Noticed a glittering of metal flake in the bottom of the pan after an oil change. I don't think i've seen that for over a year. It was not just a few flakes, either. Looked like breakin oil but I'm way past that stage. What do you thinK? Any concerns you might have? I change oil religiously every 2500 miles.

One thing I did differently was that i put the bike on a rear stand to change oil today. Any chance that there could have been a buildup of shearings that got dumped because of the downhill slope?

* Last updated by: Rook on 7/17/2010 @ 4:57 PM *

Got me thinking here rook. When I change my oil it goes into a pan that does not allow me to examine it's condition or to even see if I have flakes. I always wanted to by that custom filter that that comes apart for this very reason. I think it was 90 bucks. Will be looking for one now.

Hey Rook , did you open up your filter and have a look for any bad stuff, do you have a magnet to put throught oil, is it metal or alloy.
What type of oil do you run and is it genuine filter.

If it still runs good and no noise or faults, do a half oil change at say 1250 miles and see what you get.

Rook ditch the race filter what your seeing is all the garbage its letting in your engine and the damage its doing to your cylinder walls, valves and bearings. Put in a stock filter change the oil and mabey you wont have to rebuild it before the next race!

* Last updated by: buck20 on 7/18/2010 @ 9:24 AM *

Romans, I got my pan for ~$4 at Advance Auto. It's a 3" high ~16" diameter pan made of soft black plastic. I just let the bike sit and drain about 45 minutes and by that time, any shearings will have fallen to the bottom.

Ethin...I tossed that filter out. Oil is in a big jug along with 3-4 other big jugs of old oil I have out in the garage. I'll never figure out which is which now. Suppose I will wait and have a look next time. Everything sounds good and the bike is running as good as ever.

Buck, I agree on the race filter opinion. I have it listed with my mods but I actually haven't put the BMC in yet. I bought a stock air filter to replace the original just a few months ago.

Rook, I drained oil today over a oil absorbing mat(better know as a pig Mat) No metal flakes. I am currently using a piper cross race filter & the BMC before that. Nothing bad to report. I would have a hard time believing that a filter was the cause of what you described with how often you change your oil. But I suppose it's possible. Dirt Roads ?

IDK?? I have had a brand new stock air filter in there since early this season. Have done a few high rpm revs with clutch in...... just for a second. I have a hard time believing that would cause any noticeable engine ware.

Come to think of it, I have been hitting the high note under load more than last season.

* Last updated by: Rook on 7/18/2010 @ 10:22 PM *

Those filters are a slow death in real dusty places. Are you seeing a real fine brass color? I am pretty sure the main and or rod bearings are where that comes from. Do you have a magnetic drain plug in your motor?

* Last updated by: buck20 on 7/19/2010 @ 2:10 AM *

No magnetic drain plug. Hard to be sure but I think the glitter dust was a bronze color. There were a few larger flakes. It's wiped out of the pan and in the trash now.

Might just be from the clutch, the plates do wear a little. Hopefully its not the bearings. Put a mag plug in it, It will gather up any thing magnetic and hold it before it goes into the pump it will also give you the heads up on impending failure . I have one on every vehicle I own.

* Last updated by: buck20 on 7/20/2010 @ 3:11 AM *

When I spun the #3 bearing I had never seen a sliver of metal.

but I think the glitter dust was a bronze color.

She's done!

Stop riding it!

Start tearing it down!

Start making a list.

Start checking it twice.

Gonna spank the puppy, it almost played nice.

1. Dump the oil.
2. Drop the pan.
3. Look at each rod big end and begin to push on each.
4. Place crankshaft where 1-4 are coming around or 2-3, whichever is in position first.
5. Set either to TDC (top dead center).
6. Take a decent heavy flat blade screwdriver, push the bottom of the big end rod up.
7. Do this to each rod so you see who wobbles the loosest?
8. Once you get the concept down about turns and positions, you now can just touch each rod end, see who moves the most?
9. Move enough crank positions, the one rod becomes obvious.
10. The less you start it, the less gall to the finish of the crank journal. Once it's lined deep with grooves = Junk!

Yea Hub I have that crank at home as a souvenir.

Hub, do you think you could slip new crank bearings in it from underneath the engine if the journals still looked good.

If #2 or #3? I think so. Might be some webbing in the way for #1-4 bearings [Heathun?] being in the way of the rod cap's ability to be pulled away. If you can do that, then sure it's possible for all 4.

Thanks all. Hub, that sounds prudent but I'm not going to bust her open just yet. Not without doing the magnet test. I'm off on a 500 mile trip today. I'll get those 2,000 miles on there ASAP and have a look at oil again. Could be clutch like Buck20 suggested. I have been high rev shifting much more than before. Also, I think I recall seeing glitter in oil last year just one time and then not again until now.

Yea Hub, 1 and 4 are out from underneath. Plus if it's that bad you more than likely scored the journal and need to refinish or replace the crank.

I am sure I have seen a slight dust of metal in the drain pan ever since the bike was new. It is so slight, I didn't even notice it every time. Just changed at 2500 like usual and I see the sparkle is in fact a silver color. It looks bronzy at first because of the dark brown color of the oil that lays over but when the pan is tilted so tha oil drains off you see it is silver.

I have saved oil and filter. Will go buy a magnet soon. How much does a Blackstone analysis cost? Anyone think I'm overreacting? I have a feeling this is NO BIG deal.

On my 27" monitor, This is about 2.5x-3x magnification. The speckles are mostly concentrated in this area near the center of the pan; not a uniform film across the whole bottom.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/17/2010 @ 11:24 AM *

rook blackstone is $25 and takes less than a week

Thanks Scott.

Those flakes/particles don't look right.IMO,they "shouldn't"(actually,I don't know whether they should or shouldn't!) be in there unless something is wearing "not okay".This is the oil in the pan bottom?What the hell is yer filter doing?Takin a friggin vacation?Mine NEVER has ANY metal in it..none.And occasionally,just a speck of clutch plate material...maybe one TINY TINY piece.You know,so small it looks like a piece of sand.It's brown reddish...fiber...not metal.I've hit my rev limiter several several times as well...no metal in my oil.AND high RPM runs.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/19/2010 @ 1:11 PM *

Its from the clutch, my GSXR and 14 do the same thing just mabe not quite to that extent. Dude stop puting on shows for the chicks down at starbucks layin down those monster smoking darkies and clutching it up on to the back tire and shit. Pull your clutch plates and disks and mic them and check for excessive wear and your clutch spring length. Put in some better clutch springs they could be weak or beter yet go with the kevlar clutch disks. I would be willing to bet if you do that you will see a change. What oil are you running?

* Last updated by: buck20 on 8/18/2010 @ 12:47 AM *

I use plain old Kawi or Suzuki Dino oil. Sometimes Honda. Always 10W-40. Always an OEM filter.

I get at least 6000 miles out of a rear tire so I don't think I'm being real hard on the clutch. I do some power wheelies now and then but no clutch involvement. No drag starts.

That is a good point about the filter, blue. These particles seemed to stick to the bottom of the drain pan so perhaps they do the same in the oil pan. I will have to do an oil filter disection.

If it was the clutch, what would the magnet do? Would they stick to the magnet?

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/18/2010 @ 9:29 AM *

If it's aluminum shavings,it won't collect on the magnet.Steel...yes.Clutch material(the reddish specks)no.