Smelly oil and some metal shavings
 

Changed the oil in the Sierra yesterday and noticed a few metal particles floating around...the oil wasn't glittery, but there were a couple of particles that I could pull out, dry off, and put into a plastic Ziploc bag. I also noticed that the oil smelled strongly of gasoline.

I'm going to take the filter and an oil sample to get analyzed. I hope it's nothing major. I've only put about 10k on this motor this year...dunno what in the hell is going on, but I'm a little worried. The motor has always sounded like it had a little more "piston slap" sound than the 4.8, but I just chalked that up to the aluminum block vs. the iron 4.8.

Wonder what the metal could be? Bearings? I went with Clevite 77 "H" series bearings, new GM rings, and new cam bearings when the motor was built. Anyway, just thought I'd get it off my chest and see if anyone had any suggestions in the process.

:bang:

still using a magnetic drain plug ?
You cut open the filter ?
That is the tale tell sign
You still have the oil ?
You could filter it - see whats in it ?

I haven't cut the filter, but I still have the oil. I'm going to take it to a local place and get it analyzed. What all can you learn from getting it analyzed? Do they tell you what all is in their other than oil??

Get the oil analized and post the results or send them to me and I will let you know what they mean.

You should get fuel dilution along with wear metal counts and oil additive leavels.

Some things are going to show higher than normal, but are actually normal for LS1 engines. Like the copper count.

What you don't want is higher than normal Iron,Nickel,Chromium Titanium Aluminum ,Tin, lead and Silver

How much oil will I need to give them? The only problem is that I emptied the oil into a container that had already had used oil in it. There wasn't a substantial amount of oil in there--it had been emptied--but there was still a little residual oil left in the container that I poured my oil into.

BTW...just saw your location. RP is all I have used in this truck since the break-in period! Love the stuff!!!! :D

You need 4 ounces

Shoot me a PM I get you taken care of.

The gas smell means either you are running to rich or you are having to much fun .. :D

Yea running to rich then your oil will become fuel daluted.

Talked to a buddy of mine at the track last night--he's a GM tech at a local dealer and is pretty handy w/ LS1's--and he said that my tapping sound I've been hearing is pretty serious sounding. He mentioned the "R" word. :( The oil didn't look "glittery" like I would think it would if a bearing were on it's way out. I dunno...I'm just grasping at straws here. Kinda bummed.

I'm going to run it over to him soon and he's going to poke around a bit. I dunno what the hell I'm going to do.

Talk to Patman about the oil results also. Let me know where you get it done. I noticed after my last cam swap (after the lifter tried to drop) that the next oil change, that my plug had some shavings on it. But that was also after putting 3000+ miles of interstate driving on it in 1 week.