Dry Gasket Sealant Fell Under Timing Chain

[KevinV]

First post so I'll give a quick background on the car. I've got a 2005 Vibe base model that I purchased used in 2010. At the time it had ~170k miles on it. It's been a great car with routine oil and filter changes. Now that I'm sitting on 220k miles, I've started doing some preventative work on it.

Over that past week I've changed the oil, oil filter, air filter, serpentine belt, spark plugs, and valve cover gasket and I ran a can of Sea Foam through with the last full tank of gas. The car is already running more smoothly and I expect will be even better after I replace the PCV valve, and clean the MAF sensor and throttle body today. Over my next weekend (I work Th-Sun), I plan to change the transmission fluid/filter, and check/clean/replace worn brake parts.

So now to my situation and question. When cleaning the surface to prepare for the new valve cover gasket, a piece of the old, dry sealant flicked off the razor blade and went down beside the timing chain. I used a dental tool to remove it and just as it was coming within reach, it dropped again and this time went all the way down below the timing chain to an inaccessible area (without major teardown). I did searches on Google and came up with basically 2 camps on this from the many similar questions asked in the past. The one says that it must be removed or will cause all kinds of problems, the other saying it's no big deal and it's just going to end up in the oil pan and will wash out with the next oil change. After replacing the gasket I started the car and drove it around a bit and noticed no ill effects. At this point, since I've run the motor and the piece of dry sealant could be anywhere, I have no choice but to wait and see if anything bad happens.

My question is, do you guys think this will just find its way to the oil pan or get broken up and cause no issues, or do you think I'm doomed to engine failure in the future because of it?

[zythr]

How big of a piece are you talking about? A little piece shouldn't do any harm. Since it is by, near the timing chain, the chain will probably pick it up and circulate it while it is rotating. Hopefully it would not jam somewhere causing the chain to stop.

[KevinV]

Thanks for the reply.

Not a huge piece. I really don't remember the size, just that little bit that gets squished out from under the gasket and was poking in over the chain. I should have stuck a finger under the lip to catch it, but didn't expect it to go shooting in. I now know for the next time. I don't think it could jam the chain. It's too small and certainly weaker than the metal chain. I'm not going to sweat it. It's not ideal to have it in there, but I don't think it's the end of the world. I'm going to hope for the best and let it run its course.

[triz]

It should drain out. When are you due for your next change?

[KevinV]

Not due for an oil change for a while. Just changed oil and filter with Mobil1 synthetic 2 weeks ago.

[lannvouivre]

Thanks for the reply.

Not a huge piece. I really don't remember the size, just that little bit that gets squished out from under the gasket and was poking in over the chain. I should have stuck a finger under the lip to catch it, but didn't expect it to go shooting in. I now know for the next time. I don't think it could jam the chain. It's too small and certainly weaker than the metal chain. I'm not going to sweat it. It's not ideal to have it in there, but I don't think it's the end of the world. I'm going to hope for the best and let it run its course.

I had the same thing happen. I think the engine will just rip the gasket to pieces and be fine. I had a big chunk fall in. It's very soft, unlike dirt and dust.

[KevinV]

lannvouivre,

Thanks for the post. It's good to know this has happened in another Vibe with no negative consequences.

[lannvouivre]

lannvouivre,

Thanks for the post. It's good to know this has happened in another Vibe with no negative consequences.

Well, I do have to rebuild the engine now...

J/k, that's from worn piston rings. I did not take good car of this car as a teenage

Anyway, it will just end up on the pickup tube strainer or in the oil filter. I mean, this material squishes past the sealing surfaces on both sides anyway, so it has to be safe to have shake loose and go on adventures, right? If it were dangerous in small quantities, I imagine they'd only make preformed gaskets.

[lannvouivre]

Found the gasket pieces cozied up in the oil pickup strainer. No scoring on crank or rod bearings.

[bluneon]

the 2 conditions as stated previously;

first: if the gasket is not cured. meaning it can still squish out, smear, etc and still has to cure/harden. if you start the engine too soon before the silicone has a chance to cure then you risk uncured silicone to circulate through the crankcase, possibly clogging oil sprayers, etc... if this is the case you better pray to Santa Claus...

second: if it's old or cured gasket. nothing will happen. the chain will chew it up and get filtered in the oil filter, or the oil pickup will catch the larger chunks in the screen.