Don't try this at home!

[Dan Jones]

Yesterday, I was setting the lifter pre-load on the Rover V8 in my
Triumph TR8.  The engine has adjustable pushrods and I was using
bent wire gauges under the lifter snap rings to measure the pre-load,
shooting for 30 thousandths cold.  I decide it will be easier if I
disassemble the wire gauge tool to use the individual wires.  I set-up
my magnetic dish so nothing will fall in the engine but I still managed
to drop one of the wires inside the engine.  It sounded like it fell on
top of the windage tray.  I tried fishing a magnet around but the cam
and lifters were in the way so I pulled the engine all back apart
but still couldn't find it.  I poured 5 quarts of oil through it trying
to flush it out.  No such luck.  Got out the cherry picker and hooked
up a chain so I could pull the motor mount bolts out and drop the pan.
Found it.  It had dropped on top of the oil pan baffle.  No way I
could have fished it out the drain plug hole.  Bugger!  In retrospect,
duct tape over the cam windows would have kept this from happening.
Now I'm going to have to clean off the cam, lifters and timing chain
and re-lube before re-install.  Probably should give the oil pan another
coat of paint before putting it back on.

Dan Jones

[NixVegaGT]

LOL! Yeah man. I have been there.