Ok, let me start by saying the car has 60k miles and is driving perfectly. Although a bit sluggish but I'm thinking its the hot Houston weather (102 degrees).

Anywho, I just changed the oil and this is the first time I've seen sand in the oil. When i go to empty my oil pan, there was a thin layer of sand that settled to the bottom.

Further more, the old filter and the new filter had a dramatic weight difference. The old filter weighted twice as much as the new one. Don't know if that has any effect or whatnot.

So now I'm paranoid that my engine is f**ked up somehow. Is my engine damaged?


BTW I use mobil 1 synthetic oil and I change every 5-6k miles

thanks

 

It's normal for your new filter to weigh less than the old as the used filter has oil trapped in the filters inside (it will take a few hours for most of it to drain out if you place it upside down on a grate).

As for the sand, are you sure it's sand? Are you sure it wasn't there before you used the pan?

 

If it is fine sand/grit, then you really should be checking the air filter and throttle body for similar evidence.
Even then, it's hard to imagine it getting past the piston rings and into the oil.
If nothing, then either it's not sand, or it's been poured in.
Can't see any other way of explaining its existence otherwise.

I'd have the oil analysed and the head off for inspection of the cylinder walls - not a $50 job, but the alternative is $1K+ for repairs if you ignore it, and the engine seizes or goes BANG!