What happens if you get metal shavings in your oil filter?
Metal shavings or flakes can also block or restrict oil passages. Restricted oil passages will drop oil pressure and flow to critical engine components, which can lead to premature engine failure. If you’re wondering how much metal in oil is normal, some is OK, especially for a newer engine.
What does it mean to have metal shavings in your oil?
Metal shavings are those chippings, flakes, or tiny metal particles in engine oil. It is typically a result of oil contamination or friction and wear in the engine moving components.
Can you save an engine with metal shavings?
When oil becomes contaminated with debris, such as metal shavings, it can no longer function properly. Performance impact is only a minor change that metal shavings can do to your engine. If untreated it can have catastrophic consequences to your engine.
Does metal shavings in oil mean your motor is gone?
The sudden accumulation of metal shavings within an engine typically indicates accelerated wear of bearings or other reciprocating surfaces. As metal erodes away from these components, it is deposited in an engine’s oil, where it collects before being discarded during routine maintenance.
Can you drive a car with metal in the oil?
Depending on the amount of metal in your oil, the oil passages in your vehicle may become blocked or restricted. In such cases, oil won’t be able to reach critical engine components, which can cause premature engine failure. To eliminate your risk of engine damage, you should replace the oil and oil filter regularly.
How bad is metal shavings in oil?
The Metal Shavings Contaminate The Oil
The more contaminated the oil is, the more starved your engine is of proper lubrication. This creates a snowball effect: the dirtier the oil, the more metal shavings end up in the oil. It’s because contaminated oil creates even more friction between the moving metal parts.