oh no it fell in the motor :(
 

I was pulling the cam gear and lost the key and pin into the block. I am doing a top end rebuild and did not want to split the case 48k miles. what can I do? thanks

left side, remove the sump plate and fish with a magnet. right side, it's still in the chain area.

Bendable Magnet
 

I recently broke the end off of one of these and can't find one locally - loved it and will be ordering another from Amazon. Didn't realize what an essential tool this was until I broke it.

As per Henry's recommendation - this sort of magnet lets you fish around areas that you can't see - should help you find your woodruff key:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396145538.jpg

Cheap too:

Amazon.com: Master Magnetics #07229 19" Bendable Magnet: Home Improvement

Good luck,

Gordo

Nice. Just bought one!

it was left side. nice tool I will find one..... also should I turn the crank to remove pistons? before I remove the key from inside? thanks everyone.... carl

ps just ordered one.... again thanks

I confess too. I dropped one of the cam housing nuts (M8) into the engine via an accurate faux pas into one of the inadvertantly uncovered drain tubes (engine was sideways at the time). Lesson to be learned.

Luckily, I was able to introduce some light into the case and spotted the nut resting under the intermediate shaft. Not having that nifty mag. retrieval tool, I fabricated an emergency retrieval tool out of an extendible inspection mirror shaft (sans mirror), some heat shrink tubing and a button magnet.

Whew. Got it.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396588264.jpg

Bought this a day later at the local Toyota dealer truck stop-like parts dept.:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396588478.jpg

However, it's not nearly as versatile as Gordo's trick, bendable, S-shaped tool, but it's more official than my home-made azz-saving tool. I'll order one too. I'm ready for my next ham-fisted move.

These episodes of brain-fade make engine assembly more exciting than the guys who can do this with their eyes closed.

Sherwood

Seems that many of the commercially-made mag. tools have a removable shield that only attracts from the end, not the sides. With all the steel pieces inside, it's better to concentrate the magnet on the target piece and not to metal pieces next to it.

I would not move the engine. It's important to be patient and methodical. If possible, locate the pieces first. Because the parts are in the area of the intermediate shaft drive gears, there's a chance the rotating gear train could draw viscous oil and the small pieces into the meshing gears. Those with more experience can chime in if those parts are safely isolated from moving parts.

If it applies to your engine, a large, removable sump plate is a good omen for inspection and access. Use an inspection mirror and some light for a look-see before rummaging around. A small LED flashlight and/or digital camera might be handy (as would a boroscope) in this case after initially feeling around with your fingers.

thanks, tomorrow I will pull sump cover. do I turn motor cover up or down? can I fish through the oil return holes? I tried chain holes with no luck. I will take it slow and not worry. thanks everyone.....carl






/

If you can get like snap-on camera or a cheap one a lot easier .

Harbor freight has a real cheap inspection camera...

Sorry. Was away.
Suggest not to disturb the engine unless you know where the two parts will end up as you rotate it. IOW, leave it alone. Remove the sump plate and the oil drain tubes. Insert light sources inside, then use a mirror, video/still camera/boroscope, etc. to find the pieces. In addition, remove the cam boxes.

Parts could also hide under a thin layer of grease/oil in the crankcase. Maybe flush what's left in the case with some kerosene or equivalent, or solvent that evaporates quickly (but not gasoline).

Sherwood

:) it took 2 hrs. I got both parts out. thanks for your replies. it worried me a lot. anyway thanks. its amazing how much you can see through all the holes. now I can pull the pistons...........carl

Carl

Sure.

I think you could have done this before fishing out these two pieces. They aren't large. Did you find them down in the bottom of the case right below where they fell in? That is out of the way of any moving parts when just manually rotating the crank - no oil flow to move things around. In fact, quite a lot of stuff can safely sit down in the sump on a running motor - like valve adjuster lock nuts which swam through an oil return tube.

I've seen this done at races. And one sees reports of stuff guys find when they open up a case, or sometimes just pull the drain plate (on motors with one).

I always stuff a rag into the yawning opening back into the case on the left side when I am working there with the chain cover off, though. Haven't dropped a pin, but the key is a slippery devil.

Geezz, I need this awesome tool too!!! I accidentally dropped an m8 nut down my dipstick tube yesterday and I really freaked out. Okay I know it was a dumb move – but it was an accident.
Anyway, I think I found one like this from a local auto parts store near my area. Will definitely check out. But I might as well check on Amazon too.
Quite a relief to have found this. I am no way starting my engine without taking that nut out!!! Really driving me crazy…
Thanks guys!