chrome flakes in oil

[VisceralReaction]

So I changed the oil on the 05 ST3 this weekend.
I found 4 pinhead sized flakes of what looked to be chrome plating.
I thought the rocker issue was on older engines.
Ideas, advice?

[CDawg]

So I changed the oil on the 05 ST3 this weekend.
I found 4 pinhead sized flakes of what looked to be chrome plating.
I thought the rocker issue was on older engines.
Ideas, advice?

Nothing new to add, but I too thought the flaking problem was limited to 916's....

[gage]

Flaking was not isolated to 916's but I am not sure that 4 pinhead size flakes is the end of the world.  Were these in the oil or in the filter screen? How many miles? You'll definately want to pull the cams and take a look at the rockers for signs of flaking.

[VisceralReaction]

Yeah i didn't think the end of the world. They were in the filter screen and I have 21K on the clock

[jerryz]

Rocker problem affects 916,996,998, S4 748,ST4 , it sound like one of your rockers probably an opener is going souith.

[2001cromo]

Easy solution to your perceived immediate issue.

Check the next time you change your oil. If you see more/worse chrome flaking, then you have a more serious problem most likely with the rockers.

If you don't see any or very little, then there's "most likely" no problem. With the rocker flaking debacle you see it coming and it only gets worse...

You also may want to pick up LT Snyder's book(s) too, if you don't already have them.

IMHO- if what you saw was a few "pin head sized" things, I wouldn't loose any sleep over it. But that's just me.

[VisceralReaction]

Thanks for the input guys, I do have LT's book on the ST. I'll keep a look out and see what I see and if
there's more flakes on the next oil change I'll do what needs doing.

[uclabiker06]

Its normal IMHO.

[jerryz]

I replaced all 8 openers on my S4 at 6000 miles  with megacyle rockers only 5 were duds but it was easier to change all. All the closers were fine

[Capo]

All this assumes that the flakes are chrome and came from the rockers. I think Larry Kelly posted a method of determining the composition of material discovered on the oil screen.