TTR230 has metal shavings in oil

[buz100]

All, bought a used 2016 TTR-230 with unknown hours. 

After first oil changed, noticed this in the oil filter:

 

I put in fresh yamalube 10W-40 and a new filter. After 5 hours of run time, I checked the oil and noticed these non-magnetic "slivers." 

 

This is how the filter looked:

 

 

Thoughts? Bike runs just fine. A little bold blooded, but after 3-4 minutes of idling it runs great. 

Edited December 2, 2019 by buz100

[mlatour]

By the difference in construction (basic screen mesh versus a pleated paper element)

that first pic tells me that is the bike's original oil filter and had never been replaced since the bike was new.

At least it seems to have stopped a lot of debris from recirculating in the oil.

 

A few years ago I did the very first oil change on a neighbor's brand new TTR230,

at the time the engine had no more than on hour of use and to my surprise the oil filter had accumulated 

substantial debris and shavings in it similar to yours. Everything from fine metal powder, metal chunks and even bits of RTV sealant. 

I'd guess there is much less care and precision taken into assembling these entry level engines

(the whole bike is probably manufactured elsewhere than Japan) versus high performance race bikes.

 

As these engines are relatively bulletproof and tolerant to 'imperfections', 

unless you keep seeing increased debris during future oil changes I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

As you are experiencing, most of these air cooled engines are jetted lean and are cold blooded until warmed up.

 

By memory some 2015-2016 TTR230 have had recalls concerning the crankcase vent hose nipple not being fully drilled thru the airbox.

I'd look at that on yours as one TT forum member had repetitive countershaft seals blowing out due to over-pressurization inside the crankcase.

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by mlatour

[mlatour]

Here is the location of the vent hose nipple in question, on some bikes the hole was not fully drilled thru the plastic airbox.

 

[buz100]

Thank you for your reply. The vent box recall has supposedly been completed, will take a look tonight.

 

I hope that the shavings will decrease. The oil didn't look terrible when I first changed it, but the filter not being replaced was not a good sign ?. Wish I had a better idea on the number of hours on the engine. 

[zrxkawboy]

9 hours ago, mlatour said:

By the difference in construction (basic screen mesh versus a pleated paper element)

that first pic tells me that is the bike's original oil filter and had never been replaced since the bike was new.

I have to disagree.  I recently ordered a replacement OEM filter from RMATV and rec'd the screen-style.

[mlatour]

Not sure about RMATV but if you had ordered from a Yamaha dealership you would have probably received the paper element version instead (revised/upgrade)

Edited December 3, 2019 by mlatour

[motovita]

11 hours ago, mlatour said:

Not sure about RMATV but if you had ordered from a Yamaha dealership you would have probably received the paper element version instead (revised/upgrade)

 Have you a part # for the new Yamaha filter?

[motovita]

On 12/2/2019 at 5:49 AM, buz100 said:

All, bought a used 2016 TTR-230 with unknown hours. 

After first oil changed, noticed this in the oil filter:

 

I put in fresh yamalube 10W-40 and a new filter. After 5 hours of run time, I checked the oil and noticed these non-magnetic "slivers." 

 

This is how the filter looked:

 

 

Thoughts? Bike runs just fine. A little bold blooded, but after 3-4 minutes of idling it runs great. 

 How much debris is on the screen on the drain plug?

 

[buz100]

3 minutes ago, motovita said:

 How much debris is on the screen on the drain plug?

 

No debris on the drain plug screen/strainer.

 

[YamaBump]

You know, for the OP: That huge oil blog page frequently posted here lists Yamalube's 4 stroke oil as the worst possible oil for high pressure oil film protection. It was rated dead last.

 

  Why would you pay a premium for oil that failed so spectacularly in some rigorous testing.  Walmart's regular Dino 10-40 oil is better.  Chevron's Supreme is in the 'Outstanding' range for high temperature films strength and it is a bargain.

Edited December 3, 2019 by YamaBump
....

[mlatour]

28 minutes ago, motovita said:

 Have you a part # for the new Yamaha filter?

I unfortunately didn't keep records of the filter purchase and that neighbor ended up selling the bike later that year so never got to service it again.

