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Engine Did something dumb. How screwed am I?!

  • Thread starter Thread starter evintho
  • Start date Start date Dec 3, 2022

evintho

20+ Year Stangneter
Nov 12, 2003
683
245
73
Santa Rosa, CA.
Dec 3, 2022
#1
  • Dec 3, 2022
  • #1
I wanted to prime the engine before startup by spinning the oil pump with a drill. Pulled the distributor, attached a 1/4" hex driver to my long drill extension using the 2 small set screws, chucked it in my drill and went to town. After priming, I pulled it out and found 1 set screw missing! I looked really well and I can't see it down there. I'm hoping it'll just work it's way into the bottom of the oil pan. What's everyones thoughts on this?
 
Reactions: General karthief

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
5 Year Member
Oct 4, 2020
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Dec 3, 2022
#2
  • Dec 3, 2022
  • #2
Do you have a long magnet? Try fishing for it..
Something that small might flow out if you dump the oil....
 

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
Admin Dude
Jan 4, 1985
42,987
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Box behind Walmart
Dec 4, 2022
#3
  • Dec 4, 2022
  • #3
Small set screw... Me thinks you gotta find it.
 

evintho

20+ Year Stangneter
Nov 12, 2003
683
245
73
Santa Rosa, CA.
Dec 5, 2022
#4
  • Dec 5, 2022
  • #4
I've drained the oil and strained it through cheesecloth. Nothing. I'm going to pour the oil back in through the distributor hole, drain again and repeat a couple of times hoping to dislodge it from wherever it is. In the meantime I've ordered a small flexible camera so I can look inside the oil pan. But, that won't be here for a week.
Amazon product ASIN B07CG4Q1Y3View: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CG4Q1Y3/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,230
17,912
224
Massachusetts
Dec 5, 2022
#5
  • Dec 5, 2022
  • #5
It's likely in the pan, but you gotta find it. Is the set screw magnetic? (test the other one), if so, drag some magnets across the pan bottom.

You can try to pull the timing cover and see if you can fish it from the front
 
Reactions: limp and General karthief

evintho

20+ Year Stangneter
Nov 12, 2003
683
245
73
Santa Rosa, CA.
Dec 7, 2022
#6
  • Dec 7, 2022
  • #6
UPDATE:
Got that little sucker!
Flushed the motor 3 times with oil and it still didn't come out. Screw it.....out comes the motor! Wasn't too much of a pain 'cause there's no front sheet metal on the car.



Dropped the pan and there it was sitting in a far corner.......



That tiny little screw could have caused a lot of damage! Glad I got it. Tomorrow the motor/trans go back in. Moving forward!
 
Reactions: Gs1987GT, 90sickfox, General karthief and 1 other person

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off
5 Year Member
May 15, 2018
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Savannah
Dec 7, 2022
#7
  • Dec 7, 2022
  • #7
In all honesty it probably would’ve just gotten stopped by the screen in the pickup and not really been a big deal, long as it’s not smaller than the screen perforations

One more reason to pick up the priming tool, it’s cheap insurance imo. Definitely worth the $15 on Amazon.
 

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
Admin Dude
Jan 4, 1985
42,987
21,171
234
Box behind Walmart
Dec 7, 2022
#8
  • Dec 7, 2022
  • #8
Any of us would have lost sleep had we not been able to find an object that small in our build.

I unconsciously exhaled when I saw you got it.
 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
5 Year Member
Oct 4, 2020
5,463
2,895
173
Florida
Dec 8, 2022
#9
  • Dec 8, 2022
  • #9
What is that car?
 

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off
5 Year Member
May 15, 2018
1,530
871
133
Savannah
Dec 8, 2022
#10
  • Dec 8, 2022
  • #10
limp said:
What is that car?
Click to expand...
It looks like the bay of a Customline we did a sbf in awhile back. Different car of course.
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
5 Year Member
Aug 25, 2016
27,876
10,544
203
polk county florida
Dec 8, 2022
#11
  • Dec 8, 2022
  • #11
limp said:
What is that car?
Click to expand...
'54 Ford Customliner
 
Reactions: limp

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,230
17,912
224
Massachusetts
Dec 8, 2022
#12
  • Dec 8, 2022
  • #12
Noobz347 said:
Any of us would have lost sleep had we not been able to find an object that small in our build.

I unconsciously exhaled when I saw you got it.
Click to expand...


My fear would have been the off chance it doesn't make it down to the oil pan and somehow ends up staying in the rotating assembly and jamming somewhere..... catastrophically.

Once in the pan, i agree the screen on the pickup would have caught it.
 
Reactions: General karthief

evintho

20+ Year Stangneter
Nov 12, 2003
683
245
73
Santa Rosa, CA.
Dec 8, 2022
#13
  • Dec 8, 2022
  • #13
Mustang5L5 said:
My fear would have been the off chance it doesn't make it down to the oil pan and somehow ends up staying in the rotating assembly and jamming somewhere..... catastrophically.
Click to expand...
My fears exactly!!
limp said:
What is that car?
Click to expand...
Yep, '54 Ford Customline. Build thread is in my signature.
 
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