Dropped a razor blade down into engine (in timing chain gap).. How screwed am I?
#1
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I dropped a razor blade down into the engine (I think it heard it hit the oil pan). What are my next steps? I've tried fishing it out with a magnet with no success, but if it's to the pan, can I get away with leaving it in there?
1999 XK8 Drivers side, right at the top of the chains
I've been battling a valve cover leak for quite some time now and was using the razor blade to clean the metal face where the gasket meets. How serious did this project just become?
1999 XK8 Drivers side, right at the top of the chains
I've been battling a valve cover leak for quite some time now and was using the razor blade to clean the metal face where the gasket meets. How serious did this project just become?
#2
Join Date: Jan 2018
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89 Jacobra (04-07-2022)
#3
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As I've dismantled or overhauled engines, I've found in oil pans: nuts, screws and even once a very nice 10mm Snap-On swivel socket. A heavy metal object would likely find the lowest point in the bottom of the pan and stay there as long as you keep the shiny side up. A razor blade tho, I don't know. Unless a motor is new or a fresh rebuild, there's often a film of sludge on the bottom of the pan. A razor blade, if it fell flat against the bottom of the pan, might just find itself sort of glued there to the muck. On the other hand, its got a large surface area compared to a light weight and I suppose it could be moved around by the currents in the oil pan. It could get sucked up against the pickup screen and obstruct some of the oil flow. That's assuming it made it all the way to the pan. It's shape is such that it could get stuck somewhere along the way. I could also envision it lying at the bottom of the timing cover just below the sprocket where it could bounce up and make contact when you hit a big bump in the road. Given those two possibilities, I think I'd be inclined to dismantle and fetch it out of there.
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#7
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This peanut gallery seat says go with advise of dropping the pan. This will give you a chance to inspect things you wouldn't normally see and you'll see the art work that is hidden away from view. Cleaning the inside of the pan will remove anything that has taken up residence besides your razor blade. All good to know.
I once drop a square nut down the intake of a motorcycle engine while reinstalling the carbs. Of course it goes down the only cylinder with valves open enough for it to fit. I had to get very creative with a flexible light with a magnet on the end and compressed air. It barely fit through the spark plug hole and it took several tries to get it through. This doesn't help you but I only like telling that story now that it's fixed with no disaster involved.
I once drop a square nut down the intake of a motorcycle engine while reinstalling the carbs. Of course it goes down the only cylinder with valves open enough for it to fit. I had to get very creative with a flexible light with a magnet on the end and compressed air. It barely fit through the spark plug hole and it took several tries to get it through. This doesn't help you but I only like telling that story now that it's fixed with no disaster involved.
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89 Jacobra (04-10-2022)
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#8
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The first thing I do whenever I have to remove a component that opens one or more direct holes into the engine block is to cover the hole(s) with something. Sometimes I use a piece of thin plywood. Sometimes I spread an old towel across the affected area. Sometimes it is a strip of duct tape. Sometimes it is just a piece of cardboard. The moral of the story: It is always worth the extra thirty seconds needed to do this vs. helplessly watching a screw / bolt / tool / whatever disappear into the abyss....
#9
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I dropped a razor blade down into the engine (I think it heard it hit the oil pan). What are my next steps? I've tried fishing it out with a magnet with no success, but if it's to the pan, can I get away with leaving it in there?
1999 XK8 Drivers side, right at the top of the chains
I've been battling a valve cover leak for quite some time now and was using the razor blade to clean the metal face where the gasket meets. How serious did this project just become?
1999 XK8 Drivers side, right at the top of the chains
I've been battling a valve cover leak for quite some time now and was using the razor blade to clean the metal face where the gasket meets. How serious did this project just become?
Doug
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michaelh (04-09-2022)
#10
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I had to pull and replace the sump pan when an idiot tire changer used the oil pan as a lift point to jack up the front of the car. I had to check to see if the oil pickup was damaged. The XKR really does not have an oil sump in the old style. It is a plate that fits to the bottom of a subframe for the engine.
#11
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#13
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I dropped a Tiny Screw down the carb throat on a 77 Buick Century with a 350 V8. Try as I could I was unable to see it in the intake. I started the engine, and it went ting, ting, ting. I told the Boss, and he said pull each plug, and start the engine, and hope it would spit it out. Well I started at the left front, and removed them one at a time, starting the engine each time. Finally I came to the last one on the right rear pulled the plug started it and heard PPIIIINNNNNGGGGGG!! I screwed the plug back in and it ran perfectly! That was one of the luckier days of my life. LOL!
PS Never did find that Damn Screw!
Jack
PS Never did find that Damn Screw!
Jack
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