Thread: Disturbing find in waste oil pan(ic)!

Hi all, I'm new to the forum, and have a question if anyone can help with a nasty find when I did an engine oil change on my TD5 Defender...

It might seem strange that I wouldn't just assume straight away that the nasty find surely came from this oil change, but I have to admit that I have never bothered cleaning out my waste oil pans, so they have years of dust and leaf debris and sludge.  I own a collection of different cars (which get limited use) and another of them could have deposited the piece in the pan and I happened to notice only this time I emptied it.

So, I was emptying the waste oil into a drum and noticed a small metallic object which I cleaned up - a chain link!!!

I have a couple of old Citroens and checked a used timing chain, but no match there. My dilemma now is that I also have an old Peugeot diesel which runs a double row chain (but I don't have a sample chain handy), and the TD5 which runs a double for timing and a single for the oil pump (again, no sample). Where did the link come from? Was it from a previously repaired failure someone had let remain sitting in the sump, or have I got a failure about to happen?

I thought the link dimensions and brand name stamped "Morse" may help if I asked the forum for help.

The link measures 1mm thick, 18.3 long, 9.8 wide.  The holes are 4.9 dia and 9 between centres.  As I said, it is stamped "Morse". it is also a bit mangled.

The thickness of the link seems a bit lightweight for a timing chain, so perhaps the oil pump drive chain?

I'm a mechanic and would expect a chain with a link missing would make quite a racket before quite quickly breaking, but the TD5 is running fine, oil pressure light goes out instantly on startup, and listening to the timing cover and sump at the oil pump area with a stethoscope all sounds fine, no rattles, knocks or grinding etc...

Same goes for the Peugeot diesel.

I suppose it is conceivable that a double row chain could hold together for a while with one link missing without too much noise, but probably not for long!

I'm now afraid to drive either vehicle until I have dismantled and visually inspected.

I guess if I can confirm a match for the oil chain or the timing chain on the TD5 I will know where to start. That is assuming the links on each are different..

I've read about the oil pump sprocket bolt failure and have no detailed service history prior to 2016, so no idea whether that job ever done before.

In case model details make a difference, it is a 2001 TD5 Defender 130 and has done 341k.

If anyone has the TD5 chains handy and could take some measurements and let me know I would greatly appreciate the help!

Cheers, Steve

Old long stroke citroen motors don't have a timing chain tensioner .... i would imagine any engine that has lost a link like that will shortly stop ... rather abrubtly! I'm guessing someone has changed the chains in the past and dropped a link down into the motor.

You don't have motorbikes there? Is it possible you or friends/kids/etc have been working on bicycles or motorbikes near your oil pan? I'm pretty sure all old Citroens have single piece timing chains as well.