Metal dust in motor, WTF is it?

[jeb]

I put in a rebuilt motor about 14,000 mi ago.

As with the old motor I had a small amount of metal dust on the magnetic drain plug every time I changed the oil. I assumed this was just due to friction, and it was normal, but there seems to be more every time.

When I adjusted the rocker arms to try and get rid of some of what I'm assuming is rocker noise, I noticed that same metal dust was accumulating in the rails between the rocker arms. I took one of the rails up to the machine shop I had the valve job done at, and talked to "the man". He said it was deffinately steel, and it was not bearings, because if I wore far enough through the bearing copper to get to the steel, I'd have problems. He suggested maybe my valve springs are wearing on the v.s. shims, and either pull it apart and track down the problem, or just keep driving it.

It has all new bearings, cam, lifters, springs, timing chain, and it has roller rockers. Where is this friction coming from?
If it were the v.s.'s wearing on the shims, how ould it get into the rails? Wouldn't it have to get filtered before getting pumped all the way back to the top of the motor?


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90LX Ragtop.
14.7@95.3
Strut tower brace, K&N, 2.25'' Flowmasters, Hollow cats, Crank pulley, Crane 2031, Crane rockers, Holley FPR, 155lph, Heavy duty clutch, and alum quadrant.
Need Gears Bad!!!