| Author | Message | ||
     Motorbike |
Guys, I need some opinions. I drained my primary and engine oil tonight and found a small chip of steel stuck on the primary case drain plug magnet. Please take a look at the pics and let me know what you think it may be. There was just a tiny amount of real fine black gunk on the plug, which I already cleaned off before taking these pics. I stuck the chip back on the plug for size reference. I ran a magnet through the primary oil in my drain pan and it came out absolutely clean. No chips of any size. It seems to me that if something were coming apart, there would have been more than just this one tiny chip? The primary oil (Amsoil 20W-50) also looked very clean. This 08 XT has 9300 miles on it. It is working great and has no funny noises in the primary. I hope it is just a metal chip from manufacturing processes. This is the third time I have changed the primary oil. It seems to me this should have been found previously if it is from manufacturing. Any ideas? Thanks!    | ||
| Swampy |
Looks like a left over...if it was something self destructing you would have noticed it by now. From the color and shape, and being magnetic you would have seen more than just the one piece and the oil would have been metallic looking. You have to remember...these engines were put together in a H-D factory... | ||
| H2opatrol |
I had a chip almost identical to that on my drain plug the first time I changed my primary oil ('09 XP). Almost looked like it had been sheared off from something really important. I sweat a few bullets and said a short prayer and have run it 7k miles since then with no problems. YMMV | ||
| Motorbike |
The chip looks really big in the pics but it actually is about 1/16" x 1/8". It just looks bigger because it is so close. I will strain the oil through a paint filter but I don't expect to find much because absolutely nothing was found on a magnet that was swirled around in the drain pan. | ||
| Ratbuell |
It's a metal chain that rides on metal sprockets. And transmission gears. If its not big enough to read a part number on...you're worrying too much. If you start seeing them repeatedly, go look for the source. Until then...fill 'er up and go ride! | ||
| Etennuly |
In each of the two new Buell motorcycles I have owned, I found a nearly exactly matching chip to yours, in the primary upon the first oil change. Nothing was found on the magnet in either bike after the initial oil change. I sold the first bike at 14,000 miles with no problems from it, and the current one has over 57,000 with no problems from it either. My primary magnet very seldom has anything more than a very tiny chip or a very little sludge on it since the first change. The first 25,000 miles or so some black metallic really fine "fur" was on the magnet from the engine oil. Since then there is just a fine film of dark gray sludge on the magnet when changing oil. I always do a smear on a clean white cloth when changing oils to inspect for changes in what the magnets pick up. | ||
| Tootal |
It looks like a machining burr from when they cut a gear tooth. Maybe from the ring gear on the starter or from the transmission. It took a while to break off. From the looks of it, it took three cuts to make it. It's actually three burrs stuck together. Just my opinion from the pictures.  | ||
| Motorbike |
Thanks for all of your opinions. I feel better now! I strained the primary oil through a paint strainer funnel as I dumped it out last night and did not find anything at all in the strainer. Nothing. I guess if something were coming apart, I would have seen more pieces. I also took a small pliers and crushed the chip. It broke into about 3 pieces, just as Tootal suggested. Time to fill 'er up and go for a ride! Thanks again. |
