Dropped the fog straw into cyliner? [Archive]

jamie_abb

10-15-2010, 10:28 PM

When following Cab's winterizing procedure I think I made a big booboo..

I think I dropped the fogging straw into the cylinder (through spark plug hole). I shifted while lubricating and pop - it was gone. It was getting dark so I had to clean up and quit. Any ideas???? Help!!

I'm going to try moving the flywheel tomorrow and see if I can see anything. My next step is a flexible camera from Home Depot.

brain_rinse

10-15-2010, 10:48 PM

I hate when stuff like that happens. Shopvac?

maxpower220

10-16-2010, 12:03 AM

How long is that straw? You piston can only be like 4" in diameter. Shop vac is a great idea.

bergermaister

10-16-2010, 08:00 AM

Could also try one of those flexy shaft grabbers where there are 3-4 claws retracted into it. You push the spring loaded button on the end and the claws come out, let go and they retract back in hopefully grabbing whatever they have touched. I have a couple different sizes of them and I believe one is small enough to fit through a spark plug hole. If you get the piston pushed to the top of it's travel you may be able to get it out of there...

Good luck man!

jamie_abb

10-16-2010, 09:12 PM

Do you know what that flexy thing is called..could be step 2 after shop vac

brain_rinse

10-16-2010, 11:08 PM

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=73738&group_ID=1273

deepcove

10-17-2010, 02:54 AM

That totally sucks dude.....I haope the shopvac idea works.....I would be very surprised if it does but I hope it works out for you.

cham

10-17-2010, 08:33 AM

If all else fails you'll need to put a wrench on the crank snout and rotate that cylinder to TDC manually. Should be easier to remove then.

kaneboats

10-18-2010, 09:31 AM

Very sorry to hear this. Be patient. You'll get it out. At least you know where it is.

sandm

10-18-2010, 11:09 AM

anybody remember the game "operation"?? I think jamie is about to get good at it :)

lewisb13

10-18-2010, 11:28 AM

Just start your engine. But in all seriousness, rotate crank so intake valve is open and use a shopvac.

cham

10-18-2010, 11:58 AM

I'd take the spark plug hole route

kaneboats

10-18-2010, 12:17 PM

anybody remember the game "operation"?? I think jamie is about to get good at it :)

I was actually picturing reaching in there with a tweezers or something like the grabber above. I have a dental instrument mirror I use to see behind things but I don't think it would help much with this one. I hated that Operation game-- not a very steady hand.

DOCDRS

10-18-2010, 12:54 PM

Sorry to hear about your prob........

Went to my mechanic at lunch and sorry to say but they had a good laugh. I'd try the shop vac , maybe a wire to, not turn the crank unless the shop vac didnt work.....somehow i think it will work, you can also attach a smaller plastic hose on your shop vac, or rubber hose so you can stick it right in the head. Otherwise the heat will melt the plastic , check your plug after you run it, and hopefully it does not get stuck in the exhaust valve.......good luck

cab13367

10-18-2010, 02:29 PM

jamie,

Sorry to hear that. I winterized this weekend and made sure to hold the little red straw with my fingers when spraying the fogging oil due to your post. Let us know how you get it out.

Al

papou

10-18-2010, 02:45 PM

lsvboombox

10-18-2010, 11:40 PM

borrow yourself one of those little cameras that home depot sells and locate the exact position of straw.. then use a long nosed tweezer(with bent tip) to grab it...

zabooda

10-18-2010, 11:41 PM

One of your riding buddies should have a pair of hemostats they're not using at the moment.

zegm

10-21-2010, 10:01 AM

This has happen before remove all 8 plugs turn engine over by hand till piston is all the way up (it sounds hard but it is easy with the right tools)if your straw was longer than 4in you should see it ,if shorter use a air to blow it around until you can see it you can suck it out or use a little hook or anything you have.

I agree, you should try to turn the engine by hand to get the cylinder on Top Dead Center (TDC). There is not much room in the cylinder head and you should be able to see it then and then find a way to remove it. Not sure the shop vac will work unless somehow the straw lines up perfectly.

moombadaze

10-22-2010, 05:48 PM

ok, so what happens if he doesnt find it-cant see it, tries everything possible and its still in there.

What will happen when its started? Will that little straw just burn/vaporize and go out the exhaust? or will it screw up the motor?

DOCDRS

10-22-2010, 07:09 PM

I'd think it would prob just melt and things will be ok, may have to replce the plug......let's have a poll

papou

10-24-2010, 12:58 AM

If he starts it the straw will melt and could get stuck on valve stem jam in guide causing the valve to stick ( I WOULD NOT START IT ) but that`s my opinion.

zegm

10-25-2010, 11:28 AM

If he starts it the straw will melt and could get stuck on valve stem jam in guide causing the valve to stick ( I WOULD NOT START IT ) but that`s my opinion.

