Small Screw found in oil pan

[dpancer]

So I blew my FRPS last weekend and as i was changing my oil I found a 5.5mm screw in my oil pan. The head of the screw was sheered off and there were a few more small metal pieces from it in there as well.

The motor was working and running perfect before that stupid sensor decided to rupture. And after the oil change my oil psi at start up was 80-90 and then dropped to around 30 psi at idle...right were its suppose to be.

To my knowledge the only 5.5mm screws on our motors are holding the splash/baffle plate in the valve covers. That means that it came loose and fell down a oil return channel into the oil pan. Is this possible?
How it got chopped up is still bothering the hell out of me. Maybe it got caught in a spring in the heads? Could the crankshaft and rotating assembly have chewed it apart. I'll upload a pic of the screw head when I get home. For now it has a "2" on the head.

I'm just hoping I dont have any damaged parts. Its a new reman motor with just about 1000 miles on it now.

anybody else experience something like this?

 

[MG0h3]

Tough to say but that is one of the few places I could see it come from.

Id definitely keep it...it could save you if you have problems down the road.

Is there a splash shield in the oil pan?

 

[BLK_03]

Have you ever had your valve covers powder coated?

 

[dpancer]

Is there a splash shield in the oil pan?

I have the moroso oil pan. It does have baffles and a splash shield I believe. I have no idea if they are welded in or screwed....good thinking. I wonder if anyone can chime in?


I did recently have my valve covers painted, not powder coated. I was thinking about this as well. If they removed the baffle to paint maybe they didnt fasten them on securly.

I'm pretty sure my eaton bearing just gave out on my. I'm still trouble shooting. So It looks like i'm going to be replacing it with a brand new VMP 2.3. I'll take those valve covers off while I'm doing work in there and have a look.

 

[Wiseguy]

Have you ever had your valve covers powder coated?

First thought too.

 

[BLK_03]

It may not be necessary. I found that exact same screw/bolt head in my oil pan a long build ago. I had the covers powdercoated and they had removed those internal baffles but overtightened that fastener.... that OR.... didn't successfully remove all of the blasting media from the threads before reinstalling because I could NOT remove the remainder of the sheared off fastener. It left no compromise to the baffle so I left it.

 

[dpancer]

Well its eases the worries to know that someone else has gone through this without any negative effects. thanks