Plastic and tin found inside oil pan

So I’m a modern mopar guy turned Buick- long story.

Tearing down my 455 I’ve found plastic and what looks like tin inside the oil pan, like A-LOT of it. I’ve built a few engines throughout the last 5 or 6 years but I’ve never seen this. I’m thinking it’s coming from the oil pump, but I’m a little confused and need some consensus from you guys, I’m freaking out a little.

cheers

 

Is this a stk motor or rebuilt?

There is nothing plastic in the oil pump, but the factory timing chain set on the cam gear had the teeth coated in a nylon or plastic

 

I thought there may be a bushing in the oil pump shaft or something. Engine has never been torn down- completely factory.

 

Check timing chain for sure, seen this many times

 

Will do. Photos are not uploading but I’ll check in the morning. Thanks bud

 

Even if the timing chain is all steel, that means it was changed at some point and they never bothered to drop the pan to clean it out. As for the tin possibly shavings from the oil pump gears wearing/grinding on the walls of the of the pump pocket in the timing cover?? Or casting slag that has broke off from the lifter galley and found it's way to the pan??

 

Another guy I know mentioned the pump gears may have shaved some of the housing. I won’t know until tomorrow morning when I tear down the front cover but it’s very flexible and large- I think ruling out slag. Thanks bud

 

No problem. If its possible to post up some pics of the "tin" pieces we might have a better idea of where or what they came from. Another possibility could be pieces of old head gaskets (steel shim) or pieces of old valley pan. Both of which would be thin, flexible and probably break of in large pieces.

 

ALSO, cam or rod bearings.

 

Do cam and rod bearings flake/break off in thin pieces?? I've never seen a bearing fully destroyed before.

 

The pump housing is aluminum not tin, so if the gears did grind the housings it still wouldn't be tin

 

There's essentially NOTHING made of "Tin" in an engine. There may be some tin plating, or tin alloyed with other metal, but no actual tin pieces.

I'd believe aluminum, iron, or steel, though.

 

The only thing I can think that have tin is rear backing of the rod and main bearings. I have hurt them bad enough to peel what looks like drill bit shavings off them b4

 

Especially cam bearings, the outer layer when shaved off from lack of oil then over heating looks like tiny shavings of lead, very soft/conformable.

 

Use a magnet and run it around and over your debris.
May help determine whether it's ferrous or non-ferrous material.

 

While I’m fully aware nothing is made of tin, I was only describing its consistency and flexibility.

After pulling the cover and cam I found the plastic to be teeth from the timing gear, and the “tin” is pieces of cam bearings. These bearings are SHREDDED! I’ve never seen bearings this worn

 

Yes they do!! Hahaha

 

Yep, that happens, unfortunately

 

Thanks for all the help guys! Off to the machine shop tomorrow. Girlfriend is not very happy, but now I have a legitimate excuse to raise the compression a few points