Symptoms

Metal in the fuel filter or oil

What causes it depends on the engine. 14 documented failures on 14 engines list this among their signs. Pick your engine for the causes ranked, how to tell them apart and the usual fix.

6.4 Power Stroke (2008-2010) 1 known cause: High-pressure pump (Siemens K16) destruction 6.7 Power Stroke (2011-present) 1 known cause: CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pump contamination cascade 3.0 Power Stroke (2018-2021) 1 known cause: CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure (contamination cascade) 6.7 Cummins 2019+ 1 known cause: CP4 high-pressure fuel pump failure and fuel system contamination (2019-2020 6.7) Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019) 1 known cause: Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure (recall 22V-406) Duramax LB7-LMM (2001-2010) 1 known cause: CP3 pump / fuel system contamination Duramax LML (2011-2016) 1 known cause: Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure and fuel-system contamination Duramax L5P (2017-present) 1 known cause: Fuel contamination damage to the HP4/injector system (no CP4 on the L5P) Sprinter 2.1 (OM651) 1 known cause: Timing chain stretch (long-oil-interval related) Triton (gas) 1 known cause: Timing chain / tensioner / guide wear (2V) 7.3 Godzilla (gas) 1 known cause: Cam lobe and lifter (tappet) wear, worst with long idling 3.5 EcoBoost (gas) 1 known cause: Timing chain stretch / guide wear (Gen1 era) 6.4 HEMI (gas) 1 known cause: Lifter / cam wear (HEMI tick source #2) ProMaster 3.6 (gas) 1 known cause: 'Pentastar tick': rocker arms, hydraulic lash adjusters, cam damage

Built from the failure-mode records on this site: a failure is listed when its own symptom list describes this sign. Engines not shown have no documented failure with it in our records. How we tier and source facts.