Magnetic tool for reaching into an engine

Muffin`

Muffin`

Muffin`

Caporegime
Joined
21 Apr 2004
Posts
33,232
Location
Bristol
I've got a dowel pin stuck down an oil return pipe on my bike and I need to get it back. I've dropped the oil and I've tried some tools down the pipe but they're either too large or not magnetic.

I have this:
tq0JiRw.jpg

but the end is too big.

I started take the cylinder head off but I'm stuck with some manifold bolts (shock) so I've gone back to trying to pull or push it out.

How strong would magnetic copper wire be for retrieval (the bit weighs grams) or does anyone know of a tool that is very small, bends and is magnetic that could reach down? Another thought would be to push it out of the pipe and into the sump but I would then need to take the sump off which may in turn need the manifold taking off :(

Any help appreciated!
 
I have one of those, but the pipe bit on the end stops it getting down the initial neck and the claws are useless
 
There is also a thinner ended magnetic tool in that pack.

Have you tried soaking the mani bolts with a decent penetrating oil for a long time?
 
You might find any rod with a big bit of blu-tack on the end will work if you can press the bolt you are trying to retrieve against something to make it stick. Massage the blu-tack in your hands for a few minutes to make it soft and pliable, and make sure the majority of it is well stuck to your rod so it doesn't come off inside the engine.
 
The last time I had a similar situation was an E39 oil filter that was stuck in the housing. It came out in bits and a couple of bits of plastic made their way into the oilway entry.

I taped a straw to a vacuum cleaner nozzle and sucked it out with that. That could work.
 
Thanks Dogbreath that looks the best as it's a mere 6mm on the tip which should hopefully get it down to retrieve it.

Blue-tac on the end of a reach tool is a good idea but I don't trust myself to not **** it up. Also the hoover and the straw idea is ingenious but unfortunately I have no power at the lockup!
 
Any magnet attached to the end of a coat hanger would probably work. E.g. hold the magnet in your hand and the magnetism will conduct down the coat hanger.
 
I used to use one of those flexible magnets when I worked at Jag, it was a godsend for when ops dropped bolts, etc into the depths of the engine bay :-)
 
Hades said:
With a bigger lump of blue tack, obviously :D
Click to expand...

Hey, don't knock it. I once dropped a cam-chain bolt down a motorcycle cylinder all the way into the gearbox. I carefully turned the crank with a spanner, and there it was sitting on top of the gears. Big bit of blutack on a stick and it came right up - job's a good'un!
 
I was on a plane once when a woman managed to drop her mobile phone down behind the air vents at the side of the cabin, I still have no idea how, but we had 1 hours of a bloke pulling **** apart to try and get it back, which at 500mph and 350000 feet is scary.
 
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