Yes I am an Idiot

[djsSHO]

Performing my valve adjustment today as my shim's arrived from the dealer...got the first intake done perfect. First shim on the lower exhaust. Get the old shim out, prepping the new shim to go in, when i hear PING as the holder pops out of position. The tool didn't fall through the car, and what I thought was the oil return had a screwdriver in it. I failed to notice the giant hole in the corner where i'm assuming the actual oil return is??

Where do you think my tool has gone? Does that corner hole drop back into the oil pan and if so, what is involved with removing the pan to get my tool back.

I looked everywhere in the engine bay and can't find the holder. I'm assuming it went down the hole. I hate SHO's...

Anyone live in the Buffalo area that has a holder i can borrow?

TIA

 

[luigisho]

There are oil passages on each side. The passages lead to the oil pan. To drop the oil pan you remove the y-pipe and starter first and then remove the oil pan bolts and there you are. Be careful with the pickup tube. Get the fel-pro oil pan gasket set and maybe some extra black rtv to seal the sides (the gaskets only cover the ends). Practice replacing the pan a few times before you do the final run since maneuvering the end back into place takes a little fiddling.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

dont worry dude. it happens to the best of us. maybe you should get a new low oil pressure sender while youre down there and consider it maintenance

 

[djsSHO]

Yeah...it's just this project now is dragging on and i'm getting frustrated with it...

I installed a oil pressure gauge a year ago so I am not to worried about the sender for the dashboard.

Thanks for the input.

Off to the parts store to special order more gaskets...

 

[projectSHO89]

Might as well do the rod bearings and oil pan gasket.

You can try a magnetic retriever stuck down the oil return passage and fish around. You could get lucky.

While it's too late for the moment, here are two important steps to incorporate into the remainder of this job and any future ones.

1) Immediately upon removing the valve cover, use a shop towel or heavy paper towel to plug the passages. This will keep everything from falling down the passages.

and

2) Use a 6-8" piece of duct tape to make a "flag" to put on the handle of the tappet holder tool. Alternatively, drill a hile in the handle and attach a cord. The added tail shorten the flight of the tool when it pops out and makes it easier to find wherever it lands.

Steve

 

[Slo-Sho]

Don't feel bad, someone lost a valve lash tool just like you did! I recall him finding it when he dropped his oil pan months down the road.

 

[shojuan]

projectSHO89:
Might as well do the rod bearings and oil pan gasket.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest! If it were me, I would just get (or better yet borrow!) another holder tool and plan on doing a rod bearing change when I felt like retreiving the tool from the oilpan (or perhaps that should be phrased: when I feel like replacing the rod bearings I will get back the tool!)

Look on the bright side. Your holder tool will be clean and oil impregnated when you finally decide to drop the pan to retreive it!

 

[haydenm315]

djsSHO:

Where do you think my tool has gone? Does that corner hole drop back into the oil pan and if so, what is involved with removing the pan to get my tool back.

I looked everywhere in the engine bay and can't find the holder. I'm assuming it went down the hole. I hate SHO's...

TIA

Don't sweat it man. YOu'll be alright. I did the same thing TWICE. I finally had enough, drilled a hole through the tool, and tied a string to it. The thing popped out on me at a very inoportune time as I was retrieving a shim from the box when it went ping.

It took me a while to retrieve it. I suggest feeling all over the subframe. My tool fell onto there once and it was very difficult to find. If it wasn't for the small part hanging off the subframe, I might not have found it. If it went down the oil return, you weren't following directions, and need to stuff a rag into the hole. If you can't find the tool for a few days, You've got some work ahead of you. Good luck man.

 

[haydenm315]

djsSHO:
Yeah...it's just this project now is dragging on and i'm getting frustrated with it...

I installed a oil pressure gauge a year ago so I am not to worried about the sender for the dashboard.

Thanks for the input.

Off to the parts store to special order more gaskets...

Don't fret it man. It's better that you take your time to get it right, rather than have your engine blow up from messing something up. My car was down for over 60 days due to severe slowness and disorganization from shoshop. This resuled from quality control issues with a lashcap from shoshop. They had the nerve to ups ground me lash caps. That really ****** me off. If you're gonna be cheap, put them in an envelope with a stamp. They also lost my order for the shims I needed to get the correct clearance. Matters were made even worse after I nearly turned my hand into hamburger meat on a cam sprocket. Shortly afterwards my genius friend decided to pry my crank sprocket and vane off with a crow bar when I wasn't looking. I needed a new one of those. If things weren't already going badly, I ended up needing a new timing belt tensioner. When the tensioner came in the mail I found out that the spring didn't come with it. I needed that as well. I had to call a number of places and be told it was discontinued. A general maintenance part discontinued by ford. How thoughtful. As you can see things can take longer than expected in the automotive world when you have a rare car and parts are constantly being discontinued. This is why I feel it's necessary to have the extra engine and tranny in my garage. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[djsSHO]

Well, just as I'm about to crawl under the car and start dismantling things, I tell the woman to take a look and see if she can find it. Within 10 seconds, she goes..."there it is" and proceeds to read off the OTC part number on the tool. I couldn't believe it. Even after she could see it I still had trouble locating it. Finally I saw it and crawled under to retrieve it. I woulda been seriously ****** if I did all that work to drop the pan and it wasn't in there.

Turns out it was lodged in some wiring beneath the alternator and the subframe. With the tool I was able to finish installing all new shims in the sho with all valves now at minimum clearance.

Tomorrow starts cleanup of valve cover mating surfaces and then reassembly of the remaining parts. Guess the SHO gods were smiling on me after all.

Later! beer