Again, there are NO copper/bronze thrust washers inside the engine cases. The thrust washer on the outside of the engine cases goes over the crankshaft end where the starter driving gear sits behind the rotor. There is little liklihood this thrust washer can wear as it sits in a recess inside the starter driving gear and if it started flaking, I don't think the flakes would actually fall down and get into the oil. They would be trapped inside the recess. The washer itself is not in engine oil. There is a small journal at the bottom of the cases where the bottom of the starter driving gear can get some oil I guess but the oil doesn't reach up into that area where it could wash any copper (or bronze). I have NEVER seen wear on that thrust washer. How do you know the washer is bronze and not copper? I can't tell them apart by eye and the color is identical to the copper washers used atop the cylinder head to seal the oil journals. Just curious. BTW, Jack, you can't see the ONLY thrust washer on the crank by pulling your oil pan. You have to remove the alternator cover (or stator cover depending on model). Once you do, you have to pull the rotor and then the gear that drives the starter gear.