dropped foreign body into my engine

patspost

Hi folks, maybe some help with this issue please,

This evening while topping up my car engine oil with an additive the lid of the additive fell into the oil filler hole.
I tried to get it out but only succeded it getting it to fall more into the engine.
It has now gone out of sight but I know in what general direction it went.
I will have another go in the mornig to get it out, but it is looking like a job for a mechanic. I presume a local/ back mechanic will be able for this?

Anybody have an idea of how long this will take/ costs?.
I will have to get the car towed to mechanic or collected by him,
I won't start the engine.
Car is mazda 6 diesel.

mike65

I take it the lid was plastic? What dimensions?

Neilw

Can you not remove the rocker cover and get it out yourself?

Gran Hermano

I'd try some fishing line and a treble hook, you might be able to snag it.

evolutionqy7

if ur good with a rather and carefull enought to take of spark plug leads get the rocker cover off and have a better look around...

smokie2008

Should be a fairly simple fix for any mechanic but DON'T drive it!

patspost

The dimensions of the lid about 10-15 mil long and about 6-8 mil at its widest, getting narrower at the top.
Lid was plastic.
Have never removed rocker cover before, but could contemplate it, I presume that is the next layer down after the filler cap, in that it removes the top of the engine.

Thanks for suggestions
patspost

dingding

If you get a stick / piece of a coat hanger and some blue tack you might be able to stick it to the blue tack and get it out.

Where do you have the car. Someone here might be able to give you a hand to remove the rocker cover.

RoundyMooney

Nah, it'll be oily and slippery as hell.

Whip off the rocker cover and be done with it, handy enough.

patspost

I'm down the country, I tried the coat hanger thing, didn't help.

I will look up rocker cover removal, is it fairly straight forward?, stupid question I suppose to ask mechanically minded people?

slimjimmc

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I'd try some fishing line and a treble hook, you might be able to snag it.

I wouldn't, you might snag something else and lose the hook as well. Even worse if the hook got stuck and a bit broke off from tugging on it you'll have a small piece of metal lying in there somewhere where it shouldn't be. At least a plastic cap is easy to spot and may not fall too far into the engine.

homer90

dingding wrote: »

If you get a stick / piece of a coat hanger and some blue tack you might be able to stick it to the blue tack and get it out.

:D

*Sorry*

smokie2008

Mate why mess around with something you haven't got a clue about?? Your not even sure what a rocker cover is yet your guna try take it off. I know its not exactly rocket science but stop being miserable and pay a mechanic to do it.

patspost

Tks for advice smokie, you are right, I think it is a step or 2 beyond me.

roughly how long would it take?, what type of price would I expect to pay?
Hopefully the mechanic will do it outside my house, save towing it down to him.
I'll give him a ring later today, hopefully get him doen in the morning.

shawnee

Cop on, this was a simple accident and could have happened to a mechanic. You don;t need to know what a rocker cover is to add oil or an additive to your engine!!
You will get some of the more helpful contributors to get this sorted otherwise probably a mechanic :D

smokie2008

shawnee wrote: »

Cop on, this was a simple accident and could have happened to a mechanic. You don;t need to know what a rocker cover is to add oil or an additive to your engine!!
You will get some of the more helpful contributors to get this sorted otherwise probably a mechanic :D

Of course its a simple mistake ANYBODY can and does top up oil, their expected too. I was talking about the removal of the rocker cover, not everyone can remove it hence why this thread was created. He could easily do a hell of lot more damage by removing the rocker cover and dropping a tool bit/nut in there while its removed. People that don't work on engines aren't normally quite as careful as a fully qualified mechanic.
Anyways OP where abouts do you live?? I work out on the road and would be more than happy to pull it out for you for if your near my route tomorrow?

smokie2008

All else fails get a pair of these :D:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbMack2jK48

Gary ITR

smokie2008 wrote: »

I know its not exactly rocket science

It's rocker sceince

zapata

Theoretically you could try filling the engine with oil (or similiar liquid) and the plastic will float to the top - then drain the excess fluid.
Practically it is a bad idea. :D:D

evolutionqy7

if ur not sure what rocker cover is research youtube and google...plenty of DIY videos there educating the science of the rocker cover

its just a cover that cover the rockers or the valves that sit on top of the engine...

if you have a plastic engine cover remove that carefully and just have a look around...theres nothing but a few small bolts around to remove...

Though since you struggle to even know what rocker cover is dont go at it you will need to take off the spark plugs and if you mess them putting them back in the wrong hole youl get misfire and will need a mechanic anyway...

Mechanics usually charge per hour no matter what it is ( cause otherwise it wouldnt be worth their time starting a job for 5 mins and getting paid a quid or something for it) so hours charge + call out charge (if its far away from the mechanic) otherwise its a very simple job and should take max 10 mins to open find and close...

and as others said dont move the car or even start it...might get caught in the valves and jam the valves...

Henry Ford III

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

if ur good with a rather and carefull enought to take of spark plug leads get the rocker cover off and have a better look around...

Quite rare on a diesel