So this is going to make some people laugh...

I'm changing my oil last night on my TSX at about 9 pm. I usually change the oil on all of our cars and I was getting to this one last. I pulled the plug, drained the oil, replaced the plug, and replaced the filter. I'm switching to Mobil 1 on this change (3rd change with 14xxx miles). I go to punch in the foil cover on the 5 quart jug of M1 and proceed to pour in the oil. As I'm nearing the end of the bottle I see a piece of foil drop into the engine!

I immediately stop and check out the foil again. It appears that a piece of it did tear off, what crappy luck. I get a light and shine it into the filler hole. I can still see the piece (about the size of a nickel) but can't reach it.

So the car is sitting in the garage, luckily we have 3 cars so I can let this one sit until it's removed. What to do next? Obviously I want to remove it before using the car again. I've got three thoughts:

1) I've got a flexible endoscope from work, I'm an engineer at a medical device company. It's got tiny jaws that can be opened/closed remotely through a small tube.
2) Maybe duct tape a small diameter hose to a vacuum and try and suction it out.
3) Remove top cover with the help of my mechanic neighbor? I have no idea if this is difficult or not. Any advice from anyone out there? It looks to be 7 or 8 bolts that need to be removed, but I'm pretty hesitant to do this.

Thanks in advance

 

oo i like the first idea and i'm sorry that happened to ya

 

try in the order 1,2,3.

 

How about some chewing gum or double sided tape on a skinny stick? How deep is it?

 

It's probably 5-6" inside the filler opening. I might try this 3rd (after 1 & 2). The foil will be oily though so I don't know that it'll stick to anything.

Anyone out there removed the valve cover? Will I need a new gasket if it goes this far?

 

I havent removed the valve cover yet, but that would be your best bet to get that piece of foil out.

And I would replace the gasket if your going to remove it. It should be fairly cheap anyway...

 

Try 1, then 3 because 2 wont work. tape will not stick to oil(even with a little oil film on it).

 

removing the valve cover is easy, just take off any plastic pieces around it, and follow the bolts around the perimiter and it should pop off. I'd replace the gasket cause they are only a few bucks and it beats having an oil leak then have to take it all apart again.

 

Your filter should catch the piece before it reaches your engine. No need to be worried.

 

^^... you do know what the oil is poured into right?

directly into the engine...

 

^^^ good one

bulldog - just get a long pair of chopsticks.

 

 

hahahahaahahah

 

I think he meant use the tape to modify a vacuum to suck the foil out. Not use the tape to fish out the foil. Anyway, won't sucking up oil pretty much destroy your vacuum?

I wonder why they don't put some kind of filter screen in the oil tube (technical term) for just an occurance?

 

step 3. Who know wut else you pour in.

 

Try #1 but make sure you wash it thoroughly before it goes into someone's
stomach or asshole

Lucky you, most people will never get hold of this thing except when it's up their culo

 

Haha, I was doing that to get chunks of tile out of a bathtub drain recently.

 

Yeah, I think that one's going to do the trick.

And fortunately I don't deal with that side of the business I'm strictly coronary products.

And on a side note, next time I think I'll REMOVE the foil before pouring.

 

I have one of these and they are great.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kd2391.html

 

I have a funnel with a built-in screen where it narrows down. Works great in preventing this kind of thing.

btw, better hope the foil doesn't slide down the camshaft it's likely resting on, or it'll be very hard to find even with the valve cover removed.

 

What kinda of oil are you using? Mine doesn't have that foil. Just a screw top.

 

I've often had the thought of "shit I hope the foil doesn't fall into the oil" when ripping that foil cover off of a Mobil 1 jug. Sorry this happened to you but it sounds like you have some solid strategies for resolving the situation. Let us know how it works out. And worst case, start up the car and go redline the bitch a few times, should get rid of that foil in no time.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. We have a couple at work in the toolkits for screws that drop way down into computer/server cases as we are working on them.

 

Hey what about the dealerships ?

When they use their "default" dino oil...does the oil come in this way ? i.e. container with foil seal ?

 

Well approaches 1 & 2 didn't work. My scope was kind of like that tool listed, but the piece was too far over to even manuever. Guess I will be giving the neighbor mechanic some beer to help me remove/reinstall the valve cover and gasket. I'll be learning a little more about the car than I wanted to

Watch that foil shit on the Mobil 1 jugs. Guess I'll be tearing it off completely and carefully from now on. Or better yet getting a funner with a strainer in it as was suggested above.

Off to a fantasy football draft and then up to the lake for a weekend. It'll still be there when I get back.

 

Their oil comes in barrels.

 

why don't you just drain it into a clean container (like the container mobil 1 jug) and remove the oil filter when the level is low enough to ensure the foil gets out?

The oil is thick enough that the foil is probalby suspended and won't stick to anything as long as the oil is flowing.

I'd do that before attempting to take my engine apart.


and on a side note, I usually poke a small hole (not punch) in the foil just enough to get a screwdriver head in there to peel it up and off.

 

Go to the auto or hardware store and buy an appropriate size piece of vacuum hose. Stick one end of the hose into the end of a vacuum cleaner (shop vac) seal the opening with your hand. With the vacuum running use the other end to fish out the foil. I use this trick a lot to retrieve non metallic items from hard to reach places.

jeff

 

In case anyone was wondering, I did finally get the foil out of my engine. Took the valve cover off and there it was. It took ~ 45 minutes since I was trying to avoid getting anything else in there.

Good to have the car running again and not have to worry about it anymore!

 

yeah those are sweet. they come in very handy when doing wiring too.

 

Just curious, but did you tighten the valve cover bolts in the proper order? I don't have the service manual with me at work but I can get you the correct order and procedure when I get home tonight. I believe it's very important to follow this IIRC.

 

Not just the correct order...also the use of liquid gasket at four locations, the tightening in two or three steps, and waiting 30 minutes to fill with oil and 3 hours before starting too...

 

 

Good for you man. I hate dropping shit in hard to reach places. Went through that on an install last night

 

Use the endoscope. Least hassle, and least chance for something to go wrong.

 

Hmm, kind of I guess. I did hear from my mechanic neighbor about tightening in small steps, corner to corner. I did not use any liquid gasket though and hence did not wait before starting it up. So far no leaks of course, but I will keep an eye on it from time to time.

Shouldn't be too hard to do again if need be though. 2nd time is always half the time!