Cut open oil filter. What is a normal amount of particulate?

I cut open my oil filter today after about 40 1/4 mile passes. There are some very fine particles that settled out of the oil in the pan. I expect some particles are normal but how do you know if there is too much. Particles are very fine but there are several. Not sure if I should be worried or not. Is there a rule of thumb?

Is this a new build with 40 passes? I'd expect to see some junk if it is. If your worried about it pull the pan.if it has good psi and nothing has changed run it again and cut the filter open.

I think he might have been a little facetious but, a famous man who owned a garage in Daytona once told me that if there was no by-pas and there was nothing larger than a small pencil eraser there ... don't worry about it.

I"m not too concerned.  Nothing but very very fine particles.  It just occurred to me after I had cut the filter open that I really didn't know what to look for. I think I'm up to a little over 120 passes now with this build. Good oil pressure and all seems to be good. Just trying some preventative maintenance. I'll keep an eye on it. Definitely no pencil erasers in there   .

512Fairlane wrote:I"m not too concerned.  Nothing but very very fine particles.  It just occurred to me after I had cut the filter open that I really didn't know what to look for.  I think I'm up to a little over 120 passes now with this build. Good oil pressure and all seems to be good.  Just trying some preventative maintenance.  I'll keep an eye on it.  Definitely no pencil erasers in there   .

Preventive maintenance is a really good thing...

I do the same thing after every race weekend, even if there are only 8-10 passes on it. For what a filter costs it's a good practice in my mind. I'll be cutting mine open tomorrow with 11 passes on it (first weekend on a fresh build).