The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop OH MY GOD! dropped nut down distributer galley!

While pulling distributer the nut clamping the vacuum
advance went down the distributer housing.
while trying to retrieve it it fell into the rear galley. I'm pretty sure I heard it hit the side of the oil pan and fell into the bottom.
Should I pull pan or is it relatively safe in the bottom of pan?

1942 6 cyl 216ci engine

What an idiot?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

Pull the oil pan drain plug and fish around the bottom of the pan through the hole with a flexible magnet. Chances are you'll get the nut out that way. If the nut is in one of the splash-oiler troughs it can do some damage to a rod dipper the first time the crankshaft turns.
Jerry

Of course, pull the pan. Why take the chance assuming anything?

Get one of those really strong little magnets and try to coax the nut close to the drain plug from the outside on the bottom of the pan. It should drag the nut toward the drain hole. You can test the procedure on a scrap piece of sheet metal and a similar sized nut.
Carl

If you have by chance access to one of those endoscopic cameras you might give it a try down the distributor hole or if that doesn't work out through the drain plug hole. If in the end you don't succeed you can pull the pan anyway. Not much more to lose than some time if it doesn't work out that way.

I was able to R&R the oil pan on my 49 216, in truck, without any clearance problems. It weighs more than you think but I done it laying on my back underneath. I'm unsure if the 42 has the same clearances.
If you haven't dropped the pan before it is a good time to do so and give the innards a good look-see. Plastigauging the bearings will tell you how much life you have left in it. May even still have some main bearing shims you could remove to gain more oil pressure.

All that said, fishing around with a long handles magnet and/or one of those mini endoscopes "may" save you a lot of work.

Good luck
Dave

Good excuse to clean the insides of the pan. Maybe you'll find the missing wedding ring of the previous owner's wife? You never know.

sorry for the late reply. removed pan found nut and many other items. after a little thought I surmised that they were 4 fuel pump arms. this must be a usual occurrence and that the pan had probably not been pulled in years if ever. Didn't think of plastic gauging bearings. I could use some more oil pressure. How much pressure does an old "42" 215 run anyway?

A 216 does not have pressurized oil to the rods, so tightening up the clearance there doesn't help oil pressure. It will make the engine run quieter, however. Shoot for .0015"-.002" by removing shims between the rod and cap, and checking the clearance with Plastigauge or shim stock between the rod cap and the crankshaft.

Pulling shims between the main bearing caps and the block will increase oil pressure by minimizing the leakage past the bearings. Again, try for .002" or less if possible. The cam bearings are another story- - - -wear and oil pressure loss there cannot be corrected with shims.

If you have 15 PSI or so at cruise speed with a warmed-up engine, be happy. Some 216's show virtually no oil pressure at hot idle and still run pretty well.
Jerry

My 1951 216 runs well under 15 lbs on the highway and almost zero at idle. It hasn't really changed in 35,000 miles of driving. The main bearings are new and are adjusted to minimum clearance. I think the cam bearings are quite worn. My 38 oil pressure is off the scale when cold,
over 15 lbs when cruising and not much below 7 at idle. So these old 216s have vitals that vary widely.

As far as adjusting the rods, if you still have the pan off it is a good idea. When they become too loose they can wear out very quickly.