Metal shavings on cam while doing ls6 vct

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 02:54 PM

So I was doing the LS6 VCT mod and some how shavings got on the cam even though I covered the valley and everything while I was cutting the block. My question is will I damage my engine by having metal shavings in there? I tried wiping it of and I can't get the the shavings with a rag. Then somehow while I was cleaning the valley the shavings got rinsed off what is visible of the cam. Do I need to remove it and clean in there some how or should I be fine? Here's how it looked before the shavings got rinsed off by some cleaner.

It is kind of hard to see the shavings but they are there.

**tatertot91** · 04-18-2012, 03:00 PM

Not sure i'd be happy leaving it like that.
I'd rinse the cam off with some clean oil till it's clean and give her an oil change. Can't hurt

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91:2767779

Not sure i'd be happy leaving it like that.
I'd rinse the cam off with some clean oil till it's clean and give her an oil change. Can't hurt

I sprayed some carb cleaner on it and it looks clean, right now. I may put some oil in too how much do you think I should put in? I don't want to put too much. I was thinking a cup or two and then let the car idle for a bit and them changing the oil.

**tatertot91** · 04-18-2012, 03:33 PM

Enough to coat it. If you got a spare oil filter laying around i'd change it. Never hurts to be too careful imo

**Smittro** · 04-18-2012, 03:39 PM

Personally that would be cause for me to pull the engine apart.

I am not sure there's any real sure effective way to get metal shavings out of an engine once they're in there.

I wish I had a better solution for you but that would totally kill my peace of mind about the engine lasting.

You can do as Alex suggests, and then drain the extra oil off till it reads the correct level on the dipstick.

Your oil filter will catch them but I'd be worried about any that may get caught between bearing surfaces and so forth.

**0rion** · 04-18-2012, 04:02 PM

I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation you're in. If those shavings get into bearings they will trash the bearings. This is exactly the reason I NEVER recommend anyone do the LS6 valley cover. It's just way too much hassle and risk for next to zero reward. Flush the cam with oil and change the oil. Drive it for a few miles and change it again. That would be the bare minimum I would do. What I would probably actually do since you haven't started the engine yet is pull that cam and clean it along with checking and cleaning the cam journals. After I put it back together I would change the oil, drive it, and change the oil again.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-18-2012, 04:03 PM

Like Smittro said, I wouldn't be comfortable with that,,,,AT ALL. Longevity is now in question. Anything floating around is definately going to score some bearings.

If you want to try to save it. I'd hose it down with brake clean, lots of it, and try to force it all down to the oil pan, (but I think the crank and rods may catch some). Then I would immediately drain the oil. Refill with fresh oil, then start the engine, run for a short time, then do a complete oil/filter change.

Personally I'd be yanking it out,,,but......

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion:2767792

I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation you're in. If those shavings get into bearings they will trash the bearings. This is exactly the reason I NEVER recommend anyone do the LS6 valley cover. It's just way too much hassle and risk for next to zero reward. Flush the cam with oil and change the oil. Drive it for a few miles and change it again. That would be the bare minimum I would do. What I would probably actually do since you haven't started the engine yet is pull that cam and clean it along with checking and cleaning the cam journals. After I put it back together I would change the oil, drive it, and change the oil again.

I figured I was in a "I am fucked" situation, I was actually thinking of taking the cam out and cleaning it, what would be the best way to clean the cavity the cam goes into? Like should I flush it with something? I guess I may be saving up for a new engine sooner than I thought in case it goes or should I just forget this and buy a replacement engine?

**cammed goat** · 04-18-2012, 04:36 PM

Probably alot of brakleen. Spray the cam with it, then spray the cavity as well. Maybe let the engine sit a while for the brakleen to completely run through the engine and dry it out as to free any shavings in/near the crank and allow the shavings to fall into the pan. Maybe use a vacuum cleaner to suck out any shavings? But that is only my guess. I wouldn't run that engine either. Once those crank bearings fail, it's bye-bye motor.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by cammed goat:2767803

Probably alot of brakleen. Spray the cam with it, then spray the cavity as well. Maybe let the engine sit a while for the brakleen to completely run through the engine and dry it out as to free any shavings in/near the crank and allow the shavings to fall into the pan. Maybe use a vacuum cleaner to suck out any shavings? But that is only my guess. I wouldn't run that engine either. Once those crank bearings fail, it's bye-bye motor.

What is brakleen and where do I get it? Yeah I am not going to start it. If I were to replace my engine what would be the best engine I could find for $2800 or more depends on somethings + whatever this might get me if I clean it out and everything. I found an ls2 and a l92 on ebay for about 2k, what all would need to be done to a l92 to make it fit a car?

**WhiteWolf** · 04-18-2012, 05:14 PM

I'm thinking it was a typo, he meant brake cleaner. I can't remember if brakekleen is a Napa or Advance brand. I hope everything comes out ok. I've had to do a complete tear down, myself, after a mistake like this before. Good luck.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by WhiteWolf:2767818

I'm thinking it was a typo, he meant brake cleaner. I can't remember if brakekleen is a Napa or Advance brand. I hope everything comes out ok. I've had to do a complete tear down, myself, after a mistake like this before. Good luck.

