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Found Finished Metal Part in Oil Drain Pan

Started by whiskeytango6, February 15, 2012, 10:17:14 AM

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whiskeytango6

February 15, 2012, 10:17:14 AM
I recently performed an oil change on my 2003 Monster 800S i.e. and found this piece of metal in my drain pan. It's about the size of a BB and is finished on all sides but where it fractured.






Sorry for the poor photo quality. As you can see the piece is rounded, flat on one side and slightly beveled on the other. How alarmed do I need to be with this? Does anybody have any idea what it could be from? I'm due for a valve adjustment here in about 800 miles and would like to wait until then to have this looked at by a mechanic (if it can wait). Any advice is appreciated.

-wt6

Speeddog

#1
February 15, 2012, 10:27:10 AM
Steel?

Aluminum?
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whiskeytango6

#2
February 15, 2012, 11:57:34 AM
I knew I should have paid more attention in my strength of materials class in college...

I can't really say for sure if it's steel or aluminum. If I scratch some of the carbon off of the fractured face it's shiny, which would lead me to think aluminum.

ducatiz

#3
February 15, 2012, 12:02:52 PM
huh.  gotta be aluminum or it would have stuck to the drain plug.

more clear pics might help too.  very odd.
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

whiskeytango6

#4
February 15, 2012, 12:24:55 PM
Attempt at new photos. I might have to go borrow a friend's DSLR to get better macro photos.





Cheers,
wt6

Howie

#5
February 15, 2012, 09:50:28 PM
Quote from: whiskeytango6 on February 15, 2012, 11:57:34 AM
I knew I should have paid more attention in my strength of materials class in college...

I can't really say for sure if it's steel or aluminum. If I scratch some of the carbon off of the fractured face it's shiny, which would lead me to think aluminum.

Check it with a magnet.  I cant picture a part that could come from.

ducatiz

#6
February 15, 2012, 09:52:40 PM
Quote from: whiskeytango6 on February 15, 2012, 12:24:55 PM


Cheers,
wt6

whatever it is, it's cast.  look at the metal grain on the bottom. 

case, covers.  $10 says it's aluminum
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

Howie

#7
February 15, 2012, 10:52:58 PM Last Edit: February 15, 2012, 10:54:39 PM by howie
I'm not betting.  I need the ten bucks more than you do ;D 

ducatiz

#8
February 16, 2012, 05:24:44 AM
Quote from: howie on February 15, 2012, 10:52:58 PM
I'm not betting.  I need the ten bucks more than you do ;D 

unless something has changed, the drain plug has a magnet on it.  i think it would have picked that up if it was ferric
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

whiskeytango6

#9
February 16, 2012, 05:30:15 AM
I just tested it with a refrigerator magnet and it is indeed magnetic. No idea why the magnet on the drain plug wouldn't have grabbed it.

avizpls

#10
February 16, 2012, 06:28:23 AM
Shifter pawl? Does the bike still shift the same?
#11

HotIce

#11
February 16, 2012, 06:28:45 AM
Looks like a tooth of a gear snapped to me ....

whiskeytango6

#12
February 16, 2012, 06:37:43 AM
I haven't noticed any differences in shifting. Also, I agree that it looks like the tooth of a gear, but the question is from where and how concerned do I need to be?

HotIce

#13
February 16, 2012, 06:39:46 AM
I'd be very concerned ... but I tend to panic a lot when stuff is coming off things I ride  ;D

supperduc

#14
February 16, 2012, 07:39:35 AM
It sure looks like the end of an oil bypass spring. Item #14 from pic below.

http://www.ducatimcparts.com/images/parts/ducati/fullsize/M800S_USA_2003026.jpg
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