Help! I dropped lifters through to engine

[CivicEater]

The 1st and 2nd lifters on the passneger side (closest to the front fender...fell through into go knows where....How f-ed am I? I think I can see one but not the other...I was thinking of getting a magnet and putting it on one of those fleixble screwdriver and seeing if I can fish them out. I suck

 

[yellow1995Cobra]

autozone sells a nice magnet, that strechs out, and is really thin yet strong. If yopu can see it fishing it out shouldnt be hard. did you pull the timing cover off yet? You may be able to see em through there. Good luck bro.

 

[CivicEater]

Yea I have the cover off....does that lead into the oil pan? I can see one sitting there but I dont know how magentic they are...the other one is god knwos where....everytime I make progress on this I mess something up

 

[95five-0]

alot of computer store sell a pen like tool that has a grabber on the end.

 

[red94fiveo]

Something like this always happens when your in the middle of a project. I have a real nice tool that I use. Its a flexible shaft about 18 inches long with a plunger on one end and 4 metal arms that come out of the other end and then retract together when you push and let go of the plunger. Its saved me so many times. Just be patient and look around and eventually you will find the thing. Good luck.

 

[randomjoker]

Something like this always happens when your in the middle of a project. I have a real nice tool that I use. Its a flexible shaft about 18 inches long with a plunger on one end and 4 metal arms that come out of the other end and then retract together when you push and let go of the plunger. Its saved me so many times. Just be patient and look around and eventually you will find the thing. Good luck.

I had one of those till I pinched my dad with it, and he bent that thing 2198310923 ways.. lol

 

[CivicEater]

I cant even see the one...is it possible it fell down into the oil pan?? I can see 1 though I just need a magnet or something

 

[1105]

Its possible one fell down into the oil pan. Get something and poke around in there and see if you feel anything. Worst comes to worst you can always go out and buy a new lifter.

 

[madams74]

They are VERY magnetic. You should have no problem snagging them, if you actually see them. One idea I have is to place a huge magnet on the outside of the oil pan and drag it along towards where you can access the lifter. Kinda like moving iron filings around on a table top, through the table.

 

[mo_dingo]

Yeah, good idea. But you will need a strong magnet to penetrate the oil pan though. But with that, you should be good. You might need to drain the oil pan. Good time for an oil change!
Scott

 

[CivicEater]

I was gonna try that big magnet idea with a speaker magnet....I was gonna drain the oil first....but what if worst comes to worst and I can only get one out....is it safe to leave one floating in there somewhere? I think I can get the one I can see but the other one is gone Wonder if the FORD dealer sells just 1 lifter

 

[dirtyo2000]

i take it the cam must be out anyway i wouldnt feel comfortable with a lifter in my motor even if i was in the pan. large magnets are only about 5 bucks. if the timing cover is off you should drain the oil get a magent and move the lifet to the front where its easily accesible. for good measures turn the motor over by hand to make sure that it didnt fall somewhere on top of the crank or in between rods so if the motor stops turn the other way you might hear it fall in the pan if its empty.

 

[jwalker]

It is not safe to leave 1 lifter in the oil pan.

 

[madams74]

NO WAY you should leave anything in there! If that thing got loose and the crank shaft snagged it, well you may as well pull that motor out. It could sling it up under a piston and gauge a cylinder wall, then you can get a new block ready.

 

[CivicEater]

Yea I had to take the motor to a shop they have to put in new cam bearing (mine are bad) and they are gonna get it out...but now I am 500 bucks in the whole