Metal shavings everywhere in engine compartment?

[Utemachine]

I was looking in my engine compartment on my 06 22ve and I noticed there are little metal shavings everywhere. They are pretty fine but seem to be all over the place. I pulled the dipsticks and they are clean, what is this? The shavings were there when i bought it in the spring, but yesterday I started to notice some vibration at cruising speeds. I'm wondering if the two are related. I just turned 200 hours. Any help would be great, I'm not sure if I should just take it in.

[boatwakes]

Where are they concentrated? Determine if there's a particular area that has a concentration and then report back. Metal shavings are not good but can be something minor like a bearing on the idler pulley but determine location for a better idea.

[Utemachine]

Mostly towards the bow end of the motor and more towards the bottom of the motor. I'll take a pic and post.

[kx250frider617]

I just can't see something catastrophic happening with noticeable amounts of metal shaving in the bilge while the motor, trans, and vdrive continue to run great. I would look at the ski pylon holder and any metal braces in there to see if a previous person has drilled some holes or installed something. Remember, once water is in the bilge, those metal shaving could have been washed there from somewhere else.

Are they fresh metal, rusted, black, silver? Shiny shaving can mean it just happened or they are aluminum etc.

Vibrations at high speeds can be anything from grass wrapped around the shaft or slightly bent prop fins, etc. I highly doubt those metal shaving are anything serious. I would pull up the floor and see if anyone has drilled into the fuel tank mounts or anything down there.

[Utemachine]

I think we found our culprit. Kx, you caused me to go into detective mode and I believe this latch is the culprit. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1376864159.464547.jpg While I have you experts I am getting a little leaking out of that bolt coming out of the top of the trans. Normal? Now the vibration, I'm not sure what that is. We didn't hit anything but I was hearing it about mid day yesterday. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1376864262.294185.jpg

[dom w. forte]

That appears to be the trans, vent , check trans fluid and or trans cooler to see if its clogged and making the trans hot and pushing fluid out.