Took plenum off to replace the injectors & fuel rail & while I was about it, took the valve covers off to give them a clean. Getting rid of the gasket goo PO had used all over the intake covers, one blob (about 5mm across?) dropped inside one of the intake valve assemblies & disappeared out of sight down an oil drain at the back (firewall end). I know there's a good chance it'll plug something up somewhere, but I don't know enough about the overall oil circulation & I'm not mentally ready to pull the engine out to look for it. a. Any suggestions about how to easily locate & remove it? b. Any idea of the most likely place for it to block & the damage it can do?
You know that it can cause a blockage, what it damages is anyones guess as we have no idea where it will end up. I would be parking the car up until you're mentally ready to deal with it properly, lol.
has the car been started since? if it hasnt then pull the plunum of and look for it again.. even do an oil change without starting the car and hope to god it comes though the bottom. if you block a gallery it could starve a piston and then seize it. like mentioned leave it there till you are mentally ready to pull it part again.
Another option is to borrow or buy a bore scope with a light on the end, and follow the path the piece fell into. Use a flexible long reach claw to grab it. That's why people plug up the holes with rag before cleaning so pieces can't fall into the motor.
Damn, that's bad I meant not mentally ready to pull the engine out & remove the heads etc. Fortunately, the plenum is still off & the motor hasn't been turned over. I've just had an idea to try tomorrow so hopefully it won't come to an engine pull.
Got one, but the camera "head" is too long to go around the first bend. Will try the mirror attachment in the morning & hope the blob hasn't fallen too far down. Don't have one of those but I'm confident that if I can find it, I can spear it with a hooked wire (it was a pretty solid little lump). Sometimes we learn our lessons the hard way. :stupid:
Technically If it was a lump of silastic and it has fallen in the sump, it can't get into an oil gallery. The strainer on the oil pick-up will not let it pass, so it can't get into the oil pump and be passed round the motor. That is if the oil strainer is intact and you know the mechanical history of the motor. If you can retrieve it then do so. PS those flexible long reach claw's are about $10 at supacheap.
It is a long shot....How about draining the oil and refilling the engine with Diesel fuel from said oil gallery. Could put some diesel into one of those long snout sprayguns to spray down gallery ....then give the diesel a good pour down the gallery.. While the blob is still sitting loose, you could take a chance. Let the diesel sit for a bit and dissolve sludge,reducing friction. May have to drain and refill. ???
Orrrr how about using a good high powered vacuum cleaner. Reduce the vacuum cleaner's hose size down to some 5mm-10mm clear hose ??
Id not even be concerned to be honest. That blob, will remain so, and will make its way down into the sump where it will sit for eternity. It cant get back into the pressure feed system due to the screen across the oil pickup. Youd me amazed at what you often find in a sump!!!!! Timely reminder to engine tinkerers to use Silastic with nothing more than the thinnest of smear on the surfaces. Silastic will pull down to about a 0.002" film (minimum) on a metal/metal surface bolted together to spec, so any more rubber bog flopped on on initial assembly is just going to squeeze out as soon as the components are pulled together!!! Drive on I say!
Endoscope didn't work out (couldn't get it around two close bends), will give this a try next weekend. Failing that, might try the diesel suggestion.
I agree, i wouldnt be concerned. The amount of weird stuff ive found in sumps is crazy. Silicone sealant regulary ends up in engines but amlost always on the low pressure return side.
NO! Drain it out as zano suggested, then refill with clean engine oil(otherwise it will eventually contaminate your good quality oil, something you really don't want to do).:zlove:
Your indifference should slowly grow into a mild alarm, that builds in a crazed panic that ends with a maddening frenzied rampage that ends with tearing down the motor from top to bottom. Each and every forum post hastening the eventual demise of any remaining sanity. Not being satisfied you should then move onto a complete vehicle restoration, not stopping short of every single nut and bolt. Or you could stop at indifference. Both would be fine for the motor.
Took that for granted, I meant wait for the residual to evaporate after draining. Or will it mix with the residual oil? Am I better off poking rags into the sump until as much as possible is soaked up?
Got 2 viable suggestions to try out ( though I'm starting to lean away from the diesel). I'm open to it, but apathy can wait behind door #3 for now.
