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Embarrassing post but I went to replace my chain tensioners, and after the passenger side was smooth, the driver side was a complete b****. The tensioner fought coming out and going in. And at the end of it all the cap from the new tensioner fell into the timing chain compartment.
Any ideas on how I can take it out? Any tools that are thin enough to get in there? It's a really tight fit.
Let's say I left it there...what can happen? I can just use a cap from the old tensioner I took out.
Ok guys I appreciate all of your guys help. I was legitimately so close to giving up and just leaving it there, but I attached a straw to a 1/4" air tip tool and it came right out with it.
I even had an air compressor to blow in the compartment to see if it would rise out, but it ended up moving the cap to a more favorable position for me to pull it out!
Thanks Cali. I ordered one. I still worry about it falling even deeper though. This sucks.
Its gona suck if you need to open the whole front timing chain cover.
I would not leave that piece of plastic roaming around your engine... once it gets chewed up by the chain sprockets then hundreds of chunkies will be competing to get wedged into your oil galleries.
> Surgeon practitioner:
perhaps you can practice picking up the cap of passenger tensioner before actual surgery.
🤞
> PLAN B.... glue
How about a drop of crazy-glue on a stick... wait 10sec for glue to react with oily plastic cap... there you have it !!
Oh Damn !!!
I know the location of the green plastic cap.............. but it is not engine block side but timing cover side.
It is sitting on the coolant path round port, where the o-rings ( 1 per bank , so total 2 ) I will want to replace and its a nightmare job.
Can you modify a vacuum cleaner hose end with extra smaller hose and use small enough hose ( not too small ) to maneuver and suck it out ?
Estimated depth of the green plastic cap, based on cylinder head to block interface in green line.
Quite deep based on your available working room, but a hose can enter for sure like your boroscope
Is the engine installed? If it is removed from the vehicle, put it on an engine stand, invert it, then you can pick at it all day, and the only choice gravity has then, is to help you out, not work against you.
Small shop vac, take some 5/8" tygon tubing and duck tape it onto the end of the hose so it can only suck thru the tygon. Will sound like its almost clogged up but it will draw a good suction on end of tygon. That plastic will suck right up to the tygon and you can get it out of there quickly.
One test to do is hold hand under tygon blocking it off to make sure that the vacuum doesnt drop its suction ball internally. For some reason some of the newer ones will do that and lose suction. Really annoying.
> PLAN B.... glue
How about a drop of crazy-glue on a stick... wait 10sec for glue to react with oily plastic cap... there you have it !!
...Or the same small diameter wooden doweling, with some chewing gum on the end. Or some sticky tape with the sticky side facing outward and wrapped around the dowel.
I would NOT use any pneumatic device, as the air can blow (or suck) the cap anywhere. You want a positive touch tool that will stick once it makes contact.
...Or the same small diameter wooden doweling, with some chewing gum on the end. Or some sticky tape with the sticky side facing outward and wrapped around the dowel.
I would NOT use any pneumatic device, as the air can blow (or suck) the cap anywhere. You want a positive touch tool that will stick once it makes contact.
Gotten many a thing out of a place that was coated with oil with the shop vac thing I mentioned. Have used the 3 prong grabbers with much success also but can be tricky. The sticky substance if the plastic cap is clean will work sometimes, if its oily not likely to work very well in my experience.
Ok guys I appreciate all of your guys help. I was legitimately so close to giving up and just leaving it there, but I attached a straw to a 1/4" air tip tool and it came right out with it.
I even had an air compressor to blow in the compartment to see if it would rise out, but it ended up moving the cap to a more favorable position for me to pull it out!
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