available to him) purchased a used airplane, it was popular to demand a histo-graph of the engine's oil analysis program. This actually had value in some engines due to the emerging-technology of turbine engines. But now-days, most of that engine technology is nothing new and neither are the approved oils for them.) Anyway, an oil analysis program for a piston engine has much less usefulness, in my opinion, than a simple program of frequent, regular oil changes & filter/screen inspections.
And if you have a screen...not a real paper-filter... then you'd better CLEAN it EVERY OIL CHANGE because there is no by-pass feature to a screen. When it clogs... your engine starves for oil. (At least a filter will by-pass.)

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

George you are probably right about the oil analysis. I first saw this in the Army with our helicopters and always thought it was because the military was running the turbines till they came apart which was either indicated by a lose of power or a drastic rise in metal in the oil analysis.