Metal shavings in timing cover

[03venomdsg]

Hey everyone new here. Just got a dsg 03 coupe last summer. Anyway. Doing some cleaning up and painting and when removing the timing cover found metal shavings inside around the crank. Looks to be just the cover breaking down. Should I be concerned. New cover? Thanks for any help

Nick

 

[Albatross]

Check to see if the shavings are magnetic. If it's pieces of the cover, they will be aluminum and you won't be able to pick them up with a magnet.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Looks like the seal was possibly spinning inside the cover. This is actually semi common on the rear main seal. This usually happens when the car sits for long periods of time without being started.

 

[03venomdsg]

Not magnetic. Also makes sense prev owner had car for 3 years and only drove 2k miles so the car definitely sat a lot. New cover and seal?

 

[lOOKnGO]

That is from the harmonic balancer to far back against the t cover. You can see the where it was rubbing around the seal. Notice the groove marks and polished area.

 

[hotcobra03]

What about the trigger wheel

Any marks

It shouldn’t rub but that looks like something rubbing inside

 

[gt347mustang]

If somebody assembled the engine with the incorrect crank sprocket and trigger wheel that can happen.

 

[rymax101]

What balancer is on it...just cause if it was the innovators west with HD snout you have to change the seal from oem, if you dont it looks just like this

 

[Blkkbgt]

That is from the harmonic balancer to far back against the t cover. You can see the where it was rubbing around the seal. Notice the groove marks and polished area.

Bingo!

 

[03venomdsg]

The trigger wheel looks fine , teeth are in good shape, but I see what you guys are saying with the balancer being too far back. It's still the stock balancer.

 

[olympic]

Bingo!

The pictures are showing the inside of the timing cover and crank seal. The wear on the seal and the polished circle on the cover must have been caused by the trigger wheel. Something is not right with the trigger wheel or crank sprocket. Maybe the builder used a thick trigger wheel from a 96-99 engine?

 

[NateDogg]

I have a cover on eBay that is already powdered wrinkle black if you need it!