It is common for foreign objects to accidentally fall into the engine when adding oil, especially the tin foil used to seal the oil port and the dirt on the gloves, which can easily fall in. Some people take care of their cars themselves, and if the tin foil falls into the oil bucket when the engine oil is opened, there is a high probability that it will be added to the engine. I have also encountered a repair technician adding tin foil to the engine before, and the car owner happened to see it nearby and requested to remove the engine. Does it matter if there is a foreign object falling into the engine from the oil port? Do you need to take it out?

   It should be determined based on the size and hardness of the foreign object. If a large foreign object is intentionally thrown into the oil port, or many small foreign objects are inserted, or hard foreign objects such as screws are inserted, it must be removed. Soft objects can block the oil passage, while hard objects may damage the camshaft. If you accidentally fall into a foreign object while adding oil, it is usually a very small object, such as a tin foil the size of a fingernail, or a small foreign object stuck to a glove. Small soft foreign objects that fall in do not need to be removed and will not affect the engine.

     Let's take a look at the oil circulation route. When adding oil from the oil port, it is added to the valve chamber, and then the oil flows into the oil pan along the return pipeline. The oil in the oil pan is pumped upwards by the oil pump, passes through the cylinder block to the valve chamber, lubricates the camshaft, and then flows back to the oil pan. So, the foreign objects added with engine oil either stay in the valve chamber, or flow into the oil pan with the engine oil, and there is also a small probability that they will get stuck in the oil passage.

    If a hard foreign object falls into the valve chamber, it is highly likely to remain because there is rotation of the camshaft inside the valve chamber. If it continues to touch the foreign object, it will inevitably cause damage or abnormal wear, and may also make abnormal noises. So if a hard object falls into the oil pan, it must be removed. If it does not flow into the oil pan, simply open the valve cover to find it. If it flows into the oil pan, the oil pan needs to be removed. If it gets stuck in the oil passage, the cylinder head and other components may also need to be removed, which requires a lot of work.

    If it is a soft foreign object with a small volume and quantity, it will not affect the camshaft even if it is inside the valve chamber. If it flows into the oil pan, due to the oil pump having a collection filter, which is a filtering device, foreign objects will be blocked outside the collection filter and will not enter the oil passage, which will not affect the lubrication of the engine. When changing the oil next time, it will flow out together with the old oil, so there is no hidden danger.

   If it is a large foreign object or a large quantity, it may get stuck in the oil passage, affecting oil circulation and affecting the oil return speed. Once it flows into the oil pan, it will also block the filter collector. The filter screen of the filter collector is blocked in a large area, which will affect the passage of oil, affect the pumping effect of the oil pump, cause insufficient oil pressure, and have an impact on the lubrication of various components of the engine. Therefore, even if there is a large foreign object that is soft, it is best to remove it. However, it is common to encounter situations where small soft objects fall into the oil port. I have never seen or heard of a large object falling into the oil port, and not removing small objects has no effect. If there is really a large foreign object falling in, stop adding oil immediately. At this time, just open the valve cover to take it out, and it will not flow into the oil pan. If you continue to add engine oil, due to the large amount of oil and fast flow rate, foreign objects will move in the oil passage, and their position may not necessarily be there, making it difficult to remove them.

From: WONDEE Autoparts

2024-2-4