FYREANT

Was working on installing my LS7 lash cap this morning and everything was going great. I put the lash cap on the pump (was not as magnetic as I would have thought it needed to be) and when I carefully put the pump back in I heard something fall and make a ting sound. Pulled the pump back out and sure enough the lash cap fell off. Been looking for it inside there with a flash light and mirror as well as a cheap boroscope and can't even see it. I'm so sick to my stomach. Recommendations on how to proceed? I think I may need to remove the fuel rails and valley cover to see if I can find it. My fear is that it took an oil galley down further into the motor. I could always try to drain the oil to see if it made its way into the oil pan but I think it's doubtful. Help..?

T/A KID

Crap... Do you have a small magnet that you can possibly fish it out with??
How did this happen, you installed it on the pump then placed it directly on top of the tri lobe correct??

FYREANT

SFished at it with a magnet for a couple hours already trying to get to it. Also drained the oil in hopes that it fell clean through and would be in the pan. No dice. Yes, that's how I installed it. Upon inserting the pump with cap back in, it fell off and bounced around in there. The magnetic surface is only like 30-40% as magnetic as it really should be.

At this point, the next thing to do seems like pulling the fuel rails and then the valley cover. then I can -try- to see if I can locate it. I've got no other bright ideas. At this point I'm catatonic that I might have to pull the engine cradle to pull the pan, and have to pull the heads off to check the oil galleys

Roadrogue

I've no suggestion unfortunately, but if you do pull the heads it would be a good time to have them ported. Silver lining kind of thought.

FYREANT

No time for such a thing. I've been breaking the cardinal rule modding my daily driver. Looks like I need to get a rental here tonight.

lsp408

Since you drained oil, can your borescope fit through the oil drain hole?

Either way, this sucks man.

FYREANT

Sure can't. The drain hole is surprisingly small. The drain bolt is only takes a 15MM wrench to take it off. The hole was so small I could barely get my pen sized telescoping magnet in there and no success there either. In reading the service manual the rabbit hole gets deeper.. In order to remove the valley cover you have to remove the fuel rails (knew that) but to remove the fuel rails you also remove the injectors. With injector removal the manual says to discard and replace the seals, AND to rebuild the injectors. Geez. This is getting bad fast but I have no choice. I'm heading back out to pull the rails and valley cover now. Boy do I wish I would have just done the Z06 pump rather than trying to save some bucks and do the lash cap.

NoOne

It is just in the valley?

No way to get in the engine?

Buy a new lash cap and leave it there.

If it can get in the motor that sucks...

FYREANT

The valley has access to oil flow via oil channels called "galleys". Because of this, there are holes in the bottom of the valley for the oil to flow back down to the rotating assembly. So yes, it can very much get into the cam and crank areas.

Update, I have removed the fuel rails with injectors and am about to lift the valley cover.

For those that haven't seen the inside, I'll have detailed pictures posted after this debacle is behind me, which at this point there is no telling how long that will be.

10mm_

Damn dude, good luck

FYREANT

Valley cover off, no sign of lash cap.. That means it had to fall through. I have a feeling I know exactly where it is and I don't like it one bit. Have a feeling it's sitting on top of the oil baffle under the rotating assembly. GULP.

I am trying to fish for it with a magnet right now though the valley galley holes above the cam. No luck so far and I have a feeling that's not gonna change. More than likely it looks like I am going to have to pull the oil pan to get to it. That being said, has anyone ever pulled the pan on a C7 in-car before? Is it possible to get the pan out without dropping the subframe?

10mm_

I would call some shops who have built these motors and get their opinion on where it could have fallen to and what you have to do to pull the pan.

Joe@CPR has always helped me out.


Not sure if you're looking to drop the pan right now or tomorrow btw, but if you call them in the morning you may get some valuable info.

NSC5

Any chance you can flush it through to the oil pan by dumping some oil into the area where you think it is hiding? Or a blast of shop air to accomplish the same?

FYREANT

It's possible that I could do that but the inside of the pan is not smooth like the inside of a bucket. It has all kinds of obstacles that it can get stuck on unfortunately.

NSC5

But if you can get it into the pan a powerful magnet could possibly be used on the outside of the pan to pull it towards the drain. I have a large magnet assembly from an old Magnetron tube used in a radar setup that gets a lot of use around the shop but one of the retrieval magnets from HF or other places like this one could be used: http://www.harborfreight.com/retriev...ull-36904.html

You may very well have to pull the pan but I would try a less invasive method first. My other advice is now might be the good time to take a long break since bad things happen to products and people when you take a work session too long, I speak from experience

Good luck and I feel for you. I have had to retrieve a few parts in vehicles but nothing to the extent you are going through. My specialty is losing small fasteners in electronic gear. I restore vintage ham radio gear as a hobby and as an example a couple of months ago I was buttoning up an old and heavy transmitter after restoration. There are about 150 screws holding the various shield covers in place and near the end of the process a washer slipped inside the case, through an opening, and went under the chassis. With 3,000 volts present a piece of metal loose inside is not acceptable so I had to take apart most of what I had done and that was a very minor frustration compared to what you are experiencing.

FYREANT

About 10-20% of me keeps saying, put the car back together, install a magnetic drain plug, drive it around for a week, then drain the oil again and hope it caught it. If it's already down by the baffle, it's below the rotating assembly. I don't believe it can cause much damage at that point and I am pretty sure the oil pump pickup tube has a screen on the end to protect from picking up debris anyway.

It has been a long day.. Maybe I am just getting desperate..

0TPR

Holy crap! Good Luck and let us know your result.
Rob-

xp800

Wow... Feel for ya Ant.

Maybe a long shot already attempted, but have you tried your bore scope/magnets through the drain plug hole?

FYREANT

Yep sure did. The hole is so small I could barely fit the magnet in it. My magnet is about the size of a pen too. Boroscope is too big for the hole. I been reading the service manual and confirmed it says the cradle my be dropped to pull the oil pan. Of course that's what they recommend. In not sure if there is a shortcut. Like maybe unbolt the motor mounts and jack up the more like 1-2 inches and then it would clear...

sycraft

Call Matt at FSP in the morning, get some advice.. Good Luck