I can't belive I did this"

[son of 19]

Hoping someone can give me some Ideal" I was trying to time my 30-A stock engine. Had removed the # 1 plug and was looking for top dead center with a wooden pencil when it slip out of my hand and is laying on the far right side of the head.I tried to fish it out but it went out of sight. it has the medal tip. will it hurt anything? or will it spit it out of the exhaust?????????? thanks

[Jason in TX]

It's going to be hard for a straight pencil to slip past the valves, turn right angles and pop out the exhaust. Looks like you have to pull the head if you don't have any long needle nose pliars, or a small magnet on a string to grab the metal tip.

[MrTube]

I certainly wouldn't try to start it. My guess is you are going to have to pull the head.

I wouldn't be too upset over it. Everyone makes mistakes.

[Jason in TX]

Also, do you know about the timing pin on the front of the engine? You remove it, turn it around and crank the engine over. When it drops in the hole on the cam gear, you "should" be at top dead center.

This is a must read link on Timing the Model A Ford

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/timing.htm

Not sure if you are new to Model As or not, but this should be a pencil-less job.

[Russ/40]

I know if it was me, I would be persistent enough to get it out without pulling the head.
I'm just that stubborn. Try getting the piston high enough, but not all the way up, to be able to fish it out. I would attach a small magnet to the end of some firm wire, so you can steer it around without the wire bending as the magnet tries to stick to the cylinder walls. A small doughnut magnet on the end of some brazing rod would work. Get the metal end in sight and fish it out with a hemostat. You may have to break it to get it out. With persistence and luck, you will prevail!

[Jim Boehmke]

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I would do the opposite. Take piston to Bottom dead center. Then start inventing "grabbers" Wires with sticky stuff on the end and I think you'll have er out in 5 minutes

[JunkOSC]

Use the ol' bubble gum on the end of the wire trick.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I'm with Russ, I'd keep at it until I had it out without pulling the head. I'd bend a wire and keep feeling for the pencil and try to pull it to the plug hole, Either a bent wire or wire with a magnet should work.

[FL&WVMIKE]

SON OF 19 ...............
More than likely, the metal end will be non-magnetic. It will, probably be aluminum or brass. If you can break it and get the biggest pieces and metal out, the rest will, MAYBE, just burn up or crush enough to exit out the exhaust. The graphite might even be good for it. You can tell yourself that, anyway. LOL !
Of course, the best solution is to remove the head.
GOOD LUCK !
MIKE

[V4F]

try flex mechanical fingers ......................

[ivoryjohn]

Sorry guys....99% of pencils have an eraser collar that is aluminium or thin brass and as such is NON MAGNETIC. I don't believe graphite is magnetic either. You may have some success with hemostats or some sticky substance on a stick but more than likely the head has got to come off.

Don't panic, pulling the head is just a little work and will give you a peak at your valves and how they are doing. If your head doesn't pop right off for you and most don't, remember the "Indian rope trick" and feed a couple of lengths down the spark plug holes of the cylinders and slowly turn the engine over. The pencil may be in the way and be broken but the head will pop right up or so has been my experience the one time I tried this.

Good luck.

[Louis]

I have seen some very long skinny needle nose plyers at places like harbor fright.
If you can see the pencil with a flash light you might be able to get a grip on it.
What about slowley useing the hand crank to raise the cly. untill you can get some kind of grip on the pen. then lower the cly. for more room to pos. the pen.?... Just a thought. Cood luck.

[allen]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

SON OF 19 ...............
More than likely, the metal end will be non-magnetic. It will, probably be aluminum or brass. If you can break it and get the biggest pieces and metal out, the rest will, MAYBE, just burn up or crush enough to exit out the exhaust. The graphite might even be good for it. You can tell yourself that, anyway. LOL !
Of course, the best solution is to remove the head.
GOOD LUCK !
MIKE

With mike on this break it up as much as possible, set it on tdc the right way with the pin use a blower to blow in the plug hole bet you lots will come out the the rest sould exit with no damage

[Mikeinnj]

Try a shop vac with a smaller hose taped to the large vacume hose. Stick the small hose in the spark plug hole and swish it around....

[son of 19]

Thanks.It's setting on tdc now I like the air trick I wil try it. I am not a new to model A -s. just did a dumb thing.I don't want to pull the head But I will. I will let you know how it turn out.son of 19

[son of 19]

All good ideal's thanks

[son of 19]

Ya" I clean a 1931 gas tank one time with shop vac and hose work real good. took me 2 wks I had forgot this little trick.I think the longer I live the less I remember.

[Richard Wilson]

Wrap some 2-sided tape or masking tape sticky side out around a piece of coat hanger or welding wire. I bet you will have the pencil out in just a couple minutes. I have fished some strange things out of some strange places with this method.

[Roger V]

Like most of the others, I would try everything before pulling the head. If you know someone who has one of those camera probes like http://www.harborfreight.com/digital...era-67979.html
it might help in locating and determining how to get it. I borrowed one once when we were not sure that something had fallen in an open transmission. Worked great.

[Dave27]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

Try a shop vac with a smaller hose taped to the large vacume hose. Stick the small hose in the spark plug hole and swish it around....

I was going to say a shop vac too...LOL...I think a shop vac would do it.