I have not cut open any oil filters in the past, but thought it would be a good idea before racing this season.
What should I find if the engine is in good shape?
Is it normal to show a small amount of metal specks, or should it be perfectly clean?
The oil I drained from the pan looks clean.
My engine has less than 20 1/8th mile passes and a few street miles on it.
This oil change has maybe 8 to 10 of those 1/8th mile runs.
It does have a bronze oil pump shaft gear.

Thanks,
Mark

Buy a oil filter cutting tool, not a hacksaw or cutoff wheel ( a big pipe cutter works well also ) and then look at the bottom of the filter as well as cut the paper eliminate off the top and bottom of the pleats and slit it lenghth wise and spread it apart so you can to see what is in the center of the pleats On most oil filter, epecially the ones we use on Moparts, filter the oil from the outside to the inside so most of the bad stuff should be in the outer layers of the pleats As far as how much junk is in the current oil filter will be determined on how many oil filters and oil changes it has had since new, new motors make metal and debris from assembly wil be caught in the first two or three oil filters, that is if everything is normal with no broken or dying parts

Get one like this --> http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-77750/overview/ Put filter in vise, spin cut-off tool, pop out element, inspect away. Yes, It is pricey but they work. Don't go cheap on tools if You have the money. I know that isn't always the case.

Cab I am using Wix filters. This is the 3rd or 4th oil filter/ change.
I cut it apart with a chain type cutter. I have very fine aluminum in the filter bottom. Like metallic paint , not flakes. I will remove the pleated material next and inspect that.
That is a real nice filter cutting tool Dduster. I need to order one of those. This chain tool, is not so good!
I put a new Milodon pump cover on the engine last oil change. I will check to see if it is wearing OK?
If I don't find anything in the pump, I may run it a while and cut the new filter to see what I get.

Thanks,
Mark

After cutting the can open, cut out the media and spread it out like in the pic below. Run a stick magnet through the pleats to check for ferrous material; any other shiny metal particles are babbit from the bearings....a flake here and there are what I consider normal wear, others might not agree.

I agree with what's been said. After nursing an engine with oiling issues until we got a handle on it, I am familiar with looking at trash in filters. I got to be paranoid and looked at the filter (System 1) after every weekend. The metallic paint appearance in the light and some small stuff is normal. If you have something start to go away, the increase in junk will be obvious, however, if you only look at the filter every 40 or 50 runs, you may miss the damage before it becomes a big mess. Copper colored stuff is bad. Nothing in the engine looks like that except bearing once the babbit comes off of it.

I removed the pleated material and checked it with a magnet, there are no ferrous particles. Really not a lot of "specks", in the pleats. The oil in the filter had the fine particles that looked like metallic paint, in the light.
Very nice filter cutter you have John ! I guess you made that unit?

I will get a good filter cutter and keep inspecting the contents.

I kind of expected to see some bronze but, I did not.

Thanks for the help guys!
Mark

I use to use Valvoline racing oil a long time ago, it always look like it had gold metal flake in it no matter what the condition of the motor. A freind of mine sent in several samples of his oil to a avaition oil analysing company from his drag car running the same oil, no problems found either time I switch to plain Valvoline non synthetic oils for the last twenty years and forgot about that until recently. I started using the VR1 10W30Wt last year and I've seen that same color again from it in both motors so far Probally some additive they use in the racing oil that doesn't look like that going into the motor that ends up making that sheen after use

Yeah, I built it 30 years ago before inexpensive units were available.

I've seen a bit of 'junk' in the very first filter a new engine has on it but virtually nothing in subsequent filters.

Buy a system one oil filter, they have a higher burst strength, come right apart for inspection and cleaning, eventually they pay for themselves, you never need to buy a filter. http://www.system1filters.com/oilfilters.htm

Not nearly as messy as trying to cut one apart.