I dropped a washer. It fell around the lifter and disappeared around the cam shaft. I had taken my manifold off. I can't reach it with a magnet retriever. Help.:mad:

Probably down in pan or landed on the windage tray if you have one. If you know its in the pan, you could leave it or pull pan. Your choice. .
You could also try to fish in the pan thru the drain plug with magnet or something , just to make shure its at the bottom too. Don't feel bad, I heard of a guy that left a set of pliers in upper valley area.

So, it could have gone down to the oil pan?

Ken,
I have one thing to say and only one thing ....... if you dont find it, dont even turn the engine over until you do.

Pull the drain plug out of the pan and fish around with a small magnet. If it want all the way to the pan that might get it out.

If you dont find it, time to take it apart :(

How about this one. You would think changing and intake would be relatively easy. Job finished and go to start it up. I noticed a slight rap before it fired. So I took out the plugs and turn it over by hand. I could feel a rub when # 7 was at TDC. Took off the cylinder head and low and behold a 1/8" square piece of metal had embedded on the top of the piston in the quench just above the ring land. After a total engine dissembly, scrap one expensive Forge Piston. I had lock washers on the intake bolts and a tip had broken off one. Apparently it fell into #7 intake when I lifted the intake off. NEVER AGAIN will I use Lock Washers on Intake Bolts. Lucky the valve seat was not touched.

pull the plug on the pan, drag a magnet from front of pan to back until you see it in the drain plug hole then figure out how to get it out.

I would drain the oil and then with another bucket under the pan I would dump a few gallons of clean solvent in from the spot where the washer fell. Followed by air.

pull the plug on the pan, drag a magnet from front of pan to back until you see it in the drain plug hole then figure out how to get it out.

Good point! Will the washer fit through the drain hole?

Ken,
I have one thing to say and only one thing ....... if you dont find it, dont even turn the engine over until you do.

Pull the drain plug out of the pan and fish around with a small magnet. If it want all the way to the pan that might get it out.

If you dont find it, time to take it apart :(
I have one thing to say also.

DITTO!