rahim2999

New Member
Air manifold 2.jpg
Dear members,

P lease help whilst servicing my freelander 1 td4 2006, when taking off the air manifold I dropped a orange rubber washer with the metal ring into one of the air vents which I believe may be the engine / inlet manifold port?

I could see it but I had no correct tool so as I tried to get ity out I pushed it further until it fell all the way into the hole.

I have attached two photos. The first one shows the inlet manport. I dropped the washer into the 2nd from the left bottom hole.
Intake manifold 1.jpg
The second photo shows the washer from the bottom of the air manifold.
Air manifold 2.jpg
It was my first time due to shortage of cash. I refilled the Freelander with new oil however have not started the Freelander yet. I thought it would be ok to leave in there but now understand that I should do all to take it out. Will I have to redrain the new oil or would I be ok removing the air manifold and trying to fish for the washer?

I will go and buy a maganet today and try to fish out the washer but I believe it may now be of no use as the rubber and metel washer cannot be seen in what appears to be a 'C' shape inlet port hole.

I may not be able to take the washer out as its gone all the way in. Have I damaged my engine and will I need a new engine?

Thank you very much for your help in this very sad and distressing moment. , much appriciated!

Kindest regards, Rahim.


Intake manifold 1.jpg
 
Ok first thing to do is take a deep breath and go make a coffee/tea. We've all done stuff like this and you'll make it worse if you do it whilst your panicking!

Try and find a very small piece of wire that you can make into a fishing tool. Carefully using a torch try and fish out the washer. If needs be you might have to remove more of your engine to find it. You must not start it with a foreign object in there it will do untold damage.
 
Ok first thing to do is take a deep breath and go make a coffee/tea. We've all done stuff like this and you'll make it worse if you do it whilst your panicking!

Try and find a very small piece of wire that you can make into a fishing tool. Carefully using a torch try and fish out the washer. If needs be you might have to remove more of your engine to find it. You must not start it with a foreign object in there it will do untold damage.


Dear Littelwill,

Thank you for your advice and quick response. I will try this now. If I cant find it would you be able to advice what else I should take off the Engine?
 
If you are lucky, you might be able to hook it out using the above method. If you are unlucky and the valve to that port is open, then it's likely that the washer is now in the cylinder. If that's the case, then the cylinder head will have to be removed to retrieve it.
 
galv garden wire at 1mm should be suitable or compressed air
 
Thank you all. Will I have to redrain the oil to get the air manifold off again? As I had refilled the freeland with oil?
 
i have one of these...best money ive ever spent,got 3 pick up tools that clip on the end.saved the day for me on a few occasions..most memorable being when i dropped something in the bellhousing on the lads alfa when i changed the engine...saved me having to pull it out again.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-4-TFT-L...80-Rotation-/231354214566?hash=item35ddc928a6
you can get them in the uk,aldi had them on offer 2 weeks ago.
Ohh my lord how cool is that.... makes mine look like a flaming hammer and tongs.
 
Are you 100% that it went in? I did something similar on a motorbike years ago and dropped a car screw into the inlet manifold, couldn't fish it out so I started stripping the motor down to find it on the back of the block.

Without wanting to sound a cock, a cylinder head strip and timing may be beyond you if you are unsure if you need to drop the oil to remove the inlet manifold. In your shoes if the head has to come off I would tow it to a garage or get someone mechanically minded to help you.
I don't mean any offence but a cylinder head is quite in depth and would need stripping without lining the timing to tdc now (as it would mean turning over the motor) and doing it when rebuilding
 
Another trick that sometimes work is using a nylon sock over top a shopvac and using that to suck up the piece that dropped.
 
that what I would use the vacuum cleaner with something like the wifes stocking over the end you will have it out in no time at all the things you dropped down that is!
 
What ever you do please stay clear of the blue tack method and there is a very good chance you will end up with blue tack in the port as well, if the washer can still be seen strong wire which as been bent over as an hook is best, if not hoover with extension but try and make a smaller suction end which is flexible maybe from a bike inner tube, put this over the end of the hoover round extension, while also using the nylon hose sock method incorporated, the bike tube will go further into the port hole hopefully reacking it good luck and please do report back your solution to this.
 

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