Metal shavings in oil

Mitchelljerore · Feb 11, 2016

My 2006 Rmz 450 is running strong but I've found that it was leaking coolant out the overflow tube so I'm replacing the top end hoping its the head gasket but when I drained my oil I found almost inch long metal shavings in the oil with a magnet! But I also found some shavings in my radiator clogging up the system so I pulled the impeller apart but all seemed good so if anyone could steer me in the right direction is like to not put a new bottom end in.
Thanks, Mitchell

timoyz · Feb 11, 2016

Sounds like a cage from a bearing, time to split them cases.

snowflake · Feb 11, 2016

got bigger issues than the headgasket. Time to pull apart the bottom end, probably end up with crank bearings and crank assembly

Mihylo33 · Feb 11, 2016

Good thing you found it now.
You can do a total rebuild for cheap since you didn't wait for the motor to blow.
Crank rebuild and new bearings throughout. Do the head, valves and cam chain. Water pump seals, impeller while you are in there too.

Mitchelljerore · Feb 11, 2016

Thanks for the quick reply guys it will really help!!!

Mitchelljerore · Feb 12, 2016

Is there any way to tell before I split the case?

Mihylo33 · Feb 12, 2016

Mitchelljerore:
Is there any way to tell before I split the case?

Nope. Split them cases because taking the short cut will cost you atleast twice as much.

2strokesteve89 · Feb 13, 2016

Mitchelljerore:
Is there any way to tell before I split the case?

Actually yes there is......just take it out to a beach with a full tank of gas and ride it wide open untill you run The tank dry or the motor locks up, if it locks up you know you had a bad bearing. If you run out of gas then it's ok.

Mihylo33 · Feb 13, 2016

2strokesteve89:
Actually yes there is......just take it out to a beach with a full tank of gas and ride it wide open untill you run The tank dry or the motor locks up, if it locks up you know you had a bad bearing. If you run out of gas then it's ok.

That's how you really can tell.