Missing Elephant's Foot

[Tommy Atkins]

Whilst adjusting the valves on my 3.2 Carrera I noticed that the elephant's foot on the number 2 inlet valve has sheared off. I have had a good look for it with a mirror and a strong inspection lamp but still can’t locate it. I assume that it must be somewhere in the oil system. Is this a problem; is it small enough to get somewhere where it should be??

Any help much appreciated.

Kind regards


Tommy

[Wil Ferch]

Ahhh... I'd go to some considerable pains to "find" this....

anyone else...agreed?

Wil

[Todd Simpson]

I had a bent adjuster a few years ago, the elephant foot had a few small pieces broken off but otherwise it was still on the tip.



Anyway, you need to find that thing.

No sump plate on your 3.2 either, correct? That would have been a quick and easy place to check.

[limble]

Tommy,
I might also check the wear on the rocker arm. Without the elephant foot the adjuster would be creating point rather than surface contact on the rocker, provided the lift on the cam is great enough that the two will touch. Someone else here might know for sure. My vote, try to find all of the pieces.
Mike

[KNS]

How does this happen? Just age/wear & tear? Something else?

[yelcab1]

I would try to find it. And inspect the rocker arm as well. You may need a new one, and that it not a real fun job.

[Tommy Atkins]

Guys,
Thanks for all your replies. I have just taken the rocker arm off which seems fine however I may replace it just to be on the safe side. I have taken the drain plug off again and had a fish around with one of those extendable magnetic things. I was surprised at how little space there is in the sump and how close the mesh of the oil pump is to the drain plug. That said there is still no sign of the elephant’s foot but fortunately no metal fragments on either of the magnetic drain pugs. I guess it is just possible that the elephant’s foot was flushed out when I drained the oil in the first place, still it would be nice to know for sure. Are there any other places to look?

Kind regards

Tommy

[addictionMS]

this may be obvious, but take off the exhaust valve cover on that side and look at the bottom of the housing where it would fall.

Jim

[feelyx]

It could be wedged in one of your oil return tubes, I would run the magnet down them just to be sure.
Tim in Sac

[Tommy Atkins]

Thanks guys,
the hunt continues.

Tommy

[aigel]

There is a screen over the pump pickup. Why is everyone so obsessed with having to find the piece? No matter how good an oil pump, it won't get sucked through the screen. It will just sit in the bottom of the engine somewhere.

Jim H. has a point. Make sure it's not in the exhaust valvetrain by taking the cover off. If you can't find it there or on the intake side, it can't be in a place where it does harm. Gravity will have taken it to the bottom of the engine or the return tubes.

George

[Tommy Atkins]

George,
Thanks, that is very reassuring, I can see the mesh covering the pump through the sump drain hole and there is no way an object as large as the elephant’s foot could get through it. I wasn’t sure if there was another ‘way out’ (other than the drain hole). I have checked the valve train thoroughly as well as the return tubes; the new foot arrives in time for the weekend so it will all go back together then.

Again many thanks to all.

Tommy

[JeremyD]

If it was going to do damage - chances are it would already be done. My guess is it's wedged somewhere that you will find when you R & R your engine. until then, inspect all your other rockers/feet/ etc.

[mb911]

suprising to me when I rebuilt my top end on my 3.0 one washer from the breather cover sliped and went right down the hose fitting(what are the odds?) I decided it must have been my imagination right? Well ran the engine for break in and then drained the oil and removed the screen amazingly the washer was trapped in the screen. the car still runs great 5000 miles later good luck

[sammyg2]

I doubt it was running that way, it would have quickly trashed the valve and been out of adjustment a mile.

If you back off the adjusting screw too far it can pop off the elephant's foot if the ball joint is already a little worn.
Either that or it was so loose it just fell off by itself when it was loosened but that would be a rare occurance.

[PCA7GGR]

I lost an elephant foot in my 3.2 at Thunderhill. In my case, I pulled off the trck as soon as the engine started running on five cylinders. I found a chunk on the drain plug and another in the exhaust valve train. No harm done. Keep trying to find the piece(s) - just because it might be wedged in somewhere "safe" doesn't me that it will stay there. Good luck.

[aigel]

The sump cover is a real nice feature if it comes to finding things. According to Bruce Anderson, they went away from that in 83, because the German government was preparing for a new law, that all new cars had to come without drain plugs. This way you could only change oil with a vacuum system from the top, which would require a shop to do it. I guess back then they had too many people just drain it into a ditch? The German law never came, but we all ended up with no sump cover and just a drain plug!

George

[klaucke]

Originally posted by aigel
There is a screen over the pump pickup. Why is everyone so obsessed with having to find the piece? No matter how good an oil pump, it won't get sucked through the screen. It will just sit in the bottom of the engine somewhere.
George

What about if it gets between the cam chain and gear on the oil pump shaft; it could do some serious (and seriously expensive) damage. I'd try to find it. I managed to fish 2 broken rings out of my case one time with just a flex magnet and w/o opening the bottom end.

[aigel]

klaucke:

Can it really work it's way in there? wouldn't it have to go "up"? Sounds like Tommy has done all the fishing he could. I just wanted to indicate that he may not have to split the case.

George