help found something odd when i dropped the oil pan

[grizzly bear]

i dropped my oil pan and inside of it i found a very small oval metal screen. the outside of the ring is orange plastic and it looks to be very fine mesh. the whole thing is smaller than the end of my finger. does anyone know of what im talking about

[AndyTR32]

It's probably the oil pump pickup screen.

[grizzly bear]

what do i have to do to put it back in and make it stay?

[AndyTR32]

My Bently software is acting up and keeps freezing so I can't pull any images (looks like there's not much on the oil pump any way). Judging by the pictures of the pump you may need to replace the pump:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-C5_A6-...Pump/ES264179/

[grizzly bear]

thats not the screen its smaller and finer and oval shapped
thanks tho

[AndyTR32]

Interesting, take a picture and post it up. Atleast you know if had to come from a return line or some component in the bottom of the motor.

[AndyTR32]

Probably not helpful but here's a shot from Bentley. Is it by chance the size of the dipstick tube??

[boost is better]

Is this a 30v? if so the variable valve timing solenoid's have small screens in them. that is the only screen that small i know of.

[grizzly bear]

sorry its a really crappy pic i just took it with my webcam real fast

[O_o]

I think it might have fallen off your oil level sender.

[grizzly bear]

my car doesnt have an oil level sender, the hole in the pan is not there still sealed

[O_o]

Well, I'm stumped then.

[AndyTR32]

There's not a screen on the end of the dip stick tube is there?

[soviet]

Its 100% the screen from one of your cam adjusters.

[grizzly bear]

thanks, any idea how that ends up in the pan lol? and how serious is it for that to not be in place

[soviet]

it should be in place so it can keep junk from going into your cam adjuster. No idea how it came out though, probably got pushed through by oil pressure if it started getting clogged.

[kfzmeister]

The only way that will come out and still look like that is if the cam adjuster was removed and it fell out. Problem is knowing which side. Lots of work! Other possibility is that if cam adjuster was replaced due to failure and while removing old screen fell off. Only way to know is to disassemble.
Personally, i'm not sure that i would loose any sleep over it. Change your oil at the proper interval and perhaps forget about it.