what the hell is this? fell out the sump...!!!

[sprevett]

changed the oil in my 350i......this fell into the bucket. It's very small as you can see, with ID of 6.5mm and OD of 8.85mm. Anyone know what it does (did)???

[rev-erend]

It's a 1p coin

[sprevett]

glad that's out of the way then....

[firefox1712]

It's a little end bearing and you've got a wayward piston. Well really, I'm not an engineer but I did have a go.

Hope it isn't too serious.

JJ

[adam quantrill]

Surely too small JJ - the little end is about the same dia as my little finger - maybe a 1/2p coin (remember them)?

Incidentally did you see Top Gear last night - and the drinks cabinet that never runs out???

I'd like one too ;^)

Getting back to the point, the offending item might have been dropped in while someone had the rocker covers off. Is it magnetic (i.e. steel/iron?) and does it show any wear marks?

[mightymouse]

"They all do that Sir......characteristic of the car"

[B@man]

mightymouse said:

"They all do that Sir......characteristic of the car"

Factory fitted tappety rattle ?

Looks like some kind of locating dowel

[jmorgan]

Are they any ways that bits from the top that size can get down the bottom?

[sprevett]

hmmm..well I have had been advised that it may well be a spacer from the rocker cover gasket...it does have signs of wear on the internal surface but not the external. will check for magnet appeal when I find one..ta

[sprevett]

in fact here is what was said:

"I cannot be 100% positive but i’ll give you 90:1 that the offending article is the spacing collar from a rubber rocker cover gasket. The rubber gaskets have these to stop them from compressing too far when you tighten the gasket down. They are a real pain and tend to stick to the ally of the head or the rocker cover, get pulled out of the gasket and the drop into the top of the engine when the rocker covers are removed."

so presumably there must be a gallery big enough for it to find its way (i.e fall) to the sump somehow..(or was it pushed?)

[B@man]

That would explain the 6.5mm ID - Sounds plausible.

[ed_crouch]

A-HA!

Yep, now you mention it thats exactly what it looks like. A small passivated spacer. Well, best thing is to have the rocker boxes of to see if one is missing.

Prolly fell into the sump via the pushrod tunnel in the head and down through the lifter gallery past the camshaft, bounce off the crankshaft and into the sump pan.

It'll almost certainly be off the inlet manifold side of one of the rocker cover seals, as thats where the head casting is open down to the gallery.

[grahamw48]

Dammit....was expecting at least a set of false teeth.