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Author Topic: Dropped a circlip in the engine  (Read 3901 times)

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clarkbar

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Dropped a circlip in the engine
« on: March 08, 2009, 05:39:58 PM »
I began today in high spirits.  For I had dis-assembled my entire engine last night all by myself, no problems.  So I spent today removing all of the old gaskets attached to the parts.  Most fun I've had in a while...  ::)

I then proceeded to clean everything up real nice and polish the aluminum housings.  Sitting back and admiring my work, I felt good. Time to take a break from the bike and install my new shiny car battery.

Back to the bike... it's getting late, dinner time.  I'll just remove the pistons and be done with it, not messing with those studs.  I begin by stuffing shop rags in the cavities.  Piston #4 is the first victim.  I use my pick and a soft touch to get the circlips out, no problem.  3 and 2 come out just as easily.  I get to contestant #1 and the first circlip is removed.  The last one, slips off my pick and falls on the rag... no biggie.  BUT, as I reach to snag it with my pick I was a little too anxious and pushed it down a tad and the circlip falls in! The very last one!!!  :'(

So, after a few choice words I head upstairs and try to relax.  It won't leave my mind.  Do any of you guys have recommendations for getting this thing out? I can't see it at all.  What is the worst case scenario if I leave that bad boy in there and try to run the bike??

I knew I should've stopped at the car battery...
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Offline bwaller

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2009, 05:43:58 PM »
Use a small telescopic manget.
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Offline 75750SS

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2009, 05:46:52 PM »
I had a broken piston ring piece fall into my engine.  I bought a magnet with an extender (Harbor Freight) and managed to fish it out.  Good fishing!
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clarkbar

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2009, 05:50:05 PM »
ahhh yes, a magnet.  here's hoping i catch a lunker!
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Offline MCRider

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2009, 05:51:17 PM »
Yes, the magnet.

I'm sorry to hear that, and don't take this the wrong way, if I could make some suggestions for the future.

Only need to take out 1 clip per piston. Slide the pin out and take the piston off, then remove the last clip...and...

Put a large phillips screwdriver or punch in the piston pin. Then when you pick out a clip, it pops out and stays on the shaft of the tool. Can't go anywhere.
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clarkbar

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2009, 05:54:11 PM »
Solid advice... as a beginner I cannot and will not take anything the wrong way  :)
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Offline MCRider

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2009, 06:00:36 PM »
Quote from: clarkbar on March 08, 2009, 05:54:11 PM
Solid advice... as a beginner I cannot and will not take anything the wrong way  :)
An old mechanic told me the screwdriver trick before I had a chance to lose a clip. I hate things that are springy.
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Ron
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clarkbar

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2009, 06:16:41 PM »
As do I... I'm a hydraulic mechanic by day and I know all about snap rings and springy things.  I've shot snap rings clear across the shop and have to "go fish", so you'd think this little problem wouldn't worry me so much... but this is MY bike! ha!

Just curious, what might happen if this little guy can't be fished out?  Are we talking catastrophic failure?
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Offline MCRider

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2009, 06:32:08 PM »
Quote from: clarkbar on March 08, 2009, 06:16:41 PM
As do I... I'm a hydraulic mechanic by day and I know all about snap rings and springy things.  I've shot snap rings clear across the shop and have to "go fish", so you'd think this little problem wouldn't worry me so much... but this is MY bike! ha!

Just curious, what might happen if this little guy can't be fished out?  Are we talking catastrophic failure?

What bike is it? If a CB750, I'd take the oilpan off the bottom, oil pump too. Drain all oil first, tank too. Otherwise messy. But you may be able to fish around more. The four chambers of the crankshaft all have big openings into the oil pan area, if memory serves.

If never retrieved, ..., I guess I don't know.

If not CB750, I don't know.
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Offline Frankencake

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2009, 06:48:13 PM »
For all of those folks that hate springy things that go flying across the shop and they are the last thing that you needed to lose at the time because it's 3:30 on friday and you can't get another one tonight and you need it to finish the job before the weekend like you promised.
This is a trick I learned a long time ago:

When it's get on your knees and look time, take a flashlight with you.  Don't shine it straight on the floor but lay it on it's side and shoot the light kind of perpendicular on the floor.  In the beam of light that is stretched out on the floor, look for shadows and reflections.  This really works.  Since the light hits whatever it hits from the side it makes a bigger shadow.  It's easier to see those small circlips, ball bearings and springs.
Disclaimer:  This does not work in grass or dirt floor shops.  Shops with excess detritus on the floor will take more time but you will find things that you didn't know you lost.
  Happy hunting.----------SS
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Offline FunJimmy

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2009, 08:04:51 PM »
Sorry to hear about your run away circlip. You’ll be successful fishing it out with a magnet, but I have to tell you about my first oil change after purchasing my current CB550. Because oil flows so much better hot I took the bike for a good warm up ride before dumping the oil. When I returned and started to drain the oil I heard a soft thunk in the drain pan. Looking rather puzzled I strained the oil into an empty pail only to find a small metric screw similar to that used to hold a hard drive in a computer. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out where this screw would have come from. Even now after rebuilding the engine I can’t find where it could have come from, or how long it may have been in there. Personally, I’d fish that clip out, but wonder if it would ever cause a problem.

Problem is, it would always be in the back of your mind.
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Offline 750goes

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2009, 08:59:37 PM »
If you have the motor out and on the bench and empty of oil

turn that bugger upside down and give it a good shake..... ;D
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Offline HondaMan

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2009, 09:47:18 PM »
If it's in a 750, it can lay underneath the crankshaft until the first long pull at 8000+ RPM, at which time it can grow wings and fly into the transmission, right next to the primary chains, and eat 2 gears.

We won't talk about how I know it can do this, though.  :P
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Offline Hush

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2009, 10:07:57 PM »
I have successfully retrieved a circlip from the big end just by rotating the big end, the circlip stuck to the counter weights by the engine oil "phew". ;D
You could try rubbing two steel screw drivers together (like making fire) and one will pick up a charge that will make it magnetic, you don't need much magnetism to grap a circlip.
Best of luck..........Hush.
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Offline Trevor from Warragul

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2009, 04:21:36 PM »
Another method is to take off the oil pan and pour fresh motor oil in via the top of the crankcase (with a drain pan underneath!).  Then run the oil through a mesh filter to see what you've got.  I've done this to successfully flush out bits of a broken piston ring.
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clarkbar

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2009, 04:24:17 PM »
Thanks guys for all of the suggestions.  I was able to fish it out with a magnet tonight after work, first try!

Oh the joy that filled my heart when I heard that little "snap" of something connecting to the end of my magnet  ;D
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Offline MCRider

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Re: Dropped a circlip in the engine
« Reply #16 on: March 09, 2009, 04:32:12 PM »
Quote from: clarkbar on March 09, 2009, 04:24:17 PM
Thanks guys for all of the suggestions.  I was able to fish it out with a magnet tonight after work, first try!

Oh the joy that filled my heart when I heard that little "snap" of something connecting to the end of my magnet  ;D

YAY!
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"Sometimes the light's all shining on me, other times I can barely see, lately it appears to me, what a long, strange trip its been."
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