Metal shavings in my ic pipes!.... need advice.

[packinkimber45]

Hello everyone, unfortunately as the title states I found some debris in my ic pipes that has got me very worried . I was installing them back on the car so I can test my newly acquired eprom ecu and found metal shavings in there as well as dried up dirt. They didn't fall out of pipes or anything. I had to wipe my finger down the pipe where I saw it pretty hard in order to get the debris on my finger. I got the car about a year ago and has only been driven maybe 200-300 miles. Looks like when the ic pipes were cut or grinded the previous owner did not clean it out. The debris are not that big however they are still metal shavings. I am really worried that it will or have already done damage. Last compression I took was when I fixed an out of phase oil pump sprocket, the results were 160 all across the board. The car has a brand new low mileage sbr stage 2 head. I have not driven the car since. What could have this damaged, how would I know it has done some damage w/o tearing into the block? Some advice and info would be really great. I hope I dont have to do a rebuild. I'll try to post pictures of what it looks like. Thanks.

 

[absolute_DSM]

1. What part of your pipes did you find the debris - before or after the IC?
2. What kind of shaft play is in your turbo - side to side and up and down?


If you suspect the previous owner didnt clean out the pipes, then pull them off and clean them. Use Brake Kleen or an equivalent. Just water will not work.

 

[packinkimber45]

1. What part of your pipes did you find the debris - before or after the IC?
2. What kind of shaft play is in your turbo - side to side and up and down?


If you suspect the previous owner didnt clean out the pipes, then pull them off and clean them. Use Brake Kleen or an equivalent. Just water will not work.

Before the throttle body right by the tb elbow I believe. I will have to go in the garage to check and try to post pics. I have an evo 3 16g that is pretty new that came with the car. No in and out play and very very minimal up and down play. I will be cleaning it out before I put it back on, but I am really worried that damage has been done to the motor since it was driven about 300mi since it was bought. Do I need to have the block torn apart to see if there was damage? Thanks.

 

[absolute_DSM]

Pull the pipes and clean it out. Then make sure you arent shredding your turbo fins.

Do a compression check on the engine to make sure you didnt pull a lot of debris into the engine.

 

[packinkimber45]

Pull the pipes and clean it out. Then make sure you arent shredding your turbo fins.

Do a compression check on the engine to make sure you didnt pull a lot of debris into the engine.

I will definitely do that. How can I tell if the turbo fins are shredding? I'm worried that my rod bearings have been compromised. I will also do compression test again as soon as I get the car back together, I am taking my bs's out, replace oil front case assembly, water pump, and all timing components. As soon as I have it up I will do compression test. Is there a way to flush the motor out to make sure if there is any debris in the motor and that it doesn't end up in my new oil pump etc... For what it's I have only driven car to minimal and last compression test before I tore the car apart was 160 all across the board, but like I said I will do another. Thanks.

 

[spawn87]

i agree with absolute dsm... perhaps your turbo is starting to go out if u only drove it as little as u say u did then u wouldn't notice it till the turbo goes. i my self just recently blew my turbo just doing on the freeway with no warning or sign that my turbo was bad till it went out...never hurts to just check and make sure.

 

[packinkimber45]

i agree with absolute dsm... perhaps your turbo is starting to go out if u only drove it as little as u say u did then u wouldn't notice it till the turbo goes. i my self just recently blew my turbo just doing on the freeway with no warning or sign that my turbo was bad till it went out...never hurts to just check and make sure.

Turbo has 3k miles. Turbo fins from the front looks good.

 

[spawn87]

ok well then just try to get the compression test done to ensure theres no internal damage but make sure to check your pipes later to see if any new beebread shows up.