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Old 07-14-2013, 09:05 AM   #1
37coop
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Default retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

hi guys ,the title says it all , iswitched working on my 51 f1 to do a bit on my 39 coupe,i took the lid off the gearbox which is fully installed in the car to put the gear lever in ,I picked up one of the lid bolts and the washer slipped off the bolt into the hole,after 40 years of playing with cars and bikes I cant believe I would make such an error (I,m sure I,m not the first)I have fished around inside the box with a small powerfull magnet on a rod with no luck,i cant see it resting among the cogs ,I obviously cant leave it there ...any ideas ?....cheers ,jim.
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Old 07-14-2013, 09:16 AM   #2
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Remove the drain plug on the bottom and flush it out with Kerosene? Sounds like it was a small lockwasher, maybe? Turn the output shaft slowly while it's in neutral to make sure it's not lodged in a gear somewhere. Worth a try before you have to take it out to find the washer.
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Old 07-14-2013, 11:47 AM   #3
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Pull the drain plug and clean it thoroughly. Glue a magnet to it (JB Weld), the stronger the better. Put the box in neutral and turn what you can to make sure the washer dropped through. Get something flexible to try to stir around in the bottom of the trans. I've had a couple of early floor shift gear boxes apart and think I remember enough room to poke a brazing rod or something similar around. I broke a shifter detent spring on a motorcycle once and dropped part of the spring into the trans. This method worked for me. Worth a try?
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Old 07-14-2013, 02:50 PM   #4
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

thanks fella,s...I,v drained the oil and with a small beam torch saw the edge of it(small lockwasher) at the opposite side to,where it was dropped,luckily its on the bottom but I tried to use a slim magnetic screwdriver and its pushed just out of sight ,I,ll try in the morning with a more powerfull magnet on a telescopic ,trouble is it grips everything on the way down ,if that doesn't work both posted methods are certainly worth a try and one of them will work ...many thanks guys , the barn is a life saver ...cheers jim.
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Old 07-14-2013, 05:33 PM   #5
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

As it is a washer and round, could you try and hook it out with a carefully bent piece of welding wire or something similar?

I'd try that as the magnet hasn't worked so far.

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Old 07-14-2013, 05:43 PM   #6
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

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Would using the high pressure from an air compressor nozzle work in blowing it to a new, and possibly, more retrievable location inside the case?
Just an idea not suggested yet.
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Old 07-14-2013, 08:28 PM   #7
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Here is a Red Green solution. Drain your oil and water, then find a friend with a rotisserrie.
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Old 07-14-2013, 08:38 PM   #8
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

perrysmith.... you got it!
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Old 07-14-2013, 08:53 PM   #9
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

You can buy a flexible magnet that is shielded and will not stick to as much. The local auto or tool store should have one.
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Old 07-14-2013, 09:40 PM   #10
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Can you go up thru the drain plug with a magnet on the end of stiff wire? If not just wash it down with solvent.
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Old 07-14-2013, 09:45 PM   #11
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

I have a dental pick that has retrieved several misplaced items. I also have much better luck early in the morning after a restful sleep. Good luck you will get it eventually.
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Old 07-15-2013, 05:42 PM   #12
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

wow guys wasn't expecting so much interest, it was 90 hot in lil old England today so I was hot and bothered so I kept away from cars .tomorrow I,v got the plan of a good night sleep as woody suggested and first try the magnet early when its cooler , ,I tried the bent wire and sadly got it part way up and it dropped out of sight ,I will try the flushing thing and maybe the air line but it might fly up into the gears at the moment its on the bottom ,if all else fails I,ll just continuously flush ,,it will come out eventually,cheers,thanks jim.
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Old 07-15-2013, 05:51 PM   #13
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

you can magnetize a screwdriver or most any metal rod by wrapping electrical wire round and round it then touch both ends of the wire to opposite battery posts,just a spark will do.then you have a magnetized rod of your preferred size and length
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Old 07-15-2013, 06:40 PM   #14
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

any way you can work the washer to drain hole rather than trying to pull up??....as others suggest??..Mike
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Old 07-16-2013, 08:29 AM   #15
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

YEEES...washer out, the magnet did it , a nice early start when it was cool(we are having a heatwave here at the moment)...I got a bent braizing rod to the bottom near where I last saw it and slowly moved it to the side several times till I got a peek at it then the telescopic magnet (taped the joints so it was rigid) and relief ,a silly thing to do and lesson learned...thank you all so much for your advice, my imagination kicked in and I thought the worst ...GREAT support from the barn as always ,thanks again ,cheers jim.
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Old 07-16-2013, 08:43 AM   #16
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Quote:
Originally Posted by 37coop View Post
hi guys ,the title says it all , iswitched working on my 51 f1 to do a bit on my 39 coupe,i took the lid off the gearbox which is fully installed in the car to put the gear lever in ,I picked up one of the lid bolts and the washer slipped off the bolt into the hole,after 40 years of playing with cars and bikes I cant believe I would make such an error (I,m sure I,m not the first)I have fished around inside the box with a small powerfull magnet on a rod with no luck,i cant see it resting among the cogs ,I obviously cant leave it there ...any ideas ?....cheers ,jim.
I just went through taking the intake manifold off of my 35 PU because I thought I had dropped a washer down the throat of the intake. I didn't feel very strongly that I HAD dropped it, but didn't want to take the chance. I HADN'T DROPPED IT DOWN THE INTAKE. Found it under the truck AFTER I went through all that.
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Old 07-16-2013, 02:24 PM   #17
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

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Originally Posted by Lawson Cox View Post
I just went through taking the intake manifold off of my 35 PU because I thought I had dropped a washer down the throat of the intake. I didn't feel very strongly that I HAD dropped it, but didn't want to take the chance. I HADN'T DROPPED IT DOWN THE INTAKE. Found it under the truck AFTER I went through all that.
Lawson: I did the same thing years ago, A fresh built 3/8 stroker with new Jans pistones I could not afford, putting the second carb. on, and one lockwasher was missing, I had it all layed out, on the cawl. BOY did I thing about for quite some time ?? it was late at night, but I did pull the intake off, and there it was. in a port, could not get it out, with a wire, magnut, greese on wire ,?? put shop towel, one layer over, small tip vacuum cleaner pickup, and picked right out..... yes I did it too. .... OLD....BILL ........things you remember 1950's ??
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Old 07-16-2013, 11:14 PM   #18
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

Hi all, Great stuff Old...Bill!

IF having a very strong magnet would help, consider taking apart a non-important desktop computer hard drive. You'll need some small Torx bits, but you will find one or two amazingly strong magnets in there. Maybe putting a part of one of those magnets on the end of your drain plug would be helpful. Just sayin'

It sorta sounds like in this situation the stronger magnets are not being helpful.

-VT/JeffH
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Old 07-17-2013, 12:05 AM   #19
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

If you work on these old rigs you will lose something in the gear box. The locating pin in the shift tower sometimes drops in.

A few years ago after pulling a trans out of my truck to find that pin, I dicovered it could have been fished out thru the drain hole. Live and learn is the name of the game.
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Old 07-17-2013, 05:42 PM   #20
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Default Re: retrieve a washer dropped in the gearbox..cant believe i did it .

wow so its not only me...I guess we are clumsy the world over,tiredness is quite often the cause....not age ..no of course not..definitely not...certainly not .
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