Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Whoops!

[JGheen]

So, when I removed my rear main seal housing tonite, I was cleaning the oil pan surface and I believe a little piece of the back of the oil pan gasket had fell into the pan. :{ I looked down into the pan with a flashlight and noticed that the area around the drain plug has a step to it and it is not level with the bottom of the inside of the pan. Should I worry about this or just try to fill the pan up with some oil and drain it out and hope for the best?

The oil pick up tube has a screen over it, so I guess in the worst case it would just get sucked up against that screen and stay there and maybe come out one day during a future oil change. I really hope it was just my imagination and nothing fell in there, but what do you guys suggest I do just to be on the safe side?



Thanks guys, I really appreciate the replys in advance.



Joe

 

[Nick2]

maybe chinese fingers will work?? you know what I mean, the little grabbers, I guess it would depend on how big the piece is and the hole...



just my . 02$

 

[JGheen]

Well, I don't think it is much bigger than maybe 1/4"x1/4" piece of gasket, if that. I just don't understand why Cummins would manufacture an oil pan with a step around the drain plug. That just leaves slug and whatever else in the bottom of the pan, not to mention in my case the ability to not get out any small pieces of gasket like I think fell in there.

 

[Tardog]

Not sure about how much room you have but what about a small hose on some kind of sucker pump or a wet/dry vac and clean out the whole pan? I think the step in the pan is from counter sinking the oil plug?

 

[radixr]

I think there are holes or slots in that step so that all the oil will drain out. I think tardog has the best idea. I'm not sure I would worry about it too much. Look at it this way. If there is some gasket material there and if it does get sucked into the oil pump, the pump gears will pulverise it to a certain extent. Then the oil filter will strain out the little pieces and the engine will never know what happened. The only risk would be damage to the oil pump and that's not "bloody" likely.

 

[JGheen]

I think there are holes or slots in that step so that all the oil will drain out. I think tardog has the best idea. I'm not sure I would worry about it too much. Look at it this way. If there is some gasket material there and if it does get sucked into the oil pump, the pump gears will pulverise it to a certain extent. Then the oil filter will strain out the little pieces and the engine will never know what happened. The only risk would be damage to the oil pump and that's not "bloody" likely.

Thanks radixr, it just scares the hell out of me when anything like that gets in the engine and is irretrievable.

I might try the vacuum idea, thanks tardog.



Thanks, Joe

 

[JGK]

Joe,



Any idea how fast anything sucked up in the pan gets to the filter? I mean, in these engines does the oil go from pickup, through the pump, then directly to the filter before going anywhere else. My point is, if that is true, you have 2 chances to catch stuff before it becomes a problem (pick-up screen, then the filter).



On the other hand, its been said the spray jets under the piston crowns get plugged by pieces of foil from oil bottles being dumped in with new oil. How'd that happen?



-Jay

 

[JGheen]

On the other hand, its been said the spray jets under the piston crowns get plugged by pieces of foil from oil bottles being dumped in with new oil. How'd that happen?



-Jay

I know your probably being , but it's just some of those threads I have read in here that get me going on any kind of dirt and/or such inside the engine. Ever since I read some of those threads, I have been double checking the remaining foil on the oil bottles for any that may come mysteriously loose and fall into the fresh oil flow.

Paranoia about ones only toy, I guess. It was expensive enough just getting this clutch and don't want to pull the engine apart till the day the head gasket goes.

 

[mikel]

On the other hand, its been said the spray jets under the piston crowns get plugged by pieces of foil from oil bottles being dumped in with new oil. How'd that happen?



-Jay

That can only happen when someone drops the little foil piece down into the hole in the top of the oil filter when they are pre-filling the filter before install. When the filter is mounted on the engine the clean oil comes out that big hole in the center and goes into the oil passageways in the engine. If you drop the foil in there then there is nothing else to stop it until it gets into something too small to pass through. If you dropped the foil into the oil pan instead then there would be much less of a chance that it would cause any trouble to the truck, now as to your ability to sleep at night knowing it was in there... . I can't say.



Mike

 

[JGK]

I know your probably being ...

You're right, I was!

Ever since I read some of those threads, I have been double checking the remaining foil on the oil bottles for any that may come mysteriously loose and fall into the fresh oil flow.

Ditto!

That can only happen when someone drops the little foil piece down into the hole in the top of the oil filter when they are pre-filling the filter before install.

Ah! That rings a bell. I remember that now. So that tends to confirm my suspicions that Joe should be safe from any pieces of gasket getting very far in the oil system.



-Jay

 

[pwerwagn]

I wouldnt worry about it too much. :-laf

I have actually had one of those plastic rings from the 1-quart containers (the lock ring thingy) fall off into the oil fill of 2 motors. One of them was a 360 dodge. when I took it apart when it was time for a rebuild, there it was, just lying on the head out of harms way. It had been there for probably 10,000 miles. The other was my cummins. It must be in the pan, because I havent seen it since.

--Jeff

 

[DTroy]

I disassembled an engine a month or two ago. Someone had done a lousy job of safety wiring the internals. (aviation engine) I found pieces of wire lying in the "pan". What was interesting were the pieces that had made it through the oil pump. They were pretty flat. There's very little clearance in a gerotor pump.

The engine and the pump were fine though. I'm sure that your piece of gasket won't make it through the pickup screen. Even if it didn't have a screen, I have a feeling it would pass through the oil pump without too much trouble.