help, dropped nut into intake
 

02 s10 4.3 figured would get more traffic here.

i dropped the little nut that holds the fuel line hold down clamp into the intake and it shot right thru into the head.


pulled the intake hoping to fish it out with a flexible magnet with no luck. im assuming i will have to take the head off and try and rattle the nut out?

what are the chances the nut could live in there and not cause damage? im guessing it would eventually get down into the valve with my luck.

in the pic i have it circled in 1 of the 2 holes it went into, not that it matters

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Extendable magnet. If it got past a valve maybe you could pull a plug and retrieve it through the plug hole too

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

That was my first thought.
Good luck

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

i tried with 2 magnets that i have with no luck.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Fat chance but try a shop vac .

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

No, the nut, no matter how small, can NOT "live" in there.. Even if you crank the engine over without starting it, severe damage will incur. Fish it out with a magnet through any available "orfice".. As a last resort, remove the head, but you must remove the wayward nut or suffer dire consequences.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

I agree. Vacuum, flexible magnet, whatever is necessary it MUST be removed.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

See if you can rent a borescope from your local tool/parts supplier. In addition to being able to see it, they have attachments that have magnets on the end.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

yes sir im heading to autozone first thing in the morning to rent borescope, im hoping that will do it and avoid pulling the head

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

How about removing the spark plug and pulling the vacuum so it creates a thru current. Or the opposite and use a compressor to blow.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

In the future: ;)
https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/9d8...2&odnBg=FFFFFF

OR:
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/s...PiVwhexsTerJfQ

Seriously, if it's on top of the piston but you can get to it, try blowing it around with some compressed air. It might end up in a more accessible place.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Maybe tape a funnel to your shopvac hose and stick tubing on the end. You might have better luck fishing, cuz it won't attach itself to every ferrous surface like the magnet.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

One problem with the magnet is unless that is an aluminum head, almost everything around is magnetic and might keep the magnet from grabbing the nut. Or the nut could be something that is non-magnetic. While you are getting the borescope, get one of those flexible pickup tools with the three fingers that expand and contract as you push on the other end. It won't care what the nut is made of.

Also, 2nd the tubing on the shopvac idea. Maybe something as simple as some heater hose. Get the suction right to the nut. Empty the shop vac first so there is no doubt that any nut in the tank is the one in question.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Try every avenue. But if none get the nut out, I've been down that pull the head road over a ceased spark plug that broke off flush, leaving the tip in the head. I was pulling the plug to pull the header to better access the brake line to brake hose connection through the frame, anticipating the line fitting could be ceased. Turns out that came apart just fine. Defines making a mountain out of a molehill.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Maybe the nut isn't where you think it is. Try other intake ports...

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

i am trying the shop vac before i go and rent the borescope, so far no luck, the chamber in the head should be pretty small area shouldnt it? looks like it should suck right up.

and i tested the other nut and its not magnetic, wouldnt have thought that.

im going to have my brother blow thru the plug hole while i suck thru the head and see if that helps.

will keep yall posted thanks for the tips so far

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Somehow...That just doesn't sound right.

Just sayin' :eek:

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Looks like your intake valve is pretty much open. It should be in the cyl . IF it went past that valve. Filter your vacuum hose with a porous cloth so when u do suck it out, you know it. If you find out it is in the cyl, you may have to turn the eng over by HAND to near the top to get enough vacuum on it.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Maybe the nut could be sitting on top of an intake valve, or between a partially open valve and seat. Will be interesting to learn what you discover.

If you use a vacuum cleaner to draw on the intake port, be sure to install a spark plug so you can create a vacuum, not just air flow. Or tape off the intake port if you draw on the spark plug hole. Even then, it may not be possible to create much of a vacuum if the exhaust valve is even barely open. I guess you could always back off the exhaust rocker nut a turn or two to make sure.

And be sure to empty the dirt out of the vacuum cleaner first, so you can confirm whether or not the nut got sucked in!

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

If its one of the small nuts that hold the fuel lines to the injector housing an a 96+ vortec, the nut is stainless and no magnet will pull it out. I suggest using a borescope to locate it, then a flexible pickup tool to grab it.

Worst case is you pull the head. I had a threaded boss brake off on one of my vortec 454s when I had the upper intake off. It fell down one of the intake ports and the valve was open. So I had to pull the head.

Please use the upgraded intake gaskets from felpro. They are way better than the originals, and they are better than the aluminum ones you have on now.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

it took me 5 secs to find it, sitting right on the valve, bent me a piece of bailing wire and fished it right out. that borescope was a life saver. one that articulates would really be the stuff.

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Excellent news congrats!!

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

:metal::metal:

Glad you found it:chevy::chevy:

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

Good deal!

Re: help, dropped nut into intake
 

GREAT! Good for you:metal: