Quote:

My advice? Pull it.

Usually when something like this happens there is never a happy ending. Bite the bullet and yank it out and investigate.



I couldn't agree more. We can try to bench race this to death but until a main and rod cap gets pulled, nobody is going to know what is going on. As others have mentioned, the amount of brass in the filter and the minimal wear on the intermediate shaft bushing points to a bearing problem. There is no doubt in my mind the bearings are toast. Why? Again, won't know until it's torn down and even then the cause may not be obvious. It's like looking at a catastrophic overspeed failure, what went first? Who knows.

"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".