Metal in oil

[ironchop]

Man a friend of mine from work suggested the same thing. So i looked up rebuild kits and it looked like the wrist pin clips were c shaped. What i found was 2 pieces one large piece that was more c shaped but had an obvious broken end and one smooth end. The other piece was small with a broken end that matches the other piece perfectly and one smooth end. Put together it makes a complete ring with the two smooth ends touching perfectly. I could totally see it being a clip of some kind. Do you know if the wrist pin clips are all c shaped? Or if possibly some are like a split ring?

The wrist pin clips have a gap between the two ends, maybe a 1/16" to 1/8". Looks like more of a split ring than a C shape BUT if it got mangled running through the transmission, it's possible the shape was distorted a little by the time you found it in your oil. They are spring steel but aren't too hard to bend out of shape with a little force

[ATC King]

I'm guessing someone used to working with Shovelheads knows something about wrist pin clips...

[AdamA]

Thanks allot man i was really afraid that's what it was but really hoping it wasn't. But it smokes a little anyway so i was already planning on replacing the rings. So not a major bummer i guess. Just hope that the jug ain't trashed. Thanks again.

[ironchop]

Thanks allot man i was really afraid that's what it was but really hoping it wasn't. But it smokes a little anyway so i was already planning on replacing the rings. So not a major bummer i guess. Just hope that the jug ain't trashed. Thanks again.

Don't fret yet.....I only pointed out worst case scenario (clip popped out of the currently installed piston)

Better case scenario, and probably more likely, is that someone did the topend before, dropped a wrist pin clip down into the cases when removing/installing the piston at another time but didn't bother trying to fish it out. Your cylinder might still be fine and both clips present on the current piston. I would still pull the jug and look to be sure both are present, because gaskets are cheaper than the destruction caused by a migrating wrist pin....... However, I wouldn't expect the worst. It's a pretty common thing for people to accidently drop a clip they removed or were trying to install down into the crankcase. Clint, mentioned motorcycle engines and I can tell you from my personal experiences and also watching others drop a clip, that it's so common, it should be a Murphy's Law #2106 "if you don't cover that hole, you'll probably drop a wrist pin clip in the crankcase working on it"..... There are even companies that make a cover out of plastic that your rod end pokes thru the center of the plastic sheet and it covers the rest of the crank case cylinder base opening to keep things like gasket scrapings, debris, and piston ring pieces or wrist pin clips out of the cases.

I stuff mine with a shop rag, vacuum and then pull the rag when done, but I've also "masked off" the hole with duct tape before which works too

[ATC King]

and I can tell you from my personal experiences and also watching others drop a clip, that it's so common, it should be a Murphy's Law #2106 "if you don't cover that hole, you'll probably drop a wrist pin clip in the crankcase working on it"

Did you know that someone in Arkansas dropped a socket, which lead to an explosion of a missile with a nuclear warhead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_D...sile_explosion

[Arky-X]

Did you know that someone in Arkansas dropped a socket, which lead to an explosion of a missile with a nuclear warhead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_D...sile_explosion

Grew up about 30min from there. I was about 7 years old when it happened and remember hearing about it but at that age I didn't understand any of it.

Another one in Searcy, AR caught fire killing 53.
http://www.themilitarystandard.com/m...dent_373-4.php
This one was caused by an oxy-acetylene cutting torch and welding equipment.


Moral of the story......cover holes and careful with flames and arcs

[ironchop]

Did you know that someone in Arkansas dropped a socket, which lead to an explosion of a missile with a nuclear warhead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_D...sile_explosion

I saw a YouTube video on that last year.... The History Guy channel. He makes great short videos on stuff

It will take alot of duct tape and shop rags to cover a missile silo 😁

[AdamA]

Thanks for all the help man i do appreciate it. I think I'm just gonna let it sit for the next month I'm in the middle of moving then I'll have a huge garage to be able to take my time and go through it there way i should.