I had a Timesert installation pretty much wrapped up on the #3 plug hole. I was removing the coil bolt (the coil had sheared right off of it when the plug blew). Got it loose and the brass bushing fell off right into the open fuel injector port. Couldn't have done it myself in a hundred tries, but there it went right down that hole. Magnet won't work naturally because the piece was brass.

I haven't seen one of these with the intake/heads off and don't know how they are ported....does anyone know where this bushing may have ended up? It fell into the hole forward of the #3 plug, so I assume that is the #3 port. Should it just be sitting straight down from the port? Is it possible it could have made it all the way to the cylinder if the valve was open enough? If it did I could get it back up through the spark plug hole with a claw/grabber tool.

If it is somewhere in between, I don't think it is small enough to come back up through the injector port with any kind of apparatus attached to it so I am looking at a disassembly I'm sure.

I gave up after a late night and haven't taken a good look at it, but hoping of for some advice on a place to start. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

('01 Lightning)

 

Yes to all the above.if you are lucky it went ontop of a closed valve.if not then it could find its way into the cyl.I would not roll the motor over and find someone who has a bore scope then look down the cylinder hole and maybe you will see it if so or even in the intake this works.put a good amount of thick grease on the end of a screwdriver or anything NON magnetic and stab the bushing with it the grease will hold the bushing till you can get it out of the hole or port.Stan

 

HI!... Spend the time and pull the intake manifold off and get the bushing out. At worst you might have to buy a few gaskets. The intake gaskets are re-usable. It's better to waste your time then damage your engine and then waste a ton more money..............

 

Hey, simple! Flip the truck upside down and shake it!

For real though, can you get a vacuum cleaner in there? Maybe tape some fish tank hose onto a shop vac, and send it into any ports/holes where the little bugger fell? Just keep a filter on the hose so you know for sure you got it out.

If that doesn't work, just get a brass magnet! ok, I'll stop now!

 

Thank you all for the pointers.

It was on top of the closed valve, I could see it in there with a mirror/flashlight (poor man's borescope). I tried the vacuum, but even if I nabbed it there was no way it was coming back up through the hole sideways.

Finally snagged it with a flex-claw grabber tool horizontally, (2 person job, one spotting, one working the claw) very luckily pulled it against the edge of the injector hole and snapped it vertical still in the grasp. Wouldn't fit that way either with the claw around it, so while holding it vertically we inserted a wire with a hook on the end of it through the bushing. Released the claw and pulled that baby up out of the hole with the wire.

Then promptly cracked a beer.

I was five minutes from starting to tear into a manifold removal, so I was pretty happy.

So now if anyone ever blows a coil pack right off the mount and drops the bushing in the fuel port, you know what to do. Or just tape off all the holes and don't worry about it.