Dropped Valve Keeper Into Oil Pan

While replacing the valve stem seals on my friend's 87 B2200, I did what I promised myself I would not do, which is lose one of the valve keepers down the oil return hole. I'm wondering what the harm is in just leaving it where it is -- there's a pickup screen in the oil pan, right? What are the risks it's going to do something really bad? It's winter and I'm trying to avoid dropping the pan unless it's necessary....Thanks!

i think it might get stuck in some where in the journals, hope it drops to the pan tho, and hope it doesnt restricked oil flow

if it were me and my engine i would look for it cuz you can drop the pan now or chance it and pull an engine next week because of oil starvation or getting caught in the rotating assembly




-justin

if you mean collet, as in the tiny little half circle that goes around the valve and seats in the retainer, i strongly doubt it will do any harm. if i were you, i would hang a telescopic magnet down there and try to fish it out, if that fails, its in the sump, if so, you can ensure it stays put by fitting a magnetic drain plug. i just bought a set of rear earth button magnets and stuck them to the drain plug with their own force, they are effectively loose in there, but they wont move at all, i guarantee it. you drive up a steep grade, it will slide down to the drain hole fairly quickly and if you have a magnet there, it will stay put. it certainly wont get into the oil flow through the strainer. the chances of it surfacing to get flicked up by the crank are slim to none really. i've had crap in my sump before and driven with it, and it hasnt moved, just stayed in the bottom where gravity wants to take it.

next oil change you can just pull it out on that magnet

That's sort of my thinking, it won't get past the screen or splash tray. I'll try the magnetic drain plug. Any suggestions where to get these? Thanks!

you can get magentic plugs at just about any parts store. atleast you can where im at.




-justin

i went with the rare earth magnets just stuck on there because they are way stronger than a normal magnet for pulling junk out of the oil, and i had quite a lot of junk in the oil from cleaning the insides of the head and block out thoroughly, though, i'm sure i missed some of the junk while rinsing any magnetic drain plug should get the job done though.

I dont know much about these motors, but wouldnt you be able to strain your oil when you drain it? or would it not flow out with the oil???

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if it were mine there is no way that i would pull the box, engine, and sump out just for that, i'd rather risk it. then again, mine is a major hassle. those pans arent that easy to get off anyway at the best of times. the chances of it doing harm are slim to none, even if it gets thrown around by the crank, it will do no harm unless it jams between a rod and crank, the chances of this are slim to none. if the windage tray is anything like the f2t/kia one, its tapered downhill anyway and the holes are on the downwind end of each tray.

show your mate this thread, see what he thinks.

fred.