Flakes are never normal. It could be bearings failing. Are they magnetic or not?

 

non metalic, they look shiny like aluminum.

 

Non magnetic or non metallic? Aluminum is a metal.
Shiny flakes like that could be bearings, main, big end or camshaft. Most likely main or big ends - but that's just a guess. The only way to tell is pull some bearings caps.

 

Next time you change the oil and see metal flakes take a sample and use a magnet and see if they stick.
If yes, its a ferrous metal, like steel.
If no its a non ferrous metal like brass or aluminum.

Brass would be bearings, steel would be cylinder walls or piston rings.

 

sorry wasnt paying attention to what I was typing. They are non-magnetic and best I can tell are not brass colored but, its hard to tell since their in oil. So which bearings are brass?

 

Main and big end bearings have a thin shiny silver layer (Babbitt metal) over a bronze base.

 

Interesting... I don't have this but just following along... wondering if maybe it is the coating and not really any wear per se? I've seen things like that before in other cars. It is very light flakes, shiny and non metallic. Still though, why would they not be picked up by the oil filter?

 

They are rinsed down into the oil pan then settle on the bottom, they will not be picked up in the oil flow and therefor do not get trapped in the oil filter.
I've seen main bearings fail and they looked like they have been smeared, something like hitting a soft metal with a hammer. There were thin flakes of bearing material in the oil.

 

OK, so they are a heavier material then I'm thinking. What I was hearing was more of paint flaking type chips which would be carried in the oil.

 

Interesting, because I cut my oil filter in half and there was no flakes in it. I guess its a better chance they came from low in the engine. I have always suspected a couple of the big end bearings based on the speed of the sound, I think if it was mains it would be a much faster sound.