Dropped clip into combustion chamber remove head help?

[bimmerobsession]

Okay here is the problem a friend and I were taking off my intake manifold and fuel injectors. While taking off the fuel injectors a clip as small as a staple dropped down the first valve and since it wasn't at tdc went right into the combustion chamber. I have heard of 3 possibilities to get this out. One being a magnet, but there isn't even enough space to get it past the valve and I don't want to scratch anything up. Another is maybe take an air compressor and blow it down and mayeb stick a magnet in the spark plug hole and see if it catches. However I don't have an air compressor and they aren't very portable. I also rigged up a vaccum but had no luck sucking it up. I really don't want to take off my head since the motor has just about 60k miles on it and doesn't need any internal maintanence. However it is a 92 non vanos and should be easier to work with. Since my intake manifold, headers, valve cover and fuel injectors are off, should I just go ahead and take off the head. Do I just need to get it at tdc holdl the clutch and cams in place and it should be easy from there? Not really sure what I'm dealing with and what tools I need, I just learn as I go along. Also if I'm taking off the head, maybe I might as well bring it to a shop and they can swap in a new schrick intake cam and swap my exhaust on the intake? However I had difficulties finding if I need software and who can provide it for me. Have done lots of research but can't get any straight answers or results. Since the 92 already has hot cams would even be worth it? I would appreciate some help I want to get this done before the end of holiday break.

[Jeron]

I would try tape on the end of something flexible through the spark plug hole. Use compressed air to try to move it around between tries. Just get some canned air at office depot if you dont have a compressor. Don't let the air straw go in too.

Let me know how the schrick cams go. You can purchase a kit that will come with the cams, software, intake, etc. for about $3k.

[blkongry]

If you can find a small diameter magnet (needs to be a strong one), you can squeeze it down inside some small thin plastic tubing and snake that down the spark plug hole (since it's flexible). If you push the magnet inside the tubing, the plastic wall of the tubing will keep it from sticking to the cylinder wall, and since the pistons are aluminum, it won't stick to them at all, so it should only pick up he clip.

Good luck!

[Jeron]

Thats a good idea.

If you have an old harddrive you can salvage the magnets from it. They are very strong magnetically and made of a brittle ceramic. You should be able to brake it into pieces and hot glue it into some vinyl tubing like you'd use for brake bleeding.

Be very careful not to loose the magnet in there too.

You should test another clip to see if they are ferrous first.

[blkongry]

Great idea, Jeron. Yeah, best to make sure those clip are ferrous... i'm sure they are, since they are probably spring steel if they are metallic. If they are plastic, then just just put a shop vac on the end of the plastic tubing and snake that down into the sparkplug hole... a plastic clip should be light enough that the vacuum should hold it.

[bimmerobsession]

Yeah that might actually work, I have a 6 gig I can take apart and just go buy some really thin vinyl tubing. Yeah all the magnets i foudn were too thick and not flexible enough. I took another look at the clips they grab on pretty good and a little bit bigger then I thought so hopefully this will work. I will attempt tommorow if you have any other good ideas please contribute.

[tom busby]

You can build a real powerful electromagnet very easily. You need a transformer of nearly any size (your computer power supply is fine). Then buy a rectifier to turn the AC output into DC (get it a Radioshack). Wire it up to about 10 feet of small gauge (22 or 24) insulated wire, wrapped neatly around an iron core (a nail or small spike is fine). The throw the switch (or connect the plug) and you can lift a wrench if you need to. The rectifier is the weak link and will over heat after about 5 minutes so unplug it when you're not using it.

[bimmerobsession]

I bought a latex tube, there is no way to sneak anything down the spark plug hole. Once i get down it just stops and there is no way I can bend it to snake it anywhere. Argh I have no clue what to do and I don't want to take off my head.

[bjanakos]

I did something similar quite a few years ago. I spent 5 bucks at an auto store on a magnet that was attached to the end of an 18" gooseneck. It has bailed me out of trouble several times.

[bjanakos]

PS

Your better off going through the spark plug hole.

[bimmerobsession]

I can't get anything to bend through the spark plug hole. I think I may tie a hard drive magnet to a string and just send it down there. Hopefully theres nothing the metal can snag on.

[Jeron]

I'm suprised you cant get in through the spark plug hole. Are you sure the piston isn't just at the top of its travel.

Just get the magnet in as far as you can and shoot some air in there using canned air with a straw. The air will hopefully move the clip around so that that magnet can get it.

Good luck.

[bimmerobsession]

I borrowed my friends portable air compressor blew it down the first valve and somehow several seconds later it blew up on top of the 2nd valve and it pulled it with a magnet, woohoo its out!

[blkongry]

Nice... good to hear. Nothing like the relief of getting to avoid a big job like a head removal.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Go to sears an buy a telescoping magnet, they usually have them at the counter in the tool section. Remove the spark plug, insert telescoping magnet...

[Jeron]

Woohoo. Now just remember to cram some rags in those holes while working on the engine.

Congrats