I think some of you should step back and think about this. I for one would not risk the damage that running the trans with that in there can do. It's not just a set of gears in there that can get damaged, there's syncros, sliders etc that pieces and parts can get jammed into or between. There is no way in hell I'd start that trans with a section of plastic tubing in there, it's not styrofoam. Pull the shift pivot cover and I think you'll see/find the tube. Just my 2 cents worth.

Sunroof--sawdust was real, although I believe it was most common prior to the 1960's.

and Pookie, at least you didn't drop a handful of really tiny screws into the open intake manifold and then have to pull the intake manifold and shake all the screws out and put it back on and start the engine and hear a sound like a sledghammer coming from inside the motor and then have to take the manifold and heads off and pry smashed screws out of the pistons and heads and then put it all back together again.

Not that I would know...it, uh, happened to a friend of mine.

Take tranny out, turn on side and shake

Pookie,

Looking at this pic of my tranny with the intermediate housing cover removed, I would think you have a pretty good chance that the plastic straw you dropped will come right out when you remove the shift fork guide plate.

Have a look...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1111698379.jpg

Randy

Placing sawdust in the gears to mask problems was actually mentioned in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath.

Did you try to vacumn it out. You might need to rig up something to use to do it. You might get lucky.

I'd get a good flashlight (small maglite) and a mirror to see if I could spot the errant tube. If so, get one of those flexi grabbi tools and go a' fishin. You will probably need another set o' hands for the light and mirror.
Best of luck to you!

Pookie,

I've been inside a gearbox..... I'm not sure what little pieces of the tube would do to some of the little detents. I wouldn't do it.

You show a piece of tubing so I'm assuming that's a part of what's left. Does it float? If so, fill the gear box to the fill level with kerosene and see if you can float it out. It won't actualy float out as the level will never get high enough to carry it out the hole but it might get it close enough to the hole that you can grab it with a small grabbing device....... As someone else mentioned see if you can find a fiber scope to help locate the piece.

Michael

The pic I posted is another piece of tube I cut to show the length and type of material. It is plastic and not neoprene. I will let you guys know hopefully in a little while. I am on my way home to change clothes and get a little dirty. I going with the cover removal and fish out first...

Wish me luck.

I GOT IT!!!! (and the crowd goes wild)

I took the cover off and took the fill plug out to try and judge where it would be. Well after the fluid drained out I still couldn't see it. So I felt around insidne and it was sitting on the bottom behind sorry for lack of technical description, on the other side of a small bar or rod. I worked it around untill I could see one end sticking out from underneath the bar. I used a pair of kelly clamps to grab the end and pull the rest out. Below is a pic.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1111709535.jpg


Thanks for all the replies and all the help. Now back to the filling. I think I'll take a different approach this time.

Excellent, now go find that thread about the stupid mistakes we all made and add to it. My entry was the bolt dropped in the 944 bellhousing. I know exactly how you felt, both when it happened :o and when you got it out! http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/...s/boldblue.gif

Stef

Way ta go, Pookie!!!!

Gotta love that nice, warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you did the right thing!

Randy

Cool. Wearing the surgeon gloves was a nice touch.

That looks like vinyl tubing to me, same as the fuel vent lines up front in the trunk ... glad you got it!!!

A successful trans-tubeotomy. Glad to hear it worked out.

"Looks like a roach clip to me....what do YOU think Officer Stadenko? "

Next time use a longer tube which cannot fall into the filler with your pump filler setup.

Congrats.

We have all been there.

Next time, think about using gravity. Does not take that long to do it this way and risk is a lot less.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1111866974.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1081258337.jpg

The shop vac idea would have been another way to go. Use some of the wife's old hose to cover the nozzle so you would know when you captured the item to be recovered.

Harry? You & I use the same method...I usually recruit Cindy to pour the gear oil while I'm under the car. I call it the "Cindy pour" method. "Cindy, pour...OK, stop"....repeat phrase as needed :).
I like your addition of the ladder though...will try that next time.