Anyone ever had to retrieve a nut that fell into the cam tower oil return passage? - Engine & Transmission

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jensendriver123
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Anyone ever had to retrieve a nut that fell into the cam tower oil return passage? the most frontward nut fell into the passage and down into the engine head as I was unscrewing it to remove the cam towers. I haven't been able to find a flexible magnetic pickup tool that is small enough and long enough to fit down into the passage way. Does anybody now, do I need to pull the head?

Thanks much.

Richard

redracer
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years ago I made up a "flexible" magnet from one of the SEARS magnet sets(bought some extra on ebay a couple of years ago because they are very useful and aren't made anymore: {VINTAGE SEARS CRAFTSMAN 4404 5-PIECE MAGNETIC SOCKET INSERT W/ POUCH: https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SEARS-CRAFTSMAN-4404-5-PIECE-MAGNETIC-SOCKET-INSERT-W-POUCH/362990706474?hash=item5483ee9f2a:g:~k4AAOSwCUdetwur}
I cut an indent into the middle and wrapped some thin brass wire around it to drop into small/tight spaces.
good luck, bruce

Steve Duncan
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Yes, it happened to me as well. I cut off a piece of a magnet, so I ended up with a small rectangular piece. I then filed a groove (sort of a ring) around one end. I then tied some flexible speaker wire around the groove.

Attachment: fishing magnet 300.jpg (Downloaded 65 times)

jensendriver123
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Thanks Guys. Awesome Steve! I feel much better now knowing that someone else got stung by the same bee and figured out a solution. I finally did find what looks like a flexible extension magnet that might work. Should arrive in a few days. But, if it doesn't work, I'll try to fashion something like you did.

Thanks much.

Richard

noomg
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Richard,

It's called learning a lesson the hard way. Mine came in 1971 at 2am installing a carburetor on VW, the nut dropped into the intake manifold, had to take it apart.

Since then when there's the possibility of dropping something down an undesirable hole I either cover it with a rag or stuff it with a paper towel.

noomg
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Oh, and Steve, awesome fab on your retrieval tool.

jensendriver123
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Hi noomg,

Yes, I was, after some searching, able to find a very nice tool that is, essentially, a very flexible wire with a very small but strong magnet on the end. I was able to fish that down deep into the engine and much to my amazement, it came up with the dreaded nut. And then life was good again :)

jensendriver123
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Hi Noomg,

Yes, after some searching on the internet I finally discovered a very nice tool that had a long, flexible wire with a very small but strong magnet on the end of it. I was able to fish it deep down into the engine and, much to my amazement, it came back out with the "dreaded" nut. And then life was good again :)