What is this? (found stuck to the engine oil plug magnet)

[Ken R]

What is this.  (the two wire shaped thingies, not the rule).

Changing engine oil for a friend 2014 Road King with 23,000 miles.  Pulled the oil pan plug and these two parts were stuck to the magnet.

My first guess is that they're pieces of a wrist pin retainer.  But can that get past the cylinder wall and circulated back into the oil pan?   Doesn't seem possible. 

Update:  I dissected the oil filter.  No debris of any kind.   I also filtered the drained oil.  Nothing!   I also ran a thin magnet through the oil drain hole.  Nothing. 

[egstandard]

Oil pan baffle spring?

[chaos901]

Looking at "images" of the baffle springs they do look very similar. 

[pendo31]

2014 doesn't have oil pan baffle springs

[Ken R]

Looking at "images" of the baffle springs they do look very similar.

I can't find baffle springs anywhere in the Shop/Service manuals. 

Beginning to think that these are foreign to the motorcycle, maybe introduced during a previous oil change.   Engine sounds great, no unusual noises. 

[egstandard]

Strange. I know I'd be concerned if it were mine.

[chaos901]

Google "Harley baffle springs" and you will see several examples. 

I can't think of how they could have been "introduced" into the engine during an oil change.  I suppose the only way would be to intentionally drop them in the filler, but that sounds crazy just writing it out.  I would really want to know where they came from too and would pull the oil pan hoping these were part of a baffle spring.  But that's just me.   

[Coyote]

Google "Harley baffle springs" and you will see several examples. 

I can't think of how they could have been "introduced" into the engine during an oil change.  I suppose the only way would be to intentionally drop them in the filler, but that sounds crazy just writing it out.  I would really want to know where they came from too and would pull the oil pan hoping these were part of a baffle spring.  But that's just me.

As already mentioned, there are no springs in a 2014 oil pan.

[les]

Piston pin snap ring?

[Ohio HD]

Measure their diameter, and then the diameter of an OEM TC piston retainer, that would answer that.

[chaos901]

As already mentioned, there are no springs in a 2014 oil pan.

Another idea shot to hell by facts.

[No Cents]

Measure their diameter, and then the diameter of an OEM M8 piston retainer, that would answer that.

   
my first guess would be a wrist pin clip.

[Dogbone45ACP]

Some oil filters have a spring in them.

[901SG]

my $ is on wrist pin clip...and from the looks of it those pieces made it way to the oil pan.

[Pirsch Fire Wagon]

Saw the same on a TC once. Definitely a Piston Pin Clip. Look at the Cylinders with a Bore Scope and see if there are any witness marks. If it were mine I would be tearing it down to find out for sure.

[Trouble]

Find it hard to believe so many have not read the factory manual on the path oil takes through the twin cam motor. To get from engine to oil pan, it has to go through the oil pump, with very tight tolerances. It just came in for an oil change, not catastrophic engine failure.

[Dogmeat]

I think I'd consider the fact that it was in there from the factory @ ass'y......finally found it's way to the magnet.

[PoorUB]

Find it hard to believe so many have not read the factory manual on the path oil takes through the twin cam motor. To get from engine to oil pan, it has to go through the oil pump, with very tight tolerances. It just came in for an oil change, not catastrophic engine failure.

I had a 1/2" long piece of oil ring go through a TC oil pump and the pump survived. I found the oil ring in the oil filter. I had good oil pressure, tore down because it was burning oil.

it wouldn't surprise me at all for a couple small pieces like that make the whole trip through the oil pump, squeeze through the oil filter bypass and end up in the oil tank.

[rigidthumper]

 If you are absolutely sure the pan was clean before you started, and that those pieces came out with the oil, it's time to have a chat with the owner about possibilities vs probabilities.


It's possible they have been there all along, and no issue (chaff from the factory)
It's possible there's issues to be discovered/repaired. Cam cover & upper rocker gaskets & a little labor will show what the oil pump & cam bearings look like. Decision to continue or ride based on what's found there.

[smoserx1]

Remember he said he cut open the filter and found no issue and found no debris in the oil.  Seems like a wrist pin going down into the crankcase would severely gouge the cylinder and you would end up with shavings somewhere, which he found none.  If it went through the oil pump it would only go through the scavenge gear and that would not affect pressure, right?  I would do the bore scope thing and if nothing was seen assume it was something from the factory and go on.  Maybe do compression or leak-down tests and keep an eye on oil consumption, but I would do these things before tearing anything apart.

[Helmwurst]

Hard to believe the stock oil pan magnet even held those in place. Most are so weak, they cannot even stick to the side of a tool box. I use a dimple drain plug. Much stronger.

[Ken R]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. 
I've read a lot about the oil paths inside the Twin Cam.  I think it's virtually impossible for pieces of a spring that large to get through the oil pump, filter, and circulated back into the oil reservoir.  I've seen bits of metal that circulated through the oil pump and they weren't pretty.  The meshing oil pump gerotor teeth should have left their marks on the pieces if they had passed through it. 

My friend took his motor home.  Of course, it's running great; no unusual noises, starts instantly, gives every indication of being in perfect shape.  I showed the two pieces to him; telling him that the only next thing to do would be to pull the oil pan and see what else is lurking in there.   


Of all the things mentioned, the one thing I didn't think of to do was to check the cylinder walls.  If I had a borescope, maybe I'd have thought of that. 

[Propflux01]

You can pick one up from Amazon for 20 bucks. I have one and have used it on all kinds if stuff. worth it,

[r0de_runr]

I don't know what it isbut I suggest your friend ride it till the wheels fall off. 

In 1974 I purchased a 1969 RS SS 396 Camaro.  Not running.  I was in Germany.  The owner had tried to replace the fuel pump and somehow lost the pushrod up inside the motor.  That car sat for a couple of years before he sold it to me. for $1500.

I made a plate out of aluminum and a gasket out of a file folder and covered the hole in the block.  Then I put on a Bosh electric fuel pump in line back by the gas tank.

I dove the piss out of that car for two more years and like a fool Traded it in on a '75 Rally Sport Camaro.  I really wish I still had that car.  It had four wheel disk brakes and hide away headlights and RS gauges.  A rare combination in an SS 396.

Anyway, I have no idea where that fuel pump pushrod was but that car would really accelerate down the Autobhan.  Not much for top speed.

[MikeL]

Mig welder wire? Maybe a welder robot was having a bad day...............


                                                                                                       MIKE

[IronButt70]

Mig welder wire? Maybe a welder robot was having a bad day...............


                                                                                                       MIKE

Wouldn't welding wire be much softer than a wrist pin clip?

[Rockout Rocker Products]

Quick tip to help determine what type of steel something is made of.... spark it.

Touch it against a grinding wheel & see what color the spark is. Could be red, white, orange, blue, etc. Then touch something to the grinder that you KNOW what it's made of.

Comparing can quickly narrow down what it isn't, if not what it is