Help! Strange place to find ball bearing!!!

Changing oil today (TB42efi) and I found a ball bearing sitting inside the lip of where the oil filter goes. Dont know what that place is called but it's inside the O ring and outside the threaded bit. The BB is about 1/4 inch. Any ideas?

Yep.....Your lucky you found it ;)

sorry got nothing else. Any pics?

Could it come from an old repair? There's nothing notably wrong with the way the engine runs. Sounds normal, oil pressure normal, temp normal.

It's not an anti drain back valve of some sort is it.

Hope not. Where it was it wasn't stopping anything. Just sitting there.

Isn't there supposed to be a bearing inside the thread further back for the oil pressure regulator?

Would love to see some photos mate?

its probably from the pressure relief valve within the filter housing itself best thing to do is if its the external oil pump/ filter housing is to remove it and get it checked at your local reco shop give them a call first ask them what they think but thats just my 2 cents

I don't think it from the relief pressure valve.
I replaced my valve and from memory I think it's closer to 10mm bearing.
If I'm wrong it's around $20 from nissan.
The tube is part of valve so if it's broken then tube has to come out also.
And new tube pressed / tapped in.
Any way that valve is visible when oil filter is removed.

Anti drain, is a rubber flap across the holes that run around the outer circle of filter.
and that's if your filter has it fitted, some cheaper may not.
The only thing I can think of is its a valve from inside oil pump, but I haven't pulled one down to know for sure if a bearing that size exists in oil pump, just a guess

Cheers

I was reading the manual today and noticed in the oil pump section it had what looked like it could be a ball bearing in the oil cooler return or pressure or something along those lines