1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

I found this in my oil

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Lather, Jun 7, 2011.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Lather

    Lather New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2005
    27
    0
    0
    Anyone recognize this? I found it in the oil after I changed it.

    thanks,
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 Lather, Jun 7, 2011
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,639
    49,359
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    looks scary but probably an extra part left in the pan by accident.
     
    #2 bisco, Jun 7, 2011
  3. Lather

    Lather New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2005
    27
    0
    0
    Hopefully, but I've got 90k on the car. If it was a leftover manufacturing part, I think I would have found it before.

    Plus, the wear pattern on top is very defined. It looks like it had a function.
     

    Attached Files:

    #3 Lather, Jun 7, 2011
  4. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,602
    3,778
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Unless you witnessed it come out, there's no guarantee that it wasn't in the drain pan before hand or fell into it from another source besides the draining oil.
     
    #4 fotomoto, Jun 7, 2011
  5. Hal W

    Hal W New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2010
    872
    53
    0
    Location:
    Grand Forks,B.C. Canada
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Looks like the hardened end for a push rod?{ Valve push rod} Do you have noise in the valve train? Hal
     
    #5 Hal W, Jun 7, 2011
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,639
    49,359
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    could be a moscam lifter tip, but how would it get in the oil pan?
     
    #6 bisco, Jun 7, 2011
  7. tomlouie

    tomlouie Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2011
    118
    21
    0
    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    But the wear on the part don't look look like it's been banged around the engine a few times either. I'm guessing it was put in the pan by someone by accident, and it's never moved since.
     
    #7 tomlouie, Jun 7, 2011
  8. Lather

    Lather New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2005
    27
    0
    0
    Personally, I hope it's not an engine part but I can't think of any other source. I'm the only one that's changed my oil since the dealer did some maintenance at about 60k. There's some wear in a ring around the side but it only goes halfway around. The opposite side is worn at the base.

    I don't really hear any engine noise but my mileage dropped about 5mpg. I also changed the air filter and pumped up the tires today so I don't know if the mileage change is permanent. (I drop the tire pressure in the winter for traction. Since it snowed last weekend, I wasn't sure it was spring until yesterday when it hit 90.)

    I guess I'll have to take it in and play Prius trivia with my dealer. Hopefully it stumps them. I thank everyone who offered an opinion.
     
    #8 Lather, Jun 7, 2011
  9. M8s

    M8s Retired and Lovin' It

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2008
    614
    113
    33
    Location:
    Colorado and Arizona
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    I was thinking the same thing, but wouldn't it then have a hole in the center for oil passage? (Besides, I'd bet the Prius has overhead cams, not pushrods.) Still, the wear pattern looks like it's part of the heads/valve system. Are the oil return passages large enough to allow something that size to drop into the oil pan? I'd do a compression test to start.
     
    #9 M8s, Jun 8, 2011
  10. tomlouie

    tomlouie Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2011
    118
    21
    0
    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Maybe it fell into your oil collection bucket and has nothing to do with your car?
     
    #10 tomlouie, Jun 8, 2011
  11. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2005
    1,761
    208
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's a vernier caliper...
     
    #11 firepa63, Jun 8, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  12. J5A

    J5A Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2011
    592
    83
    0
    Location:
    Severna Park, MD
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    At least it's not a finger in your chili :D
    or..maybe it's like finding one.
     
    #12 J5A, Jun 8, 2011
  13. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,914
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Looks to me like a gear change indent plunger from a gearbox (non Prius) even has typical wear pattern on tip.
     
    #13 Britprius, Jun 8, 2011
  14. Troyroy

    Troyroy Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2010
    373
    30
    0
    Location:
    Troy, NY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It is strange...what type of car do you have???

    What work did the dealer to, that you mention in your OP ???

    The part does not look used.....is the small end broken or machined flat. ???

    I'm guessing that it's a oil pump push rod.
     
    #14 Troyroy, Jun 8, 2011
  15. Lather

    Lather New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2005
    27
    0
    0
    Gear change indent plunger? Hopefully Google will be my friend.

    And, 05 Prius. Dealer does standard maintenance. I've done all but 4-5 oil changes and I've never had a problem with it. Not even now. I got gas this morning and after about 20 miles (typical commute), I'm at 55mpg.

    This would have been from one of the last two oil changes (I was making room for yesterday's change).

    The part is flat on the bottom and has wear marks on the top and sides.

    The odds are, it came from my engine. When I change oil, my face is a foot away from the drain plug and I like to think I would have heard/seen something unusual. But on the other hand, if someone can convince me that I'm an idiot, I will be grateful.
     

    Attached Files:

    #15 Lather, Jun 8, 2011
  16. San_Carlos_Jeff

    San_Carlos_Jeff Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2005
    871
    160
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    N/A
    Do you use a filter wrench to remove the filter? Maybe this doo-hickey broke off or fell out of the wrench mechanism.
     
    #16 San_Carlos_Jeff, Jun 8, 2011
  17. atroader

    atroader Engineer

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2007
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    If you get desperate and have the time, drain your engine oil, then see if this fits up in the threaded hole for the plug. Odds are it would have to line up perfectly to be ejected, unless it was at the edge of the pan by the plug or perhaps attracted to the plug magnet...
     
    #17 atroader, Jun 8, 2011
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,639
    49,359
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    are you married?:D
     
    #18 bisco, Jun 8, 2011
  19. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2005
    2,212
    188
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento, California.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It looks like the nozzle from my garden spray pump, I lost it 5 months ago, how did you get it?:cheer2:
     
    #19 andyprius, Jun 8, 2011
  20. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,804
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thats pretty strange. It would drive me crazy.
    I would stop by the local dealer and go to the parts counter and politely ask for a peek at the motor breakdown schematic. There very nice at my local dealer parts counter and show me schematics every time I have asked.

    For some strange reason I think its part of the VVT Actuator assy.

    Let us know!
     
    #20 edthefox5, Jun 14, 2011
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2