Can't confirm old/new filter #'s but looking at the parts fiche, you can see the original number has been superseded by a different one:

https://www.partspitstop.com/oemparts/a/yam/56129e3087a8660be46e7f35/oil-pump

[motovita]

23 minutes ago, mlatour said:

I unfortunately didn't keep records of the filter purchase and that neighbor ended up selling the bike later that year so never got to service it again.

Can't confirm old/new filter #'s but looking at the parts fiche, you can see the original number has been superseded by a different one:

https://www.partspitstop.com/oemparts/a/yam/56129e3087a8660be46e7f35/oil-pump

 Yes but the supercession to the 09 suffix part # happened many years ago and it is a metal screen filter. I can't find any reference to a supercession after that, I suspect you got the wrong filter. 

[motovita]

41 minutes ago, YamaBump said:

You know, for the OP: That huge oil blog page frequently posted here lists Yamalube's 4 stroke oil as the worst possible oil for high pressure oil film protection. It was rated dead last.

 

  Why would you pay a premium for oil that failed so spectacularly in some rigorous testing.  Walmart's regular Dino 10-40 oil is better.  Chevron's Supreme is in the 'Outstanding' range for high temperature films strength and it is a bargain.

 Got a link?

 My grandma used to say "if it's posted on the internet it must be true, and if somebody says they saw it posted on the internet you know it's true".

[YamaBump]

That would require me to do a big history search  I'm worth $25 an hour as a mechanic,  do you really wanna go there?

 

Here you go  https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/  you can contribute to my crowdfund for a 2006 Buell Blast, I'm easy that way.

Edited December 3, 2019 by YamaBump
....

[mlatour]

3 hours ago, motovita said:

 Yes but the supercession to the 09 suffix part # happened many years ago and it is a metal screen filter. I can't find any reference to a supercession after that, I suspect you got the wrong filter. 

The part number I had searched online beforehand and, the one the Yamaha dealer's parts fiche came up with were the same, 

that filter # received was a pleated paper filter as the OP's pic.

 

I remember this was discussed in another post a long time ago, 

the same paper filter was also shared by another Yamaha motorcycle model (TW200?) and had also been superceeded/upgraded to a paper one.

 

Edited December 3, 2019 by mlatour

[mlatour]

This wasn't the thread I had in mind but after quick search I found this past discussion in which I had posted in.

Someone posted side by side pics of replacement filters with a warning as in this case there was an error of packaging for a batch of boxes

but the replacement filter was nevertheless a paper element type.

The correct one for the TTR230 is on the left and requires a '4 hole' base seal. (exactly like the one I received)

 

Edited December 3, 2019 by mlatour

[buz100]

So uh, no one seems to concerned about the metal shavings in my oil? ?

[mlatour]

The second filter probably caught what had gone by the first (mesh).

If in 5 hours (on new oil and filter) you're still seeing a significant amount of metal particles

you could then begin to look deeper inside for the cause.

 

From past topics you are not the first to find a filter full of metal in a TTR230 but fortunately we are also not reading about many engine failures.

Edited December 3, 2019 by mlatour

[motovita]

9 hours ago, buz100 said:

So uh, no one seems to concerned about the metal shavings in my oil? ?

 If the chips in the oil filter are too big to go through the pickup screen they would be coming from the oil pump.

[RipThatYZ250f]

I under-went the same issue, I had metal in my oil. I rode the bike for a year and decided to do an oil and oil filter change yet, there was metal in the oil, and in the oil filter. I changed the oil filter another time and rode to try to filter the oil in some way but yet more metal. I took it to the mechanics and we did a full tear down yet we didn't find anything that was causing it. So as a precation we changed the piston, rings, some bearings, clutch, and than we found groves in the cam bearing inside the head. Needed a new head so we bought a new one. I yet to change my oil filter for now, waiting for 2 tanks of gas to go through but its snowing in Canada so it'll need to wait until the spring. 

Looking at the photos I took before the 1 month journey my oil filter looked the same, same ish color. Blackish, my clutch was letting go so it could be many things dude. You really need to see where it is coming from. 

Bike: TTR230 2008