440...nut in lower crankcase

[cscott]

I had the oil fill off my 440 for plating and believed I may have a small nut from the distributor drop in the opening...not positive ...send magnet in and came up empty flushed out crankcase and still nothing...my question is would this drop below the splash pan and not be concern or am I pulling the engine apart ? thanks chris

[frichie68]

No good answer for you but . . . a brass nut wouldn't stick to the magnet. Might be a brass nut?

[exeric]

Of course, it will torture you until you know for sure, and like Rich said; if it's a brass nut, a magnet won't pick it up. Only you can make the decision to pull the motor from the frame, but I think I would keep fishing through the filler hole first. Good luck.

[cscott]

thanks guys, the nut was steel cad plated....still hoping I find it on the floor...even tried an endoscope on a wire attached to computer couldn't see to much.chris

[cscott]

don't be shy ...tell me what you think...I wont be holding anyone liable ..thanks chris

[frichie68]

At my age I "lose" a lotta stuff. Sometimes I find it in an hour-or a week, sometimes it's gone into another dimension never to be found. I'd try the magnet trick on the end of a piece of wire and stick it in every nook and cranny on the bike and everywhere within 10 feet of the bike. And check my socks. Again. Probably wouldn't get much sleep worrying about it. I hope it turns up.

[pisten-bully]

You need to find it IMO. On the floor/ground wherever it could have gone....at least you've got magnetism working for you! If you don't find it outside, do what you can to find it inside...keep on looking until it's time to give up. When you reach that point, pull the sump and look.

Customer of mine broke off the tip of his dipstick, couldn't find it even though he searched thoroughly...complete with a video scan of the sump. Satisfied that the dipstick end was not in the sump he fired up his machine....and found the dipstick end. It lodged in the oil pump drive chain in the sump and the rest is history.

That's why I say find it!

[jim d]

If you go to Harbor Freight they sell a item with bar shaped like a C channel and a series of magnets between. It is used to hang hand tools from and is about 18" long. I put a handle on it out of electrical conduit and 2 little feet on the ends to raise it about 3/8" off of the floor. I then run it over the floor like a broom. A great way to find those small wayward parts. I had a plastic bag with a few small parts in it including a small flat spring that would have fit on the end of a pencil eraser. It was old, small and somehow fell out of the bag and I did not no when or where. But I found it with a little sweeping.
Jim D