Alright, how f**ked am I?

I'm doing a cam/spring swap, and I was swapping the springs on the #4 cylinder, using the Crane tool. Since my hand and the ratchet were in the way, I was watching the exhaust valve (since it was closest/easiest to see). Once the locks were free on that one I stopped and removed the ratchet. That's approximately the same time I filled my underwear... Where the F**K are the locks!?!?!? The intake valve (one I couldn't see) was missing it's locks. I had already dropped one while doing the #8 cylinder but managed to recover it. After much looking around with a flashlight and dragging a magnet all over the place I found one of the 2 locks right next to the head bolt circled in the pic below. FYI I just snagged the pic off LS1HowTo for reference.

Trying to find it I have;
- Fished around the top of the head with a magnet.
- Fished around in the pushrod holes with a magnet.
- Fished around the head bolts with a magnet.
- Had the wife shine a light under the car and watch for any flying objects as I blew compressed air across the K-member and around the passenger side of the block to include the header and all the surrounding areas.








Frankly right now I could literally I'm so pissed and upset. I have a bad feeling I know what kind of response I'm going to get... Here's what I'm afraid is coming... Pull the passenger side head and start looking (praying to God I find it there). If not support the motor, drop the K-member and oil pan and hope it's in there.

Here's another question. Suppose I tear the damn motor completely apart and don't find it?

Somebody PUHLEEEEZE help!

 

If you need a hand you know where to find me

 

Look down the pushrod hold and see if you can find it near the top of the lifter.

 

All is not lost, the odds of it damaging anything is remote. Rockers spill their bearings all the time and usualy they get fished out the pan.
As vettnuts says, look carefully in p-rod holes, it can do some damage there.

 

Are you sure the lock did not leave the head all together. I lost one one time and it found its way down in the header merg.

 

Good luck finding it, Sorry we can be of more help than saying just keep looking. Hope you dont have to tear it all down

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm not 100% sure it's not somewhere in the nether regions of the K-member, header collector or the likes. I've been working on cars for a long time, and I know the bastards can eat almost anything you can stick under the hood. I'm going to dig around some more and see what I come up with.

Last night when I posted I was tired and frustrated as hell. This cam/spring swap has been one PITA after another... Maybe that's why it's taken me almost two years to get the motivation together to do it. I'll keep the thread updated with what I find.

Thanks again!
Jason

 

BTW... I did stick a pen magnet down into each pushrod hole and felt around to see if I could snag anything. Nothing showed up.

 

Can't help you right now. as all have stated, Keep fishing and looking. Hope it dosn't come down to a tear now.

But suggest for the rest of them (if there are any more to do) or next time, use some rags around the area and some magnet(s) near by as you release the locks and that way you will either collect them on the magnet or fall in to the rags and not get lost should they slip away from you.

 

Check inside the spring, sometimes the slide in between the springs on other valves and its hard to get them out. Look at the inside of the valves with a flashlight and around the seals.

 

Just run a magnet around and in the holes in the head and if you come up with nothing don't worry just go to a dealer and buy some more and a couple extra (just in case). I've had them shoot off and fly arcoss the yard before even with a magnet sitting on top of the valve. It could be anywhere don't sweat it just check where I said so.

 

Thanks for all the help/advice. I'm hoping to have this thing running this weekend.

 

Stick something clean in all the holes that lead into the motor. I usually drape the area like a surgeon and only expose the spring I am working on too, just in case. If all else fails, you can just sit and watch your avatar

 

It is quite soothing when I'm frustrated with the car. When I made the original post in this thread I kept getting distracted and looking at it...

 

Well, after reassembling the car, making the sign of the cross and saying a few prayers I fired the car up. It sounds absolutely WICKED with the MS4 in it. After getting the car out of the garage and cleaning up a bit I found the long lost lock. It had made it under the cardboard box I had laid out to catch drips here and there. It looks like I must have slid across the top of the lock while I was under there because there was a spot on the cardboard where it appears the lock stuck to it when I lifted it up to look at it. Needless to say, after the car was out and I picked the box up the damn lock un-stucked itself (In my 4 year old daughter's words) and fell on the floor.

Thanks to all for your help.

 

Glad to hear it didnt end up inside the engine!! got any clips of the car??

 

Glad you found it and I bet the MS4 sounds great...it's got some big duration and some craaaazy lift on the intake! I did the same thing putting my cam in. I lost a lock somewhere and using my pen magnet I found it down one of the lifter holes!

 

Clip will be uploaded soon. I'm still waiting for it to be "optimized for streaming" on the LS1Tech vid section. God I love the sound of this thing. Even though it pulls insanely hard I just like sitting in it and letting it lope/shake hte car.

 

haha to be honest I have to say I was reading post ater post waiting to see if you found it and I am happy you did!! congrats.

 

Thanks!

Without further ado... The vid!!!

Click here to see Video