I dropped a razor blade down into the engine (I think it heard it hit the oil pan). What are my next steps? I've tried fishing it out with a magnet with no success, but if it's to the pan, can I get away with leaving it in there?

1999 XK8 Drivers side, right at the top of the chains

I've been battling a valve cover leak for quite some time now and was using the razor blade to clean the metal face where the gasket meets. How serious did this project just become?

 

Put a magnet on the outside of the oil pan adjacent to the probable location of the intruder. With some luck the magnet will keep the blade from migrating.

As you already know , the only 100% safe solution is to pull the pan.


Z

 

As I've dismantled or overhauled engines, I've found in oil pans: nuts, screws and even once a very nice 10mm Snap-On swivel socket. A heavy metal object would likely find the lowest point in the bottom of the pan and stay there as long as you keep the shiny side up. A razor blade tho, I don't know. Unless a motor is new or a fresh rebuild, there's often a film of sludge on the bottom of the pan. A razor blade, if it fell flat against the bottom of the pan, might just find itself sort of glued there to the muck. On the other hand, its got a large surface area compared to a light weight and I suppose it could be moved around by the currents in the oil pan. It could get sucked up against the pickup screen and obstruct some of the oil flow. That's assuming it made it all the way to the pan. It's shape is such that it could get stuck somewhere along the way. I could also envision it lying at the bottom of the timing cover just below the sprocket where it could bounce up and make contact when you hit a big bump in the road. Given those two possibilities, I think I'd be inclined to dismantle and fetch it out of there.

 

Pulling the pan is a 20 minute job, just take it off and find the blade with a magnet. You should replace the gasket when replacing it. It uses a rubber ring type gasket so it doesn't even involve scraping.

 

I didn't realize pulling the pan would be such an easy task! In that case, I'm going to play it safe and just do that.

I appreciate the input, guys.

 

I pulled my pan because of leaks. I found plastic parts from the primary tensioner in it. Not a bad job and it would give you peace of mind.

 

This peanut gallery seat says go with advise of dropping the pan. This will give you a chance to inspect things you wouldn't normally see and you'll see the art work that is hidden away from view. Cleaning the inside of the pan will remove anything that has taken up residence besides your razor blade. All good to know.

I once drop a square nut down the intake of a motorcycle engine while reinstalling the carbs. Of course it goes down the only cylinder with valves open enough for it to fit. I had to get very creative with a flexible light with a magnet on the end and compressed air. It barely fit through the spark plug hole and it took several tries to get it through. This doesn't help you but I only like telling that story now that it's fixed with no disaster involved.

 

The first thing I do whenever I have to remove a component that opens one or more direct holes into the engine block is to cover the hole(s) with something. Sometimes I use a piece of thin plywood. Sometimes I spread an old towel across the affected area. Sometimes it is a strip of duct tape. Sometimes it is just a piece of cardboard. The moral of the story: It is always worth the extra thirty seconds needed to do this vs. helplessly watching a screw / bolt / tool / whatever disappear into the abyss....

 

When I saw the topic it brought back a bitter memory from my "childhood". It was back in 1971 or so and I had a 1970 Roadrunner that I was constantly tweaking and fiddling with. Everything in those days was strictly old school mechanical adjustments. It had a 4-barrel Holley carb and making the linkage adjustments, etc. was based on measuring throttle plate openings and the measurement was based on using a certain size diameter drill bit to measure the opening (I think you can see where this is going). Anyway I was using a drill bit to measure the clearance (without the engine running) and suddenly it slipped out of my fingers. When I looked down the throat of the carburetor I could see the bit lying inside the intake manifold at the bottom. I didn't have anything long enough to grab it out and figured I could use one of those magnetic probes to do so, which I didn't have. So I thought that I could take a short drive to the auto parts store to by a probe and then take it out later. BIG MISTAKE. After a short distance I heard a weird sound and then various rattling sounds, so I stopped the car and had it towed to my mechanic. What happened is that the drill bit made its way to a valve which shattered the bit into pieces. I think some of the pieces ended up creating holes in the top of one or more pistons. Anyway at that point the engine needed one or more pistons and replacement of one or more bent valves. I was astounded at how stupid I was, especially being an engineer.

Doug

 

I had to pull and replace the sump pan when an idiot tire changer used the oil pan as a lift point to jack up the front of the car. I had to check to see if the oil pickup was damaged. The XKR really does not have an oil sump in the old style. It is a plate that fits to the bottom of a subframe for the engine.

 

^^ Wow. Anyone using an oil pan as a jacking point should have zero access to ANY automotive tools for the rest of his life....

 

At least you know where it is. I've spent hours searching for that nut or bolt or small irreplaceable piece that never hit the floor and went to that place where all the missing left socks in the universe go. (I think that's from Ren and Stimpy)

 

I dropped a Tiny Screw down the carb throat on a 77 Buick Century with a 350 V8. Try as I could I was unable to see it in the intake. I started the engine, and it went ting, ting, ting. I told the Boss, and he said pull each plug, and start the engine, and hope it would spit it out. Well I started at the left front, and removed them one at a time, starting the engine each time. Finally I came to the last one on the right rear pulled the plug started it and heard PPIIIINNNNNGGGGGG!! I screwed the plug back in and it ran perfectly! That was one of the luckier days of my life. LOL!

PS Never did find that Damn Screw!

Jack