I think something fell into my cylinder head. now what?

[J_C]

I was removing the cyl head gasket and i heard a little sound and saw something moving out of the corner of my eye... I thought at first that one of the horn wires got caught up. But when I went to put on the new gasket, I realized that there was no post (fiche calls it a pin) on the lower right (where I was standing when I thought i saw something flyin').

Now I don't know if I ever had one there, but I'd rather be safe so...

1. I can't see anything. What damage could happen now that it's fallen in there?
2. How do I get it out? I've read something about removing the oil pan... what's that and how would it be done?
3. Do I really need that post?


Love the GS and this forum \\/

[Billy Ricks]

The post or pin keeps the head properly lined up on the cylinders during assembly. It's not a good thing to have it floating around in the crankcase. Try using a magnet on a flexible shaft and see if you can fish it out. If that fails you'll have to pull the oil pan off the bottom of the engine and hope it's in there. Pulling the pan is an easy job that should only take about 5 or 10 minutes. You may end up needing a new gasket or at least a very thin layer of RTV.

[J_C]

Thank you Billy. In the event that its not in the oil pan, and I can't find it with a magnet, is there anything else I can do? Will it eventually end up in the oil pan regardless?

I'm still not completely sure that it's even in there, so is there anything specific to be on the lookout for?

[J_C]

Update

I am positive that it went somewhere. The old gasket, upon closer inspection, showed a rip where that post would have been. I am now convinced it is in the cylinder head... or (EEEEP) down one of my spark plug holes. (possibly in the wood pile but I looked.)

I will go out and buy an extendable magnet, but I'm not even sure the pin would be magnetic? Are those flexible shaft magnets available at pepboys etc?

[jgordon]

I am positive that it went somewhere. The old gasket, upon closer inspection, showed a rip where that post would have been. I am now convinced it is in the cylinder head... or (EEEEP) down one of my spark plug holes. (possibly in the wood pile but I looked.)

I will go out and buy an extendable magnet, but I'm not even sure the pin would be magnetic? Are those flexible shaft magnets available at pepboys etc?

Not sure what bike you have but the dowels are magnetic so if its in the crankcase you can get it out with a magnet if you can find it. If its in the cylinder you just pop the head back off and get it out (-:

[J_C]

thanks J. If it's in the cylinder would the magnet be able to reach it there as well maybe? I'm a little hesitant to pop the head off

The bike is a 1980 GS1100L

[ericox]

Go get one of those mirrors on a stick tools, the telescoping ones. Get a telescoping magnet to match. They can hide pretty good in the case, trust me. Ive dropped a copper washer and a razer blade in mine on two different occasions. The washer was acutally hiding in the bottom of the oil pan in sludge, the blade was hiding on a ledge. Good thing is, the aluminum case makes for fairly easy retrieval with magnets. The hard part is finding them, mainly due to murpheys law.

You should be able to stick the magnet in the spark plug hole if need be and lean the bike to try to get it, i doubt it found the SP hole, probably in the case.

Whatever you do, dont leave it in there, yea it might find its way to the bottom or it might just tear your engine apart. Not worth the chance if you ask me.

good luck.

[wiredgeorge]

If the locating dowel fell into a plug hole, no problem, you are lucky as the combustion chamber is pretty small. Just stick a telescoping magnet (will look like a pencil when not extended) into the cylinder and the dowel will come right out. If it fell into the well where the cam chain goes, don't let it sit down there as it will eventually try to get into the crank or the crank bearings or transmission or something. Stick the telescoping magnet down there and fish it out OR remove the pan (a bunch of 6mm bolts). To remove the pan, get a piece of cardboard and draw the shape of the pan and poke holes for you to insert bolts through so you can keep track of where the bolts go as some may not be the same length. Have a gasket on hand. While in there, clean the screen on your oil pump and the sludge out of the bottom of the pan. A small mirror might do you some good if you pull the pan but you won't see anything dropping a mirror down from the top. The dowel is magnetic and a magnet WILL find it eventually.

[chuckycheese]

Yikes!!

These posts are freaking me out! Where, exactly, is this pin/post/dowel located on the bike??:shock:

[earlfor]

The bottom line is that you have to get the dropped part out of the engine. If it cant be retrieved with a magnet, then there is no solution other than taking things apart until you find it.

Earl

[SqDancerLynn1]

Before you do anything check the puddles of oil in the head

[Billy Ricks]

Before you do anything check the puddles of oil in the head

Agreed, at first when I replied it sounded as if the head had been pulled.

[chuckycheese]

Where?

OK...I'll ask again. Where the hell is this thing located???

[pano]

Chucky

On my bike there are a couple dowel pins that align the valve cover to the cylinder head. So when you remove the cylinder head to replace the leaky gasket keep an eye out. On my bike they stayed put when I removed the valve cover.

[Billy Ricks]

OK...I'll ask again. Where the hell is this thing located???

There are a couple on top of the head to line up the valve cover and a couple on the block to line the head up on the cylinder block.