What colour is the sludge? Main Bearing breakup usually leaves a battleship grey colour sludge on your oil drain plate!

Metal particles...mmm You can check bottom end bearings without splitting the case, by taking the barrels and pistons off! Still if your at that stage you may as well!

Which engine is this?

Good luck

Steve

[Edited on 24-1-2003 by matara]

The grey sludge can be normal wear and tear, contaminates from fuel and oil. But the metal piece is something else, can you take a pic and give us a look. What sort of metal?

Adz the first pic it looks like a piece of cyclinder barrell skirt.
Check to see if its magnetic.

Not magnetic or metallic and brassy/bronzey looking? Gotta be a piece/tooth of the timing gear (distributor drive gear on the crank)........not good and a tear down to fix. But if its still running and you can time it who knows how long it might last?

RobK

[Edited on 24-1-2003 by splitbusaustralia]

I'm assuming this motor runs? Just slap it in and run it till it dies! I'm sure you have better things to do with your money at the moment, so focus on the hard bits first. Engines are easy and can be done later.

I reckon you pull the motor down and rebuild it,Or run it until it dies,,,:o

What sort of headliner are you going to use?

shitty shitty bang bang let her go till she blows
M.

Make sure you soundproof it first, then use dense foam to bring it down level with the ribs in the roof, then a smooth layer of foam from front to back to glue your headliner to.:thumb

Also, if you want to run wires for any accessories like central locking, do it while the headliner is out!

Did some maintenance on my car on saturday. Changed oil... oops. lots of metal in mine too. Adjust valves... oops. all riding. It is running a lot better now funny enuff. Doesnt stall at idle and it even starts reasonably well. As well I changed my gauges to black face ones.. much sexier, gave myself a new indicator switch that even cancels!!!, fixed the horn that died with the electrical meltdown on DOVW trip, replaced the broken plastic trim that was murdered out of frustration on the same trip(im flying from now on), put some coolant in the intercooler (was just water - argh) fixed my brake lights so they work like factory with pressure switch, not my bodge electrical switch, half hooked up boost gauge and regulator. Quite a productive couple of days. And thats on top of the wash n polish! I think maybe I should look after it a little better from now.

How would you like to come and work on mine for a day?

Please?

Actually, I did the oil and filter change, new fuel hoses, a good pressure wash top and bottom, a general (but hurried) wash, new air filter, new points, timing, valves adjustment. Funnily enough, I'm also putting in a black gauge set from my other kombi - it goes better with the black type 3 tacho I've put in there.

Now, if I can find the time for some panel and paint, and then a whole new interior, I'll be really happy!!

LOL @ KOL. now if I dont like working on my own why would I wanna do yours :P Actually i'm always looking for excuses to travel. Talk to my wife and see if you can have me. There's something about spending MORE time with family not less. I try not to listen.

Black gauges are nice. I keep lookin at mine instead of the road. The lights on it seem brighter too. (the warning lights I mean) Funny thing is that now my boost gauge looks grey. Maybe not grey but 'off-black'

Carpet is very easy to do in a kombi. mostly flat. You need to get it overlocked on the edges though. I put it off and so now it will never get done. Looks bad. But interior panels are nervous work. Cutting out the boards is easy. Use 3mm mdf with the white malamine(sp?) finish on one side. If any water gets in it will run down, not soak in. All that contact glue and if you miss when you lay the cloth down... argh. big dollars wasted. I bought a roll of late corolla material, already has foam backing. Still need to do the walls behind the seats and front trims. I want to do the door trims with the cool flow through ventilation type arm rests.

:oI wouldn't worry too much Adam, that piece of metal may have been in that strainer for years. Many people used to change the oil by just taking out the drain plug!!!! including Myself.... So it may have been there for ages and the engine still goes.... Clean it up and forget about it.... it may be a piece of the Dizzy drive gear, and the PO drove it and didn't know ... so Don't think about it... or think that every 2nd engine has the same piece missing... & sleep well at night.... Don't Worry...
:thumb

I was talking to a Fellow Who has an older model Laser - and He was telling Me that He still had the original Fan Belt , Radiator hoses and timing belt on the engine and it had done over 250,000kms..
Now I would be worrying.... that fan belt etc must be ready to die shortly.... a bit of Maintainence doesn't go astray... I NEVER wait until something breaks.... [normally that it] I like everything to be as new and not worn at all..... If I find it I fix it..... I am replacing all My tie rod ends and Ball joints and they are NOT worn at all, just the rubber boots have cracks in them....
but I want to keep My Car forever....

I'd rather watch TV or better still get online and BS all day/night. So long as its safe to drive and the radio/CD works. timing belt is different though. Thats a complete engine when that goes. Although I assume it would cost more to change a timing belt than what that car is worth.

Just remembered thats another thing that went wrong in my falcon. bloody drive belts. Fixed it with genuine holden belt, same size. lucky your friends car is really a mazda. Ooops. my ford bashing was a different thread.