I would suspect that it would melt and go away. However, if it was my boat I would probably be pulling a cylinder head. Now you could start it and see what happens with the thought that you were going to have to pull the cylinder head anyway just to get it out if it does indeed cause some damage.
Tough call here!

sandm

10-25-2010, 12:48 PM

second the "do not start it" bandwagon. that has fail written all over it.
I'd try the shopvac approach and if it didn't work, then pull the head. that can be done within the confines of the boat, and having to replace a piston means pulling the motor.

yanking the head should be fairly easy on a boat since everything is quite accessible...

papou

10-25-2010, 05:21 PM

I would not remove the head unless it`s the last resort, i would remove the ex manifold this way you could see the cylinder wall through the valve and part of the piston this way you should be able to pick it out ( this has happen to me on my stingray 4.3V6 it took 15 min to remove )

moombahighrider

10-26-2010, 01:52 AM

There is no way that I would start it until I had exhausted all the options that I could to find it. It seems to me that if it really is in there, you will get it out via one of the methods already mentioned. You mentioned the home depot camera which is what I would do to at least verify it is in there. Did that work?

jamie_abb

10-28-2010, 03:18 PM

mcdye

10-28-2010, 03:53 PM

good to hear..resolved with No charge....wow.

DOCDRS

10-28-2010, 05:17 PM

Yay ........glad to hear all worked out, I bet you will sleep better tonight!!!!!

cab13367

10-28-2010, 06:50 PM

Straw is out!!!!!!!

Thanks for the all the feedback and support.

Tried the shopvac with three different reducers - no luck
I borrowed the Home Depot camera - too big

Took it to a mechanic - he had a Snap On camera which fit. He bumped the starter about a dozen times to get it. Definately a job for a pro. Took him and a helper about an hour - no charge.

Whew!!!!!

Great to hear this story had a happy ending. And awful nice of the mechanic not to charge you for two hours of their time. Hopefully, you will reward them with some business in the future.

BensonWdby

10-28-2010, 07:05 PM

Nice of the guy to go no-chareg.

I recommend you look at your impeller now. That much dry firing might be cause for inspection....

kaneboats

10-28-2010, 09:06 PM

I think it calls for COLD BEER. Some for the mechanic and a couple for you too. Cheers!

wolfeman131

10-29-2010, 09:31 AM

jamie_abb

10-29-2010, 10:10 AM

I've been waiting to see if you got this taken care of and glad to see it worked out well! Awful nice (really unbelievable) that the guy did it at no charge.

So, how did he actually get the straw out? Did he have some sort of tool to grab it?

He used a remote camera from snap on, a couple of long picks and a small pair of locking forceps.

When it happened, all I wanted to do was lay down in a dark room until the pain went away. Totally pooched.

I'm dropping off a case of Heinikein today.

sandm

10-29-2010, 10:30 AM

glad it all worked out..

wolfeman131

10-31-2010, 12:49 PM

I'm dropping off a case of Heinikein today.

Thanks for the details. "Foreceps" makes it sound like surgery.

Case of beer is a great payoff, although you might actually owe that guy a keg!

WolfpackRider

11-15-2010, 09:28 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!!! I had a friend helping me winterize my boat. He was fogging the cylinders and said the straw came off and fell into the bilge, but we couldn't find it. I didn't even think about the possibility that it may have gone into the cylinder. I happened to see this thread as I was reading through the forum. After reading it, I took the plug out, and praise God, the straw happened to be in a place that I could see it. If it wasn't, I don't know if I would have keep looking to see if it was in there. After some praying, prodding, and poking, I was able to fish it out with a bent up coat hanger!

mcdye

11-15-2010, 11:25 PM

One note, i fog via the cylinders too. I put a small tie warp around on the fogging tube so if it comes off it wont make it into the cylinder

lsvboombox

11-16-2010, 09:03 AM

check out sea foams fogging oil.. It has a 14-16 inch red straw thats in a u-shape.. If it pops out it doesnt fall/shoot into the cylinder..

also home depots sells a mechanics pick up tube(in the tool crib) Its a long 1/4 flexi type tube. Has 4 tiny prongs that come out of the end of the tube(with a light)

phospher

11-16-2010, 05:53 PM

Straw is out!!!!!!!

Thanks for the all the feedback and support.

Tried the shopvac with three different reducers - no luck
I borrowed the Home Depot camera - too big

Took it to a mechanic - he had a Snap On camera which fit. He bumped the starter about a dozen times to get it. Definately a job for a pro. Took him and a helper about an hour - no charge.

Whew!!!!!

Nice, and no charge! I guess you better return for service in the near future :)