HELP ! geno's brass drain plug snaps inside my oil pan !

[Scooby]

I would probably try taking a piece of flexable rubber hose and tape it to a (thicker guage) wire coat hanger. You can then bend the hose (and keep it in that shape) so as to enter the hole and curve down. You could even attach a strong piece of string near the opening of the hose (to the coat hanger) and then run that string out the hole as well, allowing you to adjust the angle of the bend (to drecrease the radius of the bend) of the coat-hanger to get the areas nearest the hole.



I'd rig this to a small wet-dry vac and try to vacuum the part out. I wouldn't give up!

 

[PAbernathy]

I am curious whether Geno's has provided any input yet.

 

[shendren]

Originally posted by Scooby

I would probably try taking a piece of flexable rubber hose and tape it to a (thicker guage) wire coat hanger. You can then bend the hose (and keep it in that shape) so as to enter the hole and curve down. You could even attach a strong piece of string near the opening of the hose (to the coat hanger) and then run that string out the hole as well, allowing you to adjust the angle of the bend (to drecrease the radius of the bend) of the coat-hanger to get the areas nearest the hole.



I'd rig this to a small wet-dry vac and try to vacuum the part out. I wouldn't give up!

tried that

easier to just run the hanger thru the tygon tube then attach to the shop vac. no luck.

 

[shendren]

Originally posted by PAbernathy

I am curious whether Geno's has provided any input yet.

genos just says that they will replace the drain. they deferred the question to femco, the mfg. no help? all brass.

 

[rbattelle]

I must say this sucks. I've been thinking on this problem for a couple days, and I've come up with nothing other than a boroscope. These are, of course, amazingly expensive. But I think I'd sooner shell out the $500 than risk my $5500 engine.



I spent 2 hours one day using a boroscope with a hook attachment to fish out a combination wrench from inside an F-16 engine. Not fun. My point is that even with the scope you're in for a tough job. I feel for you, shendren!

 

[PJereb]

Shendren,

I would go to a local craft store and get some various sizes of pipe cleaners. You should be able to bend one into a shape that will allow you to wipe the bottom of the pan , and at least feel if the chunk is in the bottom sump.



If you do not feel it in the sump, maybe you should try the oil trick to try to wash it into the sump.



Once the chunk is in the sump, I would bend up a pipe cleaner like the photo, and spin it slowly around the pan to catch the chunk, then divert it to the bend in the pipe cleaner. You could use three or so pipe cleaners with different bends, until you coax the brass chunk to the hole, then fish it out with your finger. If you have to you could put some real heavy grease on your fingertip, and the chunk should stick to that.

#ad

 

[John - K5AWO]

I like it when a man has a plan.....

 

[VicR]

Shendren,



I was just examining one in the garage - the spring inside the plunger is not made of brass - can you pick it up that way with a magnet? There isn't much metal there, so I'm not sure if thats practical, but maybe a possibility. (I'm assuming the plunger assembly is still intact)



I don't know anything about the 3rd gen 4x4's, but is there enough room to lower the pan a few inches without removing it completely from the vehicle? I don't know how close the cross member is so I don't know if this would work, but if you could see down into it you could push the plunger out.



Just for my own edification, what would the down side be of letting the plunger ride in the oil pan? I would assume there is a strainer on the pick-up, like my old Plymouth 318 has, and the plunger assembly isn't small enough that it would make it through a screen. I remember reading an article a few years back in a restoration mag talking about the interesting things people had found in oil pans, frame rails, and other places on classic cars - presumably left from the factory. Things like extra bolts, flatware, and sockets, etc. I'm sure given a choice I would rather have nothing in my oil pan but oil, but I'm just trying to figure out what the worst case is here (just in case it happens to me!)



Good luck.



-Vic

 

[TGreschuk]

Shendren,

Still thinkin about this... .

Have you ever been able to locate/feel/isolate the broken piece yet?



Trent

 

[shendren]

haven't got the plunger out. the plunger is solid brass according to the mfg. hopefully it will wash close to the hole in the next 300-400,000 mi.

 

[shendren]

too many bends to the pipe cleaner method. tried it already.

 

[thames1948]

How about making a snare out of fishing line in a rubber hose with a loop on the end once you spot it with a mirror? You could also use coat hanger to make one. Good luck on what ever you decide.

 

[lschultz]

Have you tryed to put a small piece of nylon tubing on the end of a real strong vacuum cleaner and suck it to the tube.

 

[shendren]

see page 1 of this thread

 

[hasselbach]

remove the pan, you will never be confident having it in there.

 

[PJereb]

I am positive you can get it out of there without dropping the pan.



Patience is going to be key, sounds like you are driving it with the chunk in there. Next time you change the oil let us know if you are able to fish it out. It really seems like you should be able to stick a pipe cleaner with two bends up there. If I was anywhere near Florida I would offer to come over for a visit and try my hand at oil pan fishing.



Peter

 

[curatchko]

If he's driving it, right now that thing is sitting at or under the pickup against the screen.

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by curatchko

If he's driving it, right now that thing is sitting at or under the pickup against the screen.

I agree. Looking at my pan this past weekend, there is enough clearance between the cross member and the pan to allow you to drop the pan maybe 2 inches. Not sure whether that would be enough. You'd have to get a small child to reach in there and feel around such a small space. Or, you might slip a vacuum hose in there and see if you can get lucky.



Is there a baffle in the pan above the oil pickup?

 

[shendren]

no baffles

 

[rbattelle]

I say go for the pan drop and a vacuum hose... from a Shop Vac.



Anyone know if you can re-bolt the oil pan without needing a new gasket?