After my heart stopped then restarted, what's this?

[roybatty666 0]

Well doing a service on the 300tdi I pulled the pan to reseal it as it had a slight leak, when I crapped my pants after finding this in the pan.

No sparkles in oil and 90k mile 1996 engine/disco that pulls like a champion on 35s

So after I pulled myself together, holding back the tears of what maybe new engine time and cleaned the bits to see what they could be from I realised they are not metal but hard rubber yay😎.

Question is what are they off, seems like maybe the cut off end of a T seal? Square end is a definite end piece of something and about 5,6mm almost Composit hard rubber not squishy.

Like I say low miles good strong engine, had the valve cover off and now pan and she seems spot on.

Any ideas?

Will provide more car prawn pics of the beast on correct guess 🤣

 

[Bowie69 780]

Magnetic?

[monkie 109]

Wash them in some petrol or brake cleaner as well as the magnet test as Bowie suggests. You need to determine if they are iron, aluminium or none metallic to narrow it down a bit. 

[Bowie69 780]

If non magnetic, I'd suggest piston skirt, but very hard to see.

[Simon_CSK 34]

He did say hard rubber. So a seal of some kind. Although I can't think what could get through the oil galleries. Most likely something dropped into the sump the last time it was off.

[Bowie69 780]

Odd, I don't remember reading that earlier.
Rocker gasket?

Anything like that will go hard when in engine oil.

 

[elbekko 133]

Can it be part of the rear main seal?

[monkie 109]

Put on of them on a grinder then you'll see if it's metallic or not

[Stellaghost 73]

You did say you had a leak on the pan don't suppose it was corroded through and the  material is some sort of  liquid metal used to repair wild guess regards Stephen

[Snagger 451]

By the rectangular section and solidity, it has to be part of a T-seal as you suggested.  If you’re not losing oil, I’d leave it as is.