black944 turbo

Good luck Peter, I was going to give you a call. Please let me know if I can help.

peterjcb

Thanks for all the offers to help guys. I have a few possible sources for my replacement cam but in any event I should have a replacement here by next weekend to try and put everything back together again. I received a new cam chain today and I still need to get some misc. parts.
I really miss driving my car. Fortunately I've been busy with work so it takes my mind off not having my car.

black944 turbo

Peter make sure you get that other half of the retainer out of the engine. You don't want that getting sucked up into your oil pump. Are you sure it fell down there? Get a good magnet and feel around for it in the oil pan and on the head.

peterjcb

Richard,
I'm almost certain that it fell down the weephole between the #3 $ #4 cylinder and while I'm concerned about it I'm not too worried as it would have to get through the strainer at the bottom of the oil pickup tube to get into my oil pump. Hopefully after I get the car running again I'll be able to get it out through the oil drain plug.

black944 turbo

Do you think simply draining the oil will get it out. You may want to try this before starting, if it doesn't come out you may want to stick a magnet up there. I would be concerned because there is a good bit of pressure there.

Peckster

Use one of those magnets on a telescoping rod to try to get it out. I wouldn't start my engine with something like that in there.

nine-44

Run the magnet down the oil drain back from the head. I doubt it will fit all the way through, the hole at the bottom is kinda small. That or run the magnet in the oil drain hole.

black944 turbo

Agreed, also Peter if it got lodged in your crank or a connecting rod, who knows what it would do. Let me know if I can help.

Peckster

Just a note to others who haven't run into this type of problem, and I speak from experience: as soon as you open up an engine that's in your car, plug all holes with rags, or paper towels if that's all you have.

Small metal part frequently defy gravity by falling sideways into the closest open hole.

peterjcb

OK, you guys had me worried about this. I looked all over the floor and all over the engine compartment in hopes that my valve stem lock fell any place other than into my head to no avail. The piece was nowhere in sight and I was almost certain the I heard it slip down into the lower weephole between the 3rd and 4th cylinders.
I found this magnet thingy on a telescoping rod at Lowe's. I came home and slowly & carefully slid the tool down into the hole; suddenly I heard a faint "click". I knew that I caught something and low and behold after carefully pulling the tool out, I saw my "catch". It really made my day.
Thanks guys for bugging me about getting it out. From now on I'm not only plugging up the spark plug holes but I'm also going to plug those drain holes up as soon as I take the valve cover off in the future.
Now I have to get this other half onto the valve stem and lock it in place. Right now the valve spring is only being compressed with one lock. Boy..... it sure would be nice to be working with proper tools rather that a piece of PVC coupling

black944 turbo

Peter I have a valve spring compressor for on head. You are welcome to borrow it and try it out. Oh and I am very glad you got that out. That could have done a lot of damage left in there.

peterjcb

Richard,
I'd like to try out your spring compressor. Call me when you are available. I can either pick it up or if you're passing by here you can drop it off.
I didn't get a replacment intake camshaft yet. A Rennlister, 7thStranger, has one from his defunct "S" head and is the process of removing it to sell to me. Hopefully I can get it next week. He said that it's in good condition.
I feel better that I got that piece out of my engine, but I'm starting to miss driving my car. It's almost 3 weeks now.
Thanks again,
Peter

black944 turbo

Hey Peter I will be home around 2 tomarow. I will give you a ring once I get in and you can pick it up. Let me know if I can help.

peterjcb

Richard,
There's simply no way that spring compressor will work on the "S". I'm back to square one.
I'm going to have to try again with the PVC coupling idea or make something else up unless anyone can tell me where I can get a spring compressor for the "S".
I"ll drop it back off at your house.
Thanks again,
Peter

black944 turbo

no problem, sorry it didn't work.