where does this go?

[transparentdsm]

so i pulled the valve cover to retighten the head studs on 1078 and one of the bolts fell out of the cover while i was moving it, it fell in the head, i grabbed a magnet and went to pull it out and i pushed it down further. it fell through this hole.. i dont know where it goes or how much of the car i need to pull apart. i think it might just dump into the oil pan, but im not sure. ugh i feel so so freaking stupid.

 

[BogusSVO]

yep into the oil pan.
That is am oil return port

 

[transparentdsm]

thank you. looks like i have to push this into the car port, bundle up and start ripping sh*t apart.

 

[BogusSVO]

Doubtful, The 6mm x 1.00 x 27mm long bolt is way too long to pass through the pick up screen.

Its hanging out in the bottom of the oil pan, under a few inches of oil.

I doubt any harm will come to the engine. I just can not see it jumping out of the oil and up into the crank/rod/pistons.

If you are that worried about it, you may be able to fish it out of the oil drain hole in the pan, if not you have to pull the oil pan.



The underside of the oil return hole.

 

[prove_it]

Unless it got stuck against the crank and something and will mess up something during the first startup....


food for thought. It's possible.

 

[BogusSVO]

Prove it, anything is possible.

I may get hit with a meteor on the way home for work.

I may develop the cure for the common cold while build a head.

Like you said anything is possible.

But is it probable?




Same return hole, with the crank rotated to the closest point, with the rear BS installed.




Now about the only place it may get caught, is between the block and the first counter weight. But since that is on the downward side. It would still drop into the oil pan on start up.

Now is it possible that it gets wedged somewhere else, yes. But is it probable? No, I would say it has about the same odds to give an issue to the drivablity to the engine, as I have to get hit by a meteor.

BTW, I did something similar, I dropped the cam retaining plate screw from a 2300 ford down the oil return port.
Drove the engine 60k miles till I split #4 cylinder bore. When I pulled the engine apart, I found the screw, looked as good as the day I dropped it down the hole.

 

[prove_it]

It must be nice to have engines laying around to look at. I wasn't sure how close the crank would be. I hope you don't get hit by a meteor, you've been a great asset to the site.

If the engine was in the car, I'd probably risk it then. Might have a queasy feeling the first week or two, but that would pass. I do agree that once at the bottom of the pan it's next to impossible for it to cause an issue. If your really concerned try a powerful magnet and run it along the pan and see if you can bring the bolt to the oil drain hole and pull it out. Or if your lazy just strap and powerful magnet to the pan and the bolt will be stuck in place. No work needed...

*****note, this would apply only in this situation, every situation is different.*****

^in case there are newbs reading.

 

[BogusSVO]

I only have about 15 or so 4g engines laying about. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Third post, it is in the car, and cold... he said bundle up and push it in the shop.

I would agree, if it was on the engine stand, rip the pan off and grab it out, and be out an hour of time and $7.00 on a tube of RTV.

 

[prove_it]

yea, miss read it. reread my post.

 

[transparentdsm]

Quoting BogusSVO:
I only have about 15 or so 4g engines laying about. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Third post, it is in the car, and cold... he said bundle up and push it in the shop.

I would agree, if it was on the engine stand, rip the pan off and grab it out, and be out an hour of time and $7.00 on a tube of RTV.



no shop, carport. just snowed yesterday, i pushed it in and drained the oil. i fished around and didn't grab anything, but i was using a coat hanger. i turned the crank by hand with a 1/2" ratchet like 3 revolutions and i heard nothing and nothing got caught or pinched while i was spinning it. i think i might leave it all together and just put some oil in it and hope for the best. if i was building the motor and it was on a stand i wouldn't have even asked, just removed the pan. spending money isn't the issue and doing the work really isn't the issue, as ill work in the cold, i just don't want to ruin the motor with this little bolt, but i also don't want to pull it apart if i don't HAVE to.

 

[BogusSVO]

Before you dump oil in.

Try Prove it's magnet deal, an old speaker magnet ought to do the job.

Also shine a light down the oil return hole.

The bolt may not have made it to the oil pan sump yet, but be up on the anti-slosh baffle that's built in the oil pan

 

[transparentdsm]

yeah im all cleaned up for the night, ill do it tomorrow before i put oil back in it. thanks guys.