How much metal in VVT and you still sent it?

[dyeguy1212]

Chrysler says if there's metal in the VVT screen the engine needs to be replaced. Yet it seems guys have completely wiped out a cam lobe, swapped cam and lifter, and the engine kept going.

I've got a 2013 with 113k, pulled VVT, and thought I was in the clear. Flipped it over, and one window has some shavings in it.

I'm a "do it right or do it again" person, but we're talking a $4000 difference depending on cam/lifters vs. a long block.

Curious about other people's experience. Anyone put a lot of miles on a hemi that digested some shavings? How'd your VVT look?

 

[Jeepwalker]

So ...are your cam/lifters fine then? Or are looking into that? Or...is the engine good, but you just happened to pull the VVT solenoid ..to see/clean?

Frankly that looks cleaner than the one in my hummer which I cleaned a yr ago.

 

[jws123]

You will get a few paranoid people on here tha see a few flakes of metal and get all bent for sure ahaha.

Replace the cam and liftters and keep going while the engine is apart flush it out good with brake clean. Change the oil 500miles after cam/lifter job I have done camshafts on over 30 hemis only twice have i needed to do a full rebuild because it was to far gone none have ever come back with complaints. The truck will rot in half by the time the bearings are so damaged you lose oil pressure.

 

[dyeguy1212]

So ...are your cam/lifters fine then? Or are looking into that? Or...is the engine good, but you just happened to pull the VVT solenoid ..to see/clean?

Frankly that looks cleaner than the one in my hummer which I cleaned a yr ago.

Ran out of steam last night. Heads and cam will come out today. I'm pretty sure it's lifter failure.

 

[dyeguy1212]

One lifter has no needle bearings, one other one was starting to go.

didn't get the cam pulled, spent too much time pulling that ******* balancer off

 

[Sillygoose]

i'd say mine was similar to yours, rebuilt it, no issues in 15k miles. flush it out, change the oil a few times afterwards & move on.

 

[dyeguy1212]

So this begs the question.. do a handful of silver flakes in the vvt screen actually warrant a new long block?

At this point, the engine looks great. Cylinders have perfect cross hatching, no metal flake or sparkles found anywhere else.

But if you assume the filter picks up everything in the pan, does the pressurized oil path mean the flakes came from a bearing?

I'd rather not be on borrowed time, but at a high level this engine seems fine. I just don't want to throw $1500 in parts at it and spin a main bearing shortly after.

 

[dyeguy1212]

i'd say mine was similar to yours, rebuilt it, no issues in 15k miles. flush it out, change the oil a few times afterwards & move on.

Did you have flake in the VVT?

Seems a lot of folks have had similar or worse lifter/cam failures and got away with part replacements. I'm just overly concerned there's bearing damage and the engine is on borrowed time.

 

[Sillygoose]

Did you have flake in the VVT?

Seems a lot of folks have had similar or worse lifter/cam failures and got away with part replacements. I'm just overly concerned there's bearing damage and the engine is on borrowed time.

yes, and on pick up tube screen.

 

[dyeguy1212]

yes, and on pick up tube screen.

I appreciate the feedback. I'm just so paranoid about bearing damage.

My oil was milky with super fine gllitter. I'd like to tell myself the larger flake in the VVT is from the cam, but boy am i terrified it's main bearing..

A lot of unknowns in a situation like this. Engine could go another 100k, or it could spin a bearing in 10k..

 

[Hagar1]

yes, and on pick up tube screen.

I pulled my "spare" hemi completely apart. One lobe on the camshaft just didn't exist. NO metal in the screen and as far as rod and main bearings go, not so much as a spec of metal. They were so clean that if I was on a tight budget, I'd use them again.

 

[EdGs]

How do the cam lobes look?

Might want to drop the oil pan to make sure the sump, pickup tube and bottom end are cleaned out, JMO there.

Clean her out really good while you have her apart, get your self some conventional oil and filters, and do a couple or three quick oil changes once you have her up and running. Maybe a couple at 100 miles each, then a third at, say 500 miles.

You can cut the filters open and see what extra stuff you've trapped in there.

Then do a final change with the high quality oil and filter of your choice.

 

[dyeguy1212]

I pulled my "spare" hemi completely apart. One lobe on the camshaft just didn't exist. NO metal in the screen and as far as rod and main bearings go, not so much as a spec of metal. They were so clean that if I was on a tight budget, I'd use them again.

Very good to know. Did you check your vvt screen by chance?

 

[mtofell]

My 6.4 engine was replaced under extended warranty due to metal shavings in the VVT (I think that's the part they said). Anyway, the dealer said there's no way to do it without leaving metal behind somewhere and they're obviously trying to save every buck they can paying for warranty work.

 

[jws123]

yep looks about right also as far as that balancer they make a tool to take it off

Very good to know. Did you check your vvt screen by chance?

my VVT screen was alot worse then yours plus i had some **** in the pan. Also the cam can be done in the truck however if you can its much nicer if you can pull the engine/inspect and clean everything

 

[Hagar1]

Very good to know. Did you check your vvt screen by chance?

Did pay much attention to it but I think it is still out in the shop

 

[Wild one]

I appreciate the feedback. I'm just so paranoid about bearing damage.

My oil was milky with super fine gllitter. I'd like to tell myself the larger flake in the VVT is from the cam, but boy am i terrified it's main bearing..

A lot of unknowns in a situation like this. Engine could go another 100k, or it could spin a bearing in 10k..

If you're that worried about the bearings, pull the pan and check a couple bearings over.If your truck is a 4X4 drop the front diff out of your way,or pull the motor.
Personally i think you're fretting over it a bit much,but by the sounds of it,you won't sleep until you know if the bearings are okay,lol

 

[dyeguy1212]

If you're that worried about the bearings, pull the pan and check a couple bearings over.If your truck is a 4X4 drop the front diff out of your way,or pull the motor.
Personally i think you're fretting over it a bit much,but by the sounds of it,you won't sleep until you know if the bearings are okay,lol

Yeah, have a hectic job. Can't really afford to have the truck go down again. Plus the risk of wasting 2k in parts..

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Has your oil pressure changed, if it's been dropping you may have lower end damage, again drop the pan and inspect mains and rod bearings.

 

[dyeguy1212]

Has your oil pressure changed, if it's been dropping you may have lower end damage, again drop the pan and inspect mains and rod bearings.

Nope. Oil pressure still strong.

Gotta carve out some time to get the pan dropped this week.