Might be a good time for me to upgrade, we shall see I guess. I am just glad this isn't my DD.

**Smittro** · 04-18-2012, 05:33 PM

Simply put right now the engine is salvagable if you do not run it and tear it down.

Once you run it, if anything goes wrong it's done, and there won't really be anything you can trust to reuse.

I can't answer the $2800.00 cash limit, but I would suspect if you were to freshen up your current engine you'd come in under that number.

But again as FBJ suggests you'd need to pull the engine. I agree, that's the only way to save it now.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro:2767823

Simply put right now the engine is salvagable if you do not run it and tear it down.

Once you run it, if anything goes wrong it's done, and there won't really be anything you can trust to reuse.

I can't answer the $2800.00 cash limit, but I would suspect if you were to freshen up your current engine you'd come in under that number.

But again as FBJ suggests you'd need to pull the engine. I agree, that's the only way to save it now.

I am not going to run it. I cant run the engine right now even if I wanted to as I have a bunch of stuff disconnected atm.Your talking about doing a total rebuild right? I have no how to do that so I definitely would need some guidance or where to find a guide to do that. Or is that something a shop should do for me if that is what you are talking about.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-18-2012, 06:20 PM

If you don't run the engine, a simple tear down and clean will work.

If you run the engine, that crap gets into all the little oil passage ways throughout the crank journals, block journals etc....

At that point, even if damage isn't done, tearing the block down to a bare shell and sending it off to the machine shop for a hot tank and cleaning is the only way to get it all out of there. Otherwise anything you do from that point will be ruined from more trash passing through it.

I had an issue like this where AFR installed the wrong valve springs on a set of heads I bought from them. Wiped the cam, (a roller cam at that) which passed all that debri throughout the engine. It had to come completely apart, block sent off for thorough cleaning,,,etc etc...

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones:2767848

If you don't run the engine, a simple tear down and clean will work.

If you run the engine, that crap gets into all the little oil passage ways throughout the crank journals, block journals etc....

At that point, even if damage isn't done, tearing the block down to a bare shell and sending it off to the machine shop for a hot tank and cleaning is the only way to get it all out of there. Otherwise anything you do from that point will be ruined from more trash passing through it.

I had an issue like this where AFR installed the wrong valve springs on a set of heads I bought from them. Wiped the cam, (a roller cam at that) which passed all that debri throughout the engine. It had to come completely apart, block sent off for thorough cleaning,,,etc etc...

What all is involved in a tear down and cleaning? I don't need to send it to be hot tanked right? Sorry for all of these questions, I just haven't done anything of this magnitude before. Do any of you know what I am looking at spending for this? Also I feel like a complete moron that this happened.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-18-2012, 07:32 PM

Like the others said, clean it best you can. To what extent is your call. Someone mentioned removing the cam, I'd say that's a good idea. Hard telling if anything made it further down. You really wouldn't know unless you yanked the engine and pulled it completely apart.

If you pull the cam, I'd clean best you can, flush what you can't see down to the oil pan and drain it. Probably could do that with the drain plug removed and see if anything shiny is coming out with it.

Maybe a good time for a cam upgrade?

**98TransAmWs-6** · 04-18-2012, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones:2767873

Like the others said, clean it best you can. To what extent is your call. Someone mentioned removing the cam, I'd say that's a good idea. Hard telling if anything made it further down. You really wouldn't know unless you yanked the engine and pulled it completely apart.

If you pull the cam, I'd clean best you can, flush what you can't see down to the oil pan and drain it. Probably could do that with the drain plug removed and see if anything shiny is coming out with it.

Maybe a good time for a cam upgrade?

At the very least I am to clean the cam and flush it down to the oil pan like you and Orion said. I need to clean the timing chain and gears too since I saw some metal flakes on them. I might remove the oil pan too after I have flushed it quite a bit and clean it out. Right now I need to figure out how far to go with this, since I don't know how far the metal bits might have gotten. Might do a cam upgrade, I already have a c5-r timing chain to go on with it. Just trying to decide if I should pull the motor, unfortunately I am not sure if have that much room in my current garage for that.

**Smittro** · 04-18-2012, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by 98TransAmWs-6

I am not going to run it. I cant run the engine right now even if I wanted to as I have a bunch of stuff disconnected atm.Your talking about doing a total rebuild right? I have no how to do that so I definitely would need some guidance or where to find a guide to do that. Or is that something a shop should do for me if that is what you are talking about.

Well not necassarily rebuild it.

But you could take the opportunity to get the engine on a stand and give it a more thorough cleaning without fully tearing it down.

I also agree with the others though to some extent.. That is to say you may get away with just pulling the cam and trying to clean things up.

Only problem I see there is you risk draging any residual filings through and across the cam bearings.

Scoring a bearing is never good, scoring an already worn one crosswise the dirrection of spin "could" be fatal.

This is just my .02. I say these things in hopes of saving a perfectly good engine as it sits.

If a cam bearing turns in its bore you're done.

But it's your car the choices are yours to make.