Help i dropped a valva retainer lock
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 447
Likes: 11
From: New York
Help i dropped a valva retainer lock
Im doing a cam swap and i did dropp valve retainer lock. I dopped it next to the head bolt and i think lost it into the engine into the liter trays. is it possible to get it out with out lifting the head? 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,497
Likes: 261
From: Miami Florida
Is possible harbor fright sell a small flexible head magnet that could fish it out if it can reach close enough.
I put towels around every posible scape hole and take no chances even on a possibility of dropping one.
I put towels around every posible scape hole and take no chances even on a possibility of dropping one.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 995
Likes: 16
From: Houston Tx
It might still be on the topside. I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, the only opening to the lifter area is through the pushrods holes. The odds of it making it through that hole are not likely. I've dropped a few myself but I couldn't see them as they were submerged in the oil near the head bolt or base of the springs.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 1,118
Look carefully around the valvesprings to see if it's not lodged somewhere out of sight. It could've even bounced out of the cylinder heads and lodged itself somewhere on the car. Those little suckers can end up anywhere. As they're closer to the outside of the head, they could easily end up outside the head and make you spend hours worrying and looking inside the engine. Ask me how I know...
Before you probe around and push it into the engine, get a good bright light and look thoroughly everywhere you can, including into the pushrod holes and the drainback holes around the head bolts.
It that doesn't work, get yourself a good snake magnet and carefully insert it into the drain holes around the head bolts and see if you can pick it up. As advised already, just make sure that you plug all of the drainback holes with shop rags before pulling the springs.
Good luck.
Before you probe around and push it into the engine, get a good bright light and look thoroughly everywhere you can, including into the pushrod holes and the drainback holes around the head bolts.
It that doesn't work, get yourself a good snake magnet and carefully insert it into the drain holes around the head bolts and see if you can pick it up. As advised already, just make sure that you plug all of the drainback holes with shop rags before pulling the springs.
Good luck.
