Need opinions on removing wrench from my engine

[stroker50]

Oops I meant feeling for it not felling

 

[281pony]

it is on top of my crank if anywhere. whenever i could feel the wrench through my distributor hole it was almost straight down, which would be on top of the crank.

i turned the engine over today by hand and it didnt fall or anything. the last time i was able to feel or hear the wrench through the distributor hole was back towards the oil pan it felt like. so i am just assuming it is on top of the crank or in the rear sump now if anywhere.

if that magnet doesnt work, not sure what else is an option. besides dropping the pan of course.

 

[MrKwik]

it is on top of my crank if anywhere. whenever i could feel the wrench through my distributor hole it was almost straight down, which would be on top of the crank.

I have a bare shortblock in the garage and I really cant see how it could get on top of the crank through the distributor hole. It looks like it could only go to the front, past the chain and into the front of the pan. I would try the magnet trick. It doesnt need to be nearly as big as you think. If you have an old stock door or dash speaker that you could destroy, that should work.

If you think it got on top of the crank though, try spinning the motor a little with a breaker bar or something to make it fall down into the pan. Just dont force it if it wont turn. Remove the plugs to relieve the compression and make it easier to turn.

 

[281pony]

i turned it over once with a torque wrench today. no resistance, no wrench fell.

i just assumed it was on the crank since it was straight down from the distributor hole. when i was picking it up with the claw tool, it fell off of whatever it was on and i could only hear it with the extension down and back more if that makes sense. so either it moved back more on the crank or it fell down into the rear sump.

hard to tell without seeing anything and going by a feel.

 

[281pony]

i think i have an old 6x9 speaker i can take the magnet from. it was a cheap speaker and a fairly small magnet though.

think it will still work? otherwards i have two JL audio 10" subs that will work i think

 

[HISSIN50]

if you have access to neodynium magnets, they work well.

 

[2000xp8]

I have one of those magnets that's on like an old radio antenna that extends, it's long thin. Not sure if this is the type you are using, but mines strong enough that sometimes i have trouble seperating it from things. I know it could make short work of almost any 1/2 inch wrench.

I also hear (have not seen it in person) if you unbolt the motor mounts, you can jack the engine up by the bellhousing. Just don't leave it that way, put something between the motor mounts on the car and the motor. And the oil pan can come off that way. And please for the love of god if you attempt this be supercareful.
Also note it will only go high enough until the trans hits the tunnel.

 

[281pony]

i am going to try the magnet method first.

hissin where do you recommend i get a good magnet at? ill see if i can even find my old speaker. otherwards im going to buy one tomorrow reguardless.

thanks guys.

 

[HISSIN50]

i am going to try the magnet method first.

hissin where do you recommend i get a good magnet at? ill see if i can even find my old speaker. otherwards im going to buy one tomorrow reguardless.

thanks guys.

not sure where to get the magnets at. awhile back i did some research on magnets for collecting debris in fluid systems (engine oiling system, pumpkin covers, etc) and the neodynium magnets are very strong. some of those magnetic oil filter covers use them.
i ordered some little tiny ones online (they are very small - maybe like the diameter of a pen and an inch or two long) and put them where i felt like.

those little guys are very strong - people actually put them on the inside end of their drain plugs (inside the sump), being held on with only magnetic force. i dont have the guts to do that.

sorry i am not much help. i might not go out of my way to find them, but if you happened to have some around or access to some, that might have been a decent idea.

good luck.

 

[281pony]

alright, any suggestion where to get a good magnet then if i cant find my speaker?

never really gone shopping for a good magnet. im thinking just a magnet and maybe some sort of magnet on an extention that i can try holding straight along the side of the oil pan and attracting the wrench.

 

[HISSIN50]

alright, any suggestion where to get a good magnet then if i cant find my speaker?

never really gone shopping for a good magnet. im thinking just a magnet and maybe some sort of magnet on an extention that i can try holding straight along the side of the oil pan and attracting the wrench.

i just fired ya off a PM.

i might try a tool store that sells welding supplies (they use some heavy magnets when welding heavy stuff), Sears (as TS suggested), etc.
i just hope this all works - i would feel bad if it didnt as it was sorta my stupid idea.
good luck bud.

 

[281pony]

sent you back a pm hissin.

will update tomorrow or later tonight (i wish) with a removed wrench hopefully.

 

[bhuff30]

If you can get the wrench to sit at the bottom of the pan (if it isn't already), I highly doubt it would ever cause a problem. The viscous oil and sludge would keep it on the bottom of the pan.

 

[281pony]

you sure you can leave a wrench in there without problems?

i dont know, ive always heard it will be near instant engine destruction. either way, im taking it out before i start the car again.

 

[bhuff30]

What the wrench going to go? get sucked up the oil pickup? thats why you have a pick up screen. I really don't see the wrench flying upward 8 inches through thick oil to hit the crank.
remember the earlier story about the socket on the bottom of the pan? long as the wrench isn't in the rotating assembly, I would worry to much.

 

[91lxvert]

what type of engine mounts do you have? if there the prothanes you can drop the pan and have 4-5 inches between it and the block.

with stock mounts your gonna need to drop the pan and steering rack and jack the motor up, and possibly loosen the bolts holding the k member up to get enough clearance if your gonna pull the pan.

also try pulling the oil level sensor(stock pan) and using the magnet on the outside method, bring it up to the hole and pull it out.

good luck

 

[281pony]

ok im getting some more information i think.

i just tried to turn it over manually again and it tightened up on me. the wrench is in the rotating assembly somewhere it seems. am i going to get anywhere with a magnet still you think? im guessing my earlier assumption was right about it being pushed back on the crank area.

i turned the engine back the other way and it loosened up, then tightened coming forward again.

the oil sending unit plug? on the rear right side of the pan? never looked at it closely, but is it large enough to get a 1/2" wrench through?

 

[281pony]

got sidetracked typing somehow.

im thinking if the oil sending unit hole is large enough i can run my little magnetic tool down there, jar the wrench loose and bring it up towards the hole and hold it in place with a larger magnet. then reach a finger in there and grab the wrench and pull it out.

 

[281pony]

anyone happen to have a spare oil pan to measure that sending unit hole before i rip mine out?

just want to make sure it is big enough to bring the wrench out of it that even works.

 

[Draginmadd]

bite the bullitt and pull the pan.pull the upper intake off,yank the motor mounts and jack the motor up.u wont get the pan off all the way but enough where u can move it around and get yer wrench back.i put a new oil pump in that way and it took about 4 hrs or so. good luck.