Ups ! I dropped the zip tie - HG Job (1 Viewer)

[hzavarce]

Guys, need some advice !

I am doing my head gasket and everything was going well until I cut the zip tie holding the timing chain to the timing gear.

The zip tie fell into the timing chain cover !! It is a small piece, probably less than 1 inch long

Soooo, I am screwed ? I am looking with a flash light, and can't see it, so my guess is that it is in the Oil pan #1 and I should not worry. or... if it ever gets into a gear or the chain, the zip tie it is just going to get chewed up without causing any damage.

Thoughts ??? I appreciate the help !

 

[nicholas]

Kind of an odd question but was it a pretty stout zip tie? If it was a flimsy one or part of the thin end (not the square locking mechanism) I'd probably try not worry about it but perhaps someone else might chime in.

I share your frustration, I'm in the middle of a HG job too.

 

[hzavarce]

The zip tie is about 3/16th in wide. The square locking thing also fell down

 

[1FZj80]

if it's in the pan you likely won't have a problem. the oil pickup is screened and plastic is a petroleum product and will melt at operating temperature of the oil. my biggest concern would be that is clogs and oil port. hopefully the screen will prevent that from happening.

 

[Koffer]

let it go ,
I have shot a plastic straw from a brake cleaner can into the transfer case on my old 40 and it was never found even after 10 years , Had the metal seal on a gallon jug of oil poured into my BJ70 while I was out in Moab in 98 , still in there somewhere
It will make it to the pan and just sit there till its melted away when the truck is recycled in 40 years

 

[Tacoma4life]

If it really bothers you than pour some oil insight where it fell to 'rinse' it down into the lower pan. Then drain the oil an remove the lower oil pan which is easy.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

 

[SiRaDuDe]

When things like this happen to me, I just drink a lot of wiskey and the next day I completely forget it happened.

 

[CycloSteve]

The Claw! Yes, I have used one of these to save my arse more than once. If you are lucky you may be able to get ahold of the bitty-bits.

BTW, it will not melt IMHO and is not something I would want wandering around my engine internals. Do you best to get 'er out of there.



Steve

 

[arndog123]

Having that piece in there would bug me so I'd drop the pan to get it out. This reminds me of the time I dropped a feeler gauge down the back end of my '86 22re while doing a valve clearance check. Had to pull the front diff to get the oil pan out.

 

[hzavarce]

When things like this happen to me, I just drink a lot of wiskey and the next day I completely forget it happened.

So, I looked as much as I could, and did not see anything. I finally decided to go this route.

Before we turned the ignition last night I could not find a 17 mm wrench !!! OMG !... luckily we found it !!

So we gave it a try and it started right up. It is running OK and I have not felt something that would indicate that the zip tie is an issue

However, I have a high idle that I need to figure out. I posted here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/474792-hg-done-now-high-idle.html

Please chime in if you can help ! Thanks

 

[skibob]

The high idle is probably caused by your ZIP TIE SENSOR. It's located in your oil pan and will not clear up until you find that nasty little plastic bit...