Drew Carlson

Okay so I probably have around 2 miles (and about 3 ish hours) of runtime on my engine. I did an oil change after first start and heat cycle as recommended by Texas speed. I noticed some silvery oil coming out at that first change and thought that to be normal. Now after a few drives up and down the road the oil on my dipstick (haven’t done second change yet) seems to have extremely tiny silver specs as well as slightly larger black specs. I would say 3-5 of them when I smear the oil on my finger. The amount does not seem to increase after driving it a few more times. They are not moly grease as I did not use any in the engine. I was doing some research and found out that rollmaster says to chamfer the cam retainer plate. I did not do this because I didn’t have the warning in the box when I got it and didn’t know it was a thing. I’m thinking the black specs are either A) rings from break in or B) cam retainer plate. I also have Johnson lifters which have a black body so possibly them? My idea is to change the oil tomorrow and cut open the filter to see what it looks like and go from there. I’d really like to not have to pull the engine apart to chamfer this plate and it seems like since the warning is only a recent ish thing there must be hundreds of cars on the road where this hasn’t been done. Let me know what you guys think and any advice.

G Atsma

Some speckles are normal while breaking in an engine during the first 1k miles or even more.

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

Oil filter will tell the story. Always does. I doubt that it’s the retainer plate, as I have installed BOTH the older Rollmaster units without chamfering and the newer Rollmaster units that instructed me to so so, so I chamfered it. I’ve never had any issues with this setup, installed either way. I try to use the Rollmaster sets on every build unless the owner absolutely tells me no. Your probably fine here, as some fine metal is to be expected on a new build.

Drew Carlson

do you now if the design of the timing set changed between the "old" setups and the newer ones with the warning or is it the same but it just now comes with a warning? Thanks!

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

I saw no differences in the designs. If there was a difference, it was negligible at best.

Drew Carlson

Here’s pictures of the oil filter. Defiantly a little shiny but I can’t feel the particles in my hand or really see them (I can see a few) without squeezing the filter

cula8r

iTrader: (2)

Just passing along this email I sent Rollmaster back in June/ 2020 and I asked this:
I bought a Rollmaster timing chain # CS1135 back in March 2018 for my build, I'm going to start the LS build in September and wanted to find out if the camshaft retainer plate has to be machined as per some people have posted lately.
Rollmaster response: yes you will need to chamfer the plate
So I had the shop do it.

Drew Carlson

I’m bringing this back because it keeps eating at me. Every time I pull the dip stick and check the oil I have small metal flakes around 0.25-0.50 mm in size with some being even smaller. Some are black and some are silver. some look like flakes and some look like little pieces of wire. Although they are not everywhere jsut one or two per dipstick pull. Pictured above is my second oil changes filter. Nothing too huge I can see but when I squeeze the filter element I can see microscopic metal speckles which I believe to be normal. I’m going to do another change this week and check this filter because it will have the most miles on it. Do you guys think I should tear off the front cover and have a look or just keep monitoring the oil?

Old Buzzard

Do you guys think I should tear off the front cover and have a look or just keep monitoring the oil?
An inexpensive oil sample will tell you exactly what's there.
Tests & Price List | Blackstone Laboratories (blackstone-labs.com)

jasons69chevelle

How many times have you replaced to oil and filter?

Drew Carlson

right now it’s on its 3rd oil change