chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

Okay guys, I pulled a dumb one....

While taking off the oil pick up tube to fix an obviously defective o ring, I dropped my 10mm wrench in the oil pan...

I have tried for hours to get the thing out, but it went all the way down to the bottom. Is it alright to leave it there and just bolt everything back up? Or should I pull the motor and get the wrench out.... any other ideas?

TIA,
Joe

Smoke_Ford

I think that the wrench is too big/heavy to get sucked up and fugg up the crank. I would do it because I think you'd be more pissed off if the wrench ruined your whole engine. We all make mistakes, fix it and forget about it.

mobius

try a magnet they have those ones on an extension that are pretty strong

Mr.RamAir

iTrader: (2)

take the bolts out of the motor mounts,lift up engine drop oil pan as far as you can and use a long magnet!

BADFNZ

iTrader: (19)

Leave it in there???? No.

CAT3

iTrader: (9)

I second the telescopic magnet idea, checkers has one that we used this weekend, picked up a 13/16th 1/2"drive socket, two wrenches and an approxiamte ***-load of misc. things at the same time. And all we wanted was the valve stem locks!

chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

I have a telescoping magnet and a flexible grabber and I cannot get either one into the bottom of the pan in the back....

Any other ideas? I don't have an engine lift available, but I guess I could go rent one or something. It is starting to look like I am going to have to.

SmaknaSS

iTrader: (1)

I heard from another board member that you can try taking off the oil sending unit in the passengers side of the oil pan and try fishing it out with a magnet from there. hope than works cause that suxs. Let us know how it turns out cause I want to Know how to get objects out of the oil pan.

chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

I will go out and try that right now.....let you know in a few.

DaleMX

iTrader: (4)

Hope this helps, here's some pics of what it looks like inside. The wrench I used was a Craftsman 10mm.

http://www.circuitflex.com/OilPan1.jpg

http://www.circuitflex.com/OilPan2.jpg

Go FasTA

Take a large magnet (like one on the back of an old speaker) and run it along the bottom of the oil pan. You should be able to move the wrench up to the front of the pan. Then reach in and get it, or use some kind of telescoping magnet or hook.

chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

Well, trying through the unit on the side of the pan did nothing....I did manage to fish out my little magnets that I had stuck in there on a string though, so half of my problem is solved.

Dale, those pics actually do help out alot, at least now I know where I have to fish around at. Thanks!!!

GoFast, I will dig up an old speaker and try that. I sure hope it works out, this is getting old real fast. I have been doing this all day. Guess I am not taking my car to camaro superfest today :-{

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

I doubt it made it into the deep end of the pan. If you take out the 2 long bolts for the motor mounts and the bolt for the tranny mount and jack the motor about 2", you could most probably lower the oil pan enough to fish around the complete front area and find it whether by hand or with a telescopic magnet.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, that's what I was going to sugest. Since the oil pan is aluminum, this should work. Also, I was told it is possible to completely remove the oil pan without pulling the engine if you unbolt the motor mounts and lift the motor as high as possible.

chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

Well, I still do not have the wrench out of the oil pan, but I am done for the night. I can only get my hand back to the very front of the drop down in the pan, so I should have it by tomorrow if I can just get my hand a little further.

I had no luck digging up an old speaker that is strong enough to move the wrench. When I shake the pan I can hear the wrench in there, but I cannot see it ANYWHERE in there when I look.

What is the easiest way to get to those two motor mount bolts with long tubes in the way??

I must say that I have learned alot from this experience which should have taken maybe 30 minutes from start to finish. So I will share my hard earned knowledge with all my LS1tech helpers out there:
When taking the bolt off of the oil tube pick up, TIE A STRING TO THE 10 MM WRENCH so if you do drop it you just pull it out. Tie the other end to the sway bar or something too. Just my word of advice for everyone....

Joe

DaleMX

iTrader: (4)

Sorry it had to happen to you Joe. Radio Shack has small rare earth magnets that are quite strong. I glued 3 to the end of a long stick recently to retreive a part. It was much stonger than a pen magnet and cheap to make. It would be more than stong enough to pull the wrench out it they got a grip on it. I guess you could glue them to a small ground wire for some flexability.

horist

one more possibility.. rotate the motor around and see if you can see it...

When I was doing my oil pump, I dropped the bolt in the pan... thought for sure it was in the deep end... well Big D came by my house and all he had to do was rotate the crank and there the bolt was... it was hiding behind the rod cap.

Worst case, as was mentioned above, take off the accessories (condensor and alternator), disconnect the bolts that hold the motor to the motor mounts, push up on the motor w/a jack and lower the pan enough to stick your hand in....

robertbartsch

...I read where some guys were changing their rod bolts without removing their motors from the car...


...they took the pan off!

Suggestion: search here for the posts about changing rod bolts while the motor is in the car....they will tell you how to remove the pan...

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Hey Robert, you can't sugest that, I already did! :p