SDVette

I pulled the manifold to investigate a bad lifter. Sure enough, I immediately saw a broken lifter in the problem spot. As I pulled the lifter out, the broken part (push rod cup) fell into the lifter hole. That's the gearhead equivalent of a hole in one!!! ARRRGGG!!!

I heard it go "plink, plank, plunk"... Sounded like it went all the way to the pan.

So whats the prognosis? Will it stay safely there? Will it fit out the oil drain (I can check this myself), or am I looking at having to drop the pan to get it out?

Thanks for any assistance,
Fred

simard

If it fell to the bottom of the pan, it should not bother anything until you have to drop the pan for another reason. At least it won't rust. I don't think it will come out of the drain hole, not enough flow velocity.

Frankie the Fink

Well you could get one of those magnetic oil pan drain plugs and maybe, with luck, the piece will latch on to that and not move around...

Pop Chevy

Front or rear ? If you have a baffled pan it might get trapped in a baffle and stay there forever. You might also drain the oil and fish around with a magnet and get lucky. If not, it really can't get into the pump on account of the screen.

MasterDave

I dropped a 10" box end wrench thru the distributor hole about 35 years ago. It was in a 1947 Ply coupe. When I pulled the pan years later I found it in the bottom of the pan. It was bent in half like a horse shoe and broke in the middle. Never caused any issues at all though. I still have it. (the wrench that is).

Hitch

I would not think twice about it if you heard it hit the bottom of the pan. I doubt that you can fish it out of the drain hole as it is not that big. Leave it and not worry about it or drop the pan and be sure. For me I would drop the pan and make sure...

David

1snake

I would leave it alone and just replace the bad lifter. No reason to pull the pan, it isn't going anywhere.

Jim

DZAUTO

Sure be worth a try.

Tom Parsons

TC233

I would not consider for a moment turning the engine over on the premise, that what I thought I heard was this piece of metal hitting the pan. Does the metal go plink when it hits the pan, or plunk or plank?
Drain the pan, pull it and be sure. But thats me. I would not rely on my hearing or perception or interpretation of what I heard. Not lecturing but just saying I would not trust that the cap in its entirety reached the pan unless I saw it. Then you have to ask yourself, do you have all the pieces to make up a complete lifter?

Kerrmudgeon

I've got a half of a broken pushrod in my truck 350. It's been there for about 80K miles.

Hitch

Never time to do it right the first time but always time to go back and repair the carnage....

Jebbysan

Pull the pan...and have piece of mind.....the crossmember is way forward....Vettes are easy to remove the pan on.....

Jebby