23 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHBrown Plastic Bits
Leading reported evidence
Check filter
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Checked the filter after the weekend and found another bit of brown plastic and possibly a few bits of black plastic.
Leading evidence: 'Check filter' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check cam deviation' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
--- then at least drop the oil filter housing and carefully dump its contents into a clean drain pan.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
If you find none with a clean housing and new filter and the housing filled with oil install the housing with its new filter and drive some more.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
23 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T103553Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I found a bit of brown plastic in my oil pan when I dropped it a few weeks ago on my silver '99 C2. After a weekend at the track, I cut open the oil filter and found another bit. I assume this is chain tensioner pad material?
Does anyone have a favorite DIY or tips? Also, what are the easy "while your at it" things to do while I'm in there. I'm going to be selling this car within the next six month so I don't want to go overboard on the scope of the project. I just want to get it to the point that I could sell it to a friend or fellow Rennlister in good conscience.
If your selling I wouldn't open a can of worms it can get expensive while your in there, I think quite a few of these engines this age will be getting the odd bit of plastic whether it gets noticed or not?? The vario pads in the heads are main culprit and easier than the rest as its only valve covers off so maybe do those of you have to, the rear main rails need engine out to get at the bolts , you may possibly get the front main rails, all ims related tensioners need the case to be split so you won't get those!
Thx for chiming in Noz. I would definitely prefer not to split the case but don't mind pulling the engine.
And I don't want to change the pads if it's not really an issue. But if it is, I want to get it taken care of so the next guy doesn't have to.
What sort of reading you getting on cam deviation?? If its not getting near the limit I wouldn't worry, it's an old car things wear, you can't go through every last bit renewing everything before you sell it!!
May not be a problem. That bit of brown plastic in the oil pan could have been there since day one.
The bit in the filter element could be new or from the violence of the oil during the track event a piece in the sump might have been ingested and ended up in the filter element.
Noz1974 asked a good question regarding cam timing deviation.
Provided the CEL is off, the engine is not making any scary noises and runs without any drama -- no varying idle, lumpiness, etc. -- with fresh oil and and oil filter I'd drive the car some. Nothing fancy just about town your normal usage.
Always be on high alert for any signs of engine trouble and if any signs appear shut off the engine ASAP and do not start it again. Flat bed car to a shop.
But I don't expect this to happen.
After some time -- you decide how long to drive the car, run the engine -- an hour? A day? A week? --- then at least drop the oil filter housing and carefully dump its contents into a clean drain pan.
If you find more plastic bits that's not a good sign.
If you find none with a clean housing and new filter and the housing filled with oil install the housing with its new filter and drive some more.
I'll check the deviations tonight.
I dropped the sump and cleaned it out 6,000 miles ago. Dropped it, found a bit of plastic, and cleaned it prior to the track weekend along with oil (race oil) and filter change. Checked the filter after the weekend and found another bit of brown plastic and possibly a few bits of black plastic.
Deviations are at 0 and 3 which is unchanged since the day I bought the car. And for the record, it runs amazingly well. I just want to make sure to do my part to keep it that way.
IIRC the brown bits are from the VarioCam actuator rails, the black bits come from either the crank/IMS chain drive rails or one of the IMS to exhaust chain drive rails.
The actuator rails can be accessed with the engine in the car. The other chain rails at least some of them is an engine out and engine disassembly job to replace. And of course then there is the gotcha of "while you are there"...
Maybe you ought to give tracking a miss?
Sorry, but I've never been a fan of tracking these cars. My opinion is they aren't really designed for it and to deal with the possible issues arising from track usage can be expensive.
Could be for your tracking activity you may have to address deteriorating chain rail guides -- if the plastic bits shedding continues -- and then "while you are there" possibly the hydraulic chain tensioners maybe even sloppy/loose chains and maybe even more depending upon what is found after the engine is opened up.
If it has to be opened up of course. That it needs this level of attention is not clear. if you stop tracking and find the plastic bits keep on coming then almost certainly at some point this will need to be addressed and sooner rather than later.
If you continue to track I would hazard a guess -- doesn't take much of a crystal ball -- you will need to something and sooner. You certainly do not want the engine to lose a chain rail and have the chain run on bare aluminum. This fills the oil with alum. metal flake assuming the chain doesn't tear the alum. rail loose. This would almost certainly be fatal to the engine.
Even if the rail stays put with the guide rail plastic cover gone the chain could get loose enough to jump a tooth or three. And this too would almost certainly be fatal to the engine.
If you want to play you have to be at least prepared to pay.
These engines actually seem to do pretty well on the track as long as you take the right precautions. Using a high temp race oil, X51 baffle, and making sure all of your maintenance items such as AOS, WP and IMS are taken car of seem to be the keys. Oh ya, and no money shifts.
If they do so well on the track then why is your's shedding cam pad material?
Leave it alone unless you want to pull the engine, and replace the cam chain pads.
Post a picture of the plastic bits? Is it black or brown?
Ummm, your logic implies that since they have issues while driving on the street then we can assume they don't do well on the street either?
Despite what my wife says, I can follow directions pretty well. Pulling the engine doesn't look like that tough of a job. Splitting the case does seem to increase the complexity though so I would like to avoid that initially unless it's recommended. Even if it means pulling the engine a second time to go back in and do it again later on.
Sorry amigos, no pics. Although Schnelly's made me laugh pretty hard. There was one brown and 4 black "bits" 1-2mm in size that were impervious to the pressures of a fingernail or the "lure" of a magnet. I can always drop the sump again if there is a specific variation in the bits that we are looking for otherwise my description will have to do.
