Dropped the oil pick-up bolt in the pan
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa, Florida
Dropped the oil pick-up bolt in the pan 
I really don't want to drop the pan completely. Any idea on how i can get it out.
It sounded like it rolled all the way back. I tried a pen magnet but i couldn't get it far enough back.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa, Florida
well the magnet i had is retractable like an antenna, so when i try to push it back it just sticks to things and pushes in on itself. Also there's a ledge in the pan where it gets deep at the back where a straight pen magnet cant reach.
Trending Topics
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
The larger mechanic's pick up magnets work great. I inadvertantly left the rags out and then dropped a cam retainer plate bolt right in. The mechanic's magnet grabbed it in about two minutes. Sears carries an assortment of sizes, get the one with the plastic sleeve around the magnet head.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
From: dallas tx
thats what happend to me,i bought i magnet i think at napa thats aluminum and it bends to what ever shape,i just loosend all the screws to get it to drop as far down as it would go and got the bolt out
Bummer, I have a 5 dallor tool that would reach it. Its a magnet on a flexable coil like tube. Its about 28" long. It can be found at any auto parts store or harbor freight.
And you may have to take out the rest of the oil pan bolts.
And you may have to take out the rest of the oil pan bolts.
I agree with Daddy SS. Go to Sears and buy one of the telescoping magnets that is rated to pick up 8lbs. I did the same thing you did and was able to get it with one of these. If you think it fell all the way to the back you can always get a very strong magnet and put it on the bottom of the pan and try to "pull" it forward until you can get it with a pen magnet. Good Luck!
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa, Florida
Originally Posted by bigpappasz28
thats what happend to me,i bought i magnet i think at napa thats aluminum and it bends to what ever shape,i just loosend all the screws to get it to drop as far down as it would go and got the bolt out
Is this what your talking about. Maybe I could insert at the top of the pan and rotate it down.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
You'll get it. We not only dropped my bolt on my first cam swap, but we even dropped the stubby wrench once. Yup in the pan. Pen magnet got 'em. Just the plain cheap pen magnets. Didn't have to bother the oil pan bolts.
11 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: North liberty, IOWA
if the cam is out you can take the intake off and the cover off the top of the block there is two holes one in the front and one in the back use a long magnet, stick it down and fish around too see if you can find it. it worked for me when one of my lifters dropped down in the pan i was able to get it out and put it back in from the bottom dint need to pull the head or pan. hope this helps
n00b here... but you dropped the bolt from the front of the pan near the oil pump, right? I haven't done this upgrade yet so I don't understand all the details. how about if you put the front wheels on the ground and then jack up the rear of the car so the bolt will slide to the front... and use the pen magnet to get it out. sorry, maybe I just don't get it. good luck.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 416
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa, Florida
Well my Dad came out once again and bailed me out. He taped then end of my broken magnet to a coat hanger and got it first try. Then proceeded to thread the bolt in with one hand in 2 seconds. If i ever do this again I'll shove a rag down there to catch the bolt if it drops.
Thanks for the help guys. Hope fully this thread helps someone else.
Thanks for the help guys. Hope fully this thread helps someone else.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
Originally Posted by Ls1Envy
Well my Dad came out once again and bailed me out. He taped then end of my broken magnet to a coat hanger and got it first try. Then proceeded to thread the bolt in with one hand in 2 seconds. If i ever do this again I'll shove a rag down there to catch the bolt if it drops.
Thanks for the help guys. Hope fully this thread helps someone else.
Thanks for the help guys. Hope fully this thread helps someone else.
