Calling all engine detectives ...
 

I've got some 'interesting' debris off the 851 sump magnet.
Its quite stiff - some bits broke when I tried flattening them to get an idea of whether they would fit together.
It has some interesting inward facing 'dimples' which might ring a bell ?
Any ideas before I check the bank balance ?

That looks like a gearbox shim to me. maybe a crank shim. either way, not good :(

Nah, wilf's wrong... looks like a tape measure to me.

Its exactly 0.5mm thick :(
So, almost definitely a shim.

Well, it was a bargain price.

(And poooooooooooooooooop to you ****taking nick you)

looks like what I found on my sump plug on the 996.

In my case it was the washer that sits behind the flywheel, in front of the drive gear for the timing belts.

It breaks up when the alternator comes loose.

Assuming the 888 has a washer there.

:) Crust

Well, Mr Haynes has some suprisingly good pics for a change.
It looks like its a gearbox thrust washer ... and there are 7 of them, so I've no idea which one.
At least from racing experience, if it was a 'bad' one to lose, there would be bits of gear teeth to show as well, and there was no other significant debris, just some magnetic sludge to show something is wearing ...

the inward facing dimples????splined thrust washer/shim from input shaft between gears??? is there a prize???

bugga you found it b4 me phil!

The prize is a strip !

Anybody got a spare 851 engine ;)
I was looking forward to a few shakedown rides this autumn to see what they feel like befeore I cleaned it up :(

At least you have 6 spare:D