Olcha911

I Had a leak at the base (I think the O-ring) of the oil pressure and temperature sender assembly - the Oil pressure sender itself is fairly new (the housing is held on by two 10mm nuts and washers). I was removing it to examine it more closely. I accidentally dropped one of the 10mm nuts down the hole that the sender bolts on top of. My hand slipped when I pulled it up and I hit the bottom of the induction pipes and dropped the nut. One of the many things you wish you can take back...

After 4 hours of looking, I' ve resigned myself to the fact that it is in the engine. I drained the oil frrom the case, and well as removed (and put back) the two oil relief springs. I put a magnetic feeler down the hole for the sender as well as into the releif valve holes. No luck.

I know I can remove the motor and tear it down to find it as a last resort, but since I did that 18 months ago- I don't relish the thought. That was the only leak I had, and I didn't replace the O-ring the first time around, since I didn't crack the case, I just replaced the oil ressure sender which was leaking from hte very top.

I don't have a good enough understanding of where that hole goes, etc. What else can I try? What would happen- where would the nut goe if I start the car? Just curious.

Thanks for any and all advice- Keith

deep_uv

You don't want to find out. Don't start it or turn it over what ever you do. Bummer. Sounds like something that would happen to me.

Steve

Edgy01

It's time to buy the best and longest borescope tool you can find with magnetic pickup. When you consider the alternatives, that might be a good investment.

dfinnegan

Thanks to Kirkf for the case pic.

I believe that the oil send mounts in the upper left hand corner of this pic.

chancecasey

Isn't that the left-hand side of the case? You need to be looking at the right-hand side of the case.

dfinnegan

Sorry. Here's the other side.

chancecasey

Ah yes, not in the big part of the case anyway, unfortunately. Damn.

stevepaa

Nut is probably sitting on top of the oil pump.

skruggs964

Man...that sucks. I feel for ya dude.....

John Boggiano

If it makes you feel better, I was once topping up the gearbox oil many, many years ago in my Fiat X1/9. I was using a long flexible platic tube, held open at the end with a small plastic ring. When I'd finished the job and withdrew the tube, the plastic ring was no longer in the end of the tube.

Dick964

Maybe a weird idea... :

If you are pretty sure that it is in your crankcase...

Crack down one of the oil return tubes and you have entrance to the crankcase.... Feel around with a magnetic thing and small mirror.

If you manage to find it, the only thing you have to replace is the oil return tube with one of the types you will normally use for repairing a leaky oil return tube.

Good luck,

Dick964

KirkF

Damn that sucks.
For gods sake dont give up until you find that nut. No matter how tempting it gets to just ignore it.

1. Remove the oil drain plug in the motor and try and fish it out from there

2. Dicks idea is a good one. Remove the oil return tubes and try and fish it out with a magnet. They make expandable replacements for situations where you want to replace the tubes without removing the heads.

3. If that doesnt work drop the motor, put it on an engine stand and flip it upside down and try and get it to come out that way.

And if none of that works start taking the motor apart until you get to it.

I dropped a nut into my distributor hole while the engine was on the engine stand. It still took me over an hour to locate the nut and get it out. I was starting to doubt it had fallen in there at all. Then sure enough out it came.

Kirk

springer3

I agree with the advice not to ignore it. Loose parts have an uncanny ability to get into places to cause damage. I have a friend with a Lamborgini who decided to ignore a dropped washer. The washer got into the timing chain and the engine jumped time. He was billed $12,000 to repair the damage, and the engine had fuel and oil leaks after the work was done.

I had a Mercedes engine break off part of a chain ramp. The engine jumped time when it went through the timing chain. That bent the valves, bent the crankshaft, and broke the cam towers. What a mess!

J.PELLEGRINO

Keith, The passage does not lead to the bottom of the case, I believe it comes from discharge side of the oil pump..After a few 90 degree direction changes, it end up at the pressure side of the oil pump....I would do what it takes to find it.
Good luck, Jerry

KirkF

Here is another pic.


Kirk