Topic: Bound to happen to me! Advice on dropping small objects into engine

[algophobe]

It was bound to happen to be. I had finished fully rebuilding the engine on my 72 K2. had the valve cover back from powder coat and going to put it on and I dropped a small washer down the cam chain well. 
 
I managed to get a hold of a used cystoscope from friend (used by urologists to look into the bladder with a articulating tip) and put it down the well and was not able to find it... granted visibility is limited, in addition to having put oil and cranking the engine over with a large battery prior to dropping the item.

besides having to slowly tear down the engine from top to bottom. any advice as to retrieval?

another friend who has more experience with engines advised me to "not worry about it", it small and made of soft steel that it wouldn't affect anything and just keep an eye on the oil drain plug as it will end up there.

this answer didn't settle with me well. what do you all advise?

[calj737]

Drain the oil, drop the pan. Fetch it out. Better to spend 1 hour and $20 on oil than to have it work its black magic into the cam chain, trans, or other stuff and muck it up.

That's my opinion.

[martin99]

Drain the oil, drop the pan. Fetch it out. Better to spend 1 hour and $20 on oil than to have it work its black magic into the cam chain, trans, or other stuff and muck it up.

That's my opinion.

+1. It's gotta come out, not worth riding your luck.

Do you have one of those extendable telescopic magnet thingies? I know mine has saved the day on more than one occasion.

[Bailgang]

+2 to what Cal said.
If you can't spot it or get to it from the top then drop the oil pan and don't stop looking for it till you find it and get it out.

[flybox1]

Get one of these.  $10  Use the magnet attachment to fish it out.
I used mine to check cylinders on a non-running bike before purchase.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/302072883107?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true
They also have them for iOS

[strynboen]

take the oil pan off..and the valve cover..use kompresed air..and try to blow it dovn aut..be carefull to turn the engine(only bu hand)..if the vasher catch the cam chain..it vill ruin both parts....if it gets in the gear box bad Things vill happend too..

[BomberMann650]

Get one of these.  $10  Use the magnet attachment to fish it out.
I used mine to check cylinders on a non-running bike before purchase.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/302072883107?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true
They also have them for iOS

Those are only $10?!?!?

[flybox1]

Oh yeah!    Here is my thread.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=155785.0

[markreimer]

these guys have it right. Absolutely drop the oil pan and try to shake it out. Rock the bike side to side, etc. If it's covered in oil, it might stick to the inside of the cases. Be patient and get that bugger out. Imagine what'll happen if it gets caught between the cam chain and sprocket, or between the trans gears. You'll have a MUCH bigger task ahead of you then.

[eigenvector]

I'm pretty much the text book example of learning by doing.
I have found that the engine will chew up and spit out a small washer without too much trouble.  But for Christ's sake don't see for yourself.  Telescoping magnet at any auto parts store is a lifesaver - plan to spend about 2 hours fishing it out as the magnet attaches to everything except the washer.  Drop the pan - certainly, but the washer's probably under the #1 or #4 crankshaft bearing.

First time I rebuilt the engine on my CB550 (like I say - I learn by doing, and I'm a slow learner ) I must have dropped the cam chain into the well about 50 times.

[JoeCooley]

I dropped a dime (non-magnetic) into my engine recently. Had to fish it out with one of those expanding 3 claw grabber things. Luckily the dimensions was just resting against the primary chain and case. Really scary experience tho. Good luck

[ekpent]

 Wrapping some electrical tape around the sides of the pole magnet and just leaving the head face exposed may make it a little easier to fish. In this case a little less powerful magnet may be better as to not stick so hard to all the big steel parts down there while moving it around. There are two small caps at the bottom of the case and under the crank left and right that can be removed also along with the oil pan.  Good luck on it.

[algophobe]

all good tips. i forgot about all those excess points. the engine is currently sitting on a home made stand. i'm trying not to disturb it too much as it may rattle to locations that are not easily excessible. i figure if it fell it should be somewhat straight down. the camera system i managed to get my hands on is something like this flexible cystoscope

http://www.oxfordgynaecology.com/Investigations/Cystoscopy.aspx

my plan is to take off the cam chain tensioner and that front port hole and stick the camera in there and see. likely the oil may cause the small little washer to stick to the sides.