In a totally freak accident I shot the thin red plastic tube from a can of carb/parts cleaner into the oil drain hole in the pan while I was cleaning off the pan after an oil change. It managed to make it across the pan and settle into an area where it can be seen by my scope but is stuck into a position I can not reach.
The LS3 is installed in a tube framed car with NO room to drop the pan and also will require a complete disassembly of the front of the car and removal of coolers and removing the wiring on the motor because the ECU was relocated inboard and there is a lot of "hard wire" besides the two main plugs, not to mention all the wiring across the radiator support, radiator, fans and two other coolers.
In other words, removing the motor/trans is the last case scenario want to get into.
The motor has a custom aftermarket aluminum rear sump pan, windage tray and screened pick up. I built this car from scratch so it's not like I can't do it, just that at my age, 75, and working alone it's a real bummer and hard on my body.
I may end up pulling it if "no other way" but does anyone have an informed opinion on just what the chances are that this will kill my 50Kmile motor?.

 

Put the plug in, pour a quart or so of cheap oil in it and see if you can float it closer to the plug??

 

I have found way worse stuff in oil pans than a plastic straw, so I personally wouldnt worry about it. You might could get a piece of wire in there to slowly pull it out though? like welding wire or something

 

I'd commence to pouring oil into the engine and draining with hopes that the red straw will work it's way out but I really don't think it's going to waste the bearings or anything by being in there.

 

Running some oil through it might very well get it close enough to the drain hole to fish out.

 

I’d use a drink straw with some tacky grease to see if I could pull it out.
don’t think it will cause any issues.

 

I have flushed the pan with both carb/parts cleaner and a quart of alcohol but its stuck off to the side at 90 degrees to the oil drain and nothing seems to get it out of the crevice its lodged into. Used a small hose attached to a large shop vac hose to get through the drain plug opening and wiggled it around the inside of the pan a bunch of times but no go and although I can see it off to the side with my scope I can't seem to get close to it. Thought about just running the new oil through with the drain plug out but I can't see that dislodging the tube when the three other attempts with cleaner, alcohol and vacuum have not moved it. Going to just put the plug back in and then stop by any local church, make a donation, ask for divine intervention and just hope he helps out non believers ;-).
It is a tiny tube and since it came attached to a can of carb/parts cleaner I'm pretty certain it stable and won't just disintegrate and mix with the oil. I'll do another oil change at a hundred miles or so anyway just to see if it's moved due to the oil slosh with vehicle movement.

 

It won’t hurt a thing. Run it. I have a tool that would grab it however. It’s a flexible cable with a claw on the end, that’s operated by a push button on the top of it. It’s designed to reach into holes such as a drain plug, and grab stuff. I wouldn’t worry yourself about this. Send it.

 

I totally agree. Wimpy plastic stands no chance against metal. A 3" diameter PVC? Not good. A red straw? GAS IT!!!

 

This was my take on it as well.

 

You might also snake in a tube (hard brake line?) and blast with compress air to dislodge it

 

IF you leave it in there, you could see what happens with another one of those straws if you put in in some boiling water or even heat some oil to around 225F. Its not likely to melt from chemical composition, as those straws are often used for spray oil and worse stuff anyway.

Here's an example of the claw grabber tools that can get in places like this. (Also really good to fish wires through places you can't fit your hand..)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/oes-25292

 

Thats the tool, only with a magnetic end. Works incredibly well for retrieving stuff in a hole.

 

I have the same tool but it's not any good for this. The little spray straw from the cleaner is sitting at 90 degreed from the entry angle of the drain plug along the same side of the pan so it's a 180 degree in and turn back t reach it and it's in a crevice to boot.
It is a tiny spray straw I'm not even sure it could grab even if I could get the tool to where it is.

 

If you can see or get to the end of the straw, build something like one of those animal control poles, loop on the end that you can tighten and grip the straw good and hard.

 

The straw is like 3/32" thin and the only way in is the drain hole. You can not see the straw without snaking a scope in with the shaft bent and then just on the edge of the view. Tucked right in at the hardest place to get to. I tried spraying compressed air, carb cleaner, alcohol and bent tie wire. Nothing working so I
m going to put in the plug and just hope it's not a future problem. Don't want to hurt the LS3 but if it go's bad I'll have a reason to slip in a more powerful unit ;-)!

 

Sounds like a plan. Can also try filling it full of oil, running for a a heat cycle, drain, and see if it moved.

 

It wouldn't worry me a bit. Last fall while removing a rusted out oil disptick tube on my very high mileage 07 suburban, the base of it broke off in the block. Despite all of my efforts with easyouts, reverse and standard drill bits, and many other methods I just decided to push the broken off end into the oil pan. After nearly a year of daily driving and mercilessly and maliciously beating on this vehicle I have had no adverse effects.