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Thread: Valve Cover Change - Dropped drill bit into oil drain hole!

  1. #1
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    Valve Cover Change - Dropped 1/4" hex shank flat head bit into oil drain hole!

    Thanks in advance for any help.

    On my M52TU during the replacement of my valve cover gasket I dropped a 1.5" long 1/4" hex shank flat head bit and I can only think that it went down one of the drain holes marked with the red circle in my picture (the drain hole is hidden by camshaft in this picture).

    Is this a straight shot to the oil pan?

    I passed a small tube through each hole until I got to the point where I was blowing oil bubbles so i can't imagine it is stuck in the hole. I also passed a similar sized bit all the way down each hole on a string until the string went slack and pulled it back, they all traveled around the same distance before string slacking.

    Any risk to running the car in this situation assuming it went down one of these holes?

    If it's in the oil pan it won't cause harm would it?

    Thanks!s-l1600-drain hole.jpg
    Last edited by jbourne99; 02-18-2019 at 09:41 AM. Reason: Clarify

  2. #2
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    You could dry one of those flex magnet stick things. I guess the only way to now if it is a straight shot is with a piece of wire and see if it goes down thru. Bummer. The engine is out of the car? If it was out, I would remove the oil pan and look for it, it would be way easier now.

  3. #3
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    Pull pan to confirm and retreive. I would not leave it in there period.

  4. #4
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    Everything tells me it is a straight shot but I've never had seen a cylinder or motor block first hand to know with 100% certainly.

    I put a hollow tube down each hole to the point where I was blowing oil bubbles.

    I put a coat hanger down to the bottom and had about 1.5" of oil at the tip in each hole.

    I put a scope down each hole as far as I could see (it is rigid and only 10" long or so) and followed a "hex bit on a string" until I saw it drop off the end of the hole.

    I understand that the safe thing to do is to not run the engine until it is retrieved. It's my daily driver and installed in the car so pulling the oil pan is certainly not a job I want to undertake if there would be no harm.

    I'm thinking about getting a strong magnet, like from a speaker, and moving it around the bottom of the oil pan to see if something catches it. I don't have a strong magnet that is small enough to fit down the holes.

    Thanks for feedback and keep it coming please!

  5. #5
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    What I am afraid of is the bit did not drop to pan,instead it fell to the windage tray and is sitting on top, literally millimeters from the crank. See image. I would put scope in oil pan drain hole and look around. Who knows might get lucky and its right there.
    Screenshot_2019-02-19-04-54-32.jpg
    Last edited by Sleepyhead97; 02-19-2019 at 05:59 AM.

  6. #6
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    Thanks for pointing that out. I found images on ebay of my engine block, windage tray, and oil pan. I can't think of anything else to look at but if you have any ideas please let me know.

    Based on these images I want to say that there is a "straight shot" passage from engine block through the windage tray into the oil pan. That "baffle" in the oil pan may prevent me from using a magnet to roll the bit around in the oil pan to get it close to the drain hole, assuming it is in the oil pan.

    It's nice to see the strainer at the end of the oil sucker.

    block bottom.jpgwindage tray.jpgoil pan.jpg

  7. #7
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    Remove fuel pumo fuse and crank a few times. If its on the windage tray maybe spinning the engine without starting can knock it off or at least out of harms way

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  8. #8
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    You may be right. You might be lucky...... Go for it dude..... Is what i would say after a bottle of vodka.....

    But I would scope the pan...
    Last edited by Sleepyhead97; 02-19-2019 at 11:07 AM.

  9. #9
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    But. If you don't want to scope the pan...which im pretty sure....now..... It's in the pan.... You might be okay.... See bottom end, note oil drain holes. Appear to bypass tray.
    Screenshot_2019-02-19-10-12-40.jpg


    Then again. Now that I see the oil pump gear....... Seriously hesitating

    It might...be okay.....eventually it might work it's way to the sump?
    Last edited by Sleepyhead97; 02-19-2019 at 11:20 AM.

  10. #10
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    send it

  11. #11
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    Thanks everyone for your replies. I promise to keep everyone updated if not only to increase the collective knowledge of the board for someone who runs into the same situation.

    I spoke with local indy shop. I was told it would be in the oil pan. The recommended not running motor. Dropping the oil pan would cost around 1500. This expense along with taxi, rental car, etc for a $4k value car with in my mind low probability of badness I decided against it.

    I drained the oil pan, nothing came out. I stuck rigid scope into the hole which gives me limited views since I cant turn the bend after going into the hole and didn't see the bit.

    I dropped the oil level sensor and had a limited viewing with my rigid scope and dental mirror. Nothing. I don't think this was worth it because this area seems like it is baffled. I have a z3 so I had to remove the cross brace (retorqued the big bolts to 50 ft lbs and the smaller ones x4 to 20 ft lbs.) When replacing the oil level sensor I found a re torque value of 7 ft pounds.

    Having replaced the oil level sensor, with the drain plug removed I dumped the 7 qts of oil I initially drained (it was only 4 months old) until it started coming out of the drain hole and with the fuses for the fuel pump removed I cranked the motor for around 5 seconds (didn't hear any badness) and re inspected the area after all the oil drained and nothing was to be found...

    I closed everything up, replaced the oil, went for a drive. As I was backing out of the drive way (it slopes downhill from the garage, I did some sudden stops to help make sure the bit is in the deep/back of the oil pan. Went for a drive, rev'd up to 6k a few times. Everything seemed ok. Drive to work this AM around 20 miles uneventful.

    I will post any updates here. If I ever drop the pan for any reason I'll take pics and update this thread.

    Thanks again.

  12. #12
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    Sweet!
    When I pulled the pan on a SBC I found parts of a piston skirt in there. Engine ran great though. Couldn't even tell
    Last edited by Sleepyhead97; 02-21-2019 at 10:14 AM.

  13. #13
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    I doubt it's in the pan but rather in the drain or on top of the windage tray.
    I just poked a 3/16' length of brake line down that drain hole of a short block I have here. It went down 8 1/2" and hit something, I assume the windage tray.
    I'd try looking with a bore scope.
    I hope you don't tear down your engine and then find this thing on the floor.
    Good luck!

    EDIT; Maybe is a straight shot. My short block is installed in the chassis of a car (waiting for head machine work) so I don't have a good way to estimate where that 8 1/2" would be. Seems that would be far enough to make the pan. Seems the tray's holes should align with the drain holes.
    Anyway, for sure there is a clean shot 8 1/2" down from the deck of the block.
    Hope this helps
    Last edited by ross1; 02-23-2019 at 08:09 AM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  14. #14
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    Has been 1000 miles or so and no issue to speak of <knock on wood, tap head, etc...>.

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