I was changing my injectors and knocked a push rod out of its holder while prying on injector. When I was attempting to put it back, the little ball fell out of the bridge or rocker arm mechanism. It went to the bottom of the head. I tried to grab it with a magnet but pushed it unknowingly into the oil drain hole for the head. Would my chrome ball be in the oil pan now or stuck in the oil passage somewhere? I can't see it and a magnet doesn't retrieve anything.

Thanks
Kelly

 

yes it should have made its way to the pan. It also could be hung up in the windage tray of the pan. Drain the oil and tap on the pan and see if you can here it bouncing. If not dump a quart of oil in the head where the ball went and see if it will carry it down.

 

Thanks for the reply. I will be fishing tonight it sounds like. I could probably get a replacement ball but I would feel better if I knew where that one was for sure.

 

Knowing Ford they will probably only sell them in a package of sixteen (16)
and be very proud of the product.

TJ has given good advice.

I wish you luck Kelro

Rog

 

Kelro, did you ever find that rocker ball that fell into the oil return hole?

Rog

 

I went fishing the last 2 nights have come up empty. I ordered the rocker arm (that is how you get the ball we think). I need to blow air through that hole to check for restrictions. I drained the oil, swept the pan with a magnet, opened up the dipstick hole to get a magnet in with nothing ever showing up on the magnet. Drain hole is too small to get much going into the pan but I used a strong magnet on the bottom and moved it to the drain many times but never got anything. Maybe I should attach one of those little strong magnets to bottom of pan and leave it there. At this point, i am going to leave it in there.

 

IIRC someone dropped the tappet for the fuel pump which eventually ended up in the pan. They put one of those heavy duty magnets on the pan and left it there. So if it made it that far, a big magnet will keep it in place.

Good luck