Help! Dropped socket in engine
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New User
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: ON Canada
Help! Dropped socket in engine
So now I feel like an idiot. While putting the top half of our 4L back together, the socket fell into the manifold. Tried using a magnetic grabber but couldn't find it, so tore down to the rockers. Still can't find it. Anybody have any ideas that don't involve tearing the whole thing apart?
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Wichita
Are you sure it's not in your toolbox? 
When you say tore down to the rockers, do you mean you removed the intake? If it went down the intake runners than it can only head for a cylinder with an open valve right? The rockers would tell you which cylinders are open.
How big was the socket? Size would limit the possibilties.
When you say tore down to the rockers, do you mean you removed the intake? If it went down the intake runners than it can only head for a cylinder with an open valve right? The rockers would tell you which cylinders are open.
How big was the socket? Size would limit the possibilties.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 675
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From: Springfield, OR
Just thinking out load, but if it's small enough to pass a valve then maybe you could retrieve it through a spark plug hole. Pull all the plugs and gently rotate the engine till it obstructs-then the socket should be at top dead center close to the plug hole. Then maybe a magnet might work. How small a socket would pass a valve?
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New User
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: ON Canada
The #$*## socket is a 7/32, small enough maybe to pass a valve, and no, it's not in the toolbox, that would be far too easy. I watched it drop down the intake runner. What is a borescope?
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Joined: Jun 2004
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borescope is like a fiber optic scope that snakes into small areas, you will then view thru the scope toward the end of the fiber optic snake.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: brooksville, florida
I don't think a 7/32 socket would pass the valve seat, (why a 7/32 there all metric in there). It must be in the intake maifold some place, have you tried on of those thin 4 prong grabbers they expand when you push the end and you can get them from sears or any well equiped auto store, plus there bendy so you can get them around cornners I have used mine many times to retrieve lost nuts and bolts. One other thing though if you have turned the engine since you lost it may have got jammed between the valve and seat, but then you would have a tight valve spring were you should not.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Washington state
a 1/4" inch drive socket is over 3/8" in outside diameter on drive end....never pass intake valve...still at the bottom of the head passage runner against the intake valve...are u sure which hole?
use a pickup magnet on a flexible shaft and search until it comes out....will take the head right off a valve
use a pickup magnet on a flexible shaft and search until it comes out....will take the head right off a valve
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New User
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: ON Canada
Finally go it out! It was wedged pretty well in the intake valve, but what a pain to get it out, spent many frustrating hours with flexi magnets, grabbers, fingers, etc. Now to put it back together. Thanks for all the advice.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Northern California
glad you got it out, I had a teacher in high school drop a small 3/8 in wrench in the intake before putting the carb on his Chevy 350, the valve snapped the wrench in half and it bounced around different cylinders until he shut it down. beat up the pistons pretty good, bent the valve, put a new valve in and called it a day. He said no major scoring on the cylinder walls. He was lucky. He sold the truck some time later. LOL.
Aaron
Aaron
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New User
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From: ON Canada
It's one of those things you hear of but only happens to other people. Now that it's over i can laugh, but at the time I though maybe alot of swearing & threats would convince the engine to cough it up lol
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