[james81273]

thanks for all of your help... if someone would confirm the point on the galley plug (aluminium = non magnetic or steel = magnetic ?) That would be fantastic!

Attach is a picture of the oil pick up filter. You should be able to see in the top corner of the gauze a small piece of chrome flake.

This appears to be the only "large" flake in gauze of the pick up. When I cleaned the pick up, there where trace elements (less than 1mm in diameter) , but nothing to panic?. Might sound a bit dum but

I guess this could be the early stages of a rocker failure, or could this be normal wear?

I guess my cheapest option but with a hint of danger is for the next 500 miles, filter the oil out of the engine and look for further signs of chrome flaking or "weird" flakes of metal?
Then in the next 500 miles take it in for an early 12k service pending how much money I can save up till them?
:P
j