[fivestarstudios396]

Chalk this one up to stupidity!
I have been wanting a second water temp gauge in my 68 SS396, so I found a cool mechanical gauge and sender to use with my console gauge as well-
Upon installing it, I realized the little brass "finger" or about a 4 inch sender attatched to the cable was too long-
To make the story short, it broke off inside my head, and is just sitting down there-
The only opening is the spot for the brass plug, I can get my pinky in there and can feel it, but I'm wondering if there are any suggestions for getting this out???
I do not want to crank the car now, for fear of this piece of metal ruining my engine..........I hope removing the head is not the only way, what about removing the header??


S.O.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks guys-

JW

 

[Eric Kammerer]

JW -

Removing the header won't help. the sender nubbin is in the water jacket, which isn't open to anything but the cooling system.

I know I'm going to sound like Mr. Science here, but you may want to try a "rare earth" magnet. Regular magnets only pick up ferrous metals, but others like brass can be snagged with rare earth. I use huge RE mags in processing military debris to pick brass cartiridge casings. Might be worth a shot here.

The link below has tiny RE mags, and you could probably epoxy or tape one onto a small bolt or screwdriver.

http://www.forcefieldmagnets.com/ca...id=34&osCsid=6203064357007023ca28e7a280f13bef

 

[fivestarstudios396]

Thanks for that link, I'll check on those tommorow-
Do you think it's safe to crank the car?
I'm now of course in the worse possible place to be parked, but that's the way it always is, right!!!???


Thanks again,
JW

 

[Buzz0]

If you have enough room to feel it with a finger why don't you try this. Get a coat hanger or something else that will reach the nubbin. Wrap the end of it with some tape stick side out, like duct tape and see if you can get it out like that. Even some thick sticky grease might do the trick. Good luck!

 

[Eric Kammerer]

I wouldn't fire it, because the cooling system flow could push it somewhere you won't be able to get it from.

 

[Steptoe]

I wouldn't fire it, because the cooling system flow could push it somewhere you won't be able to get it from.

All sorts of stuff gets in the system...from corroded broken reenforcement spring in the bottom water hose to bits of frost plugs.
They either end up in the bottom of water galleries or the radiator, If they ever manage their way past the thermost and thru the raditor cores. What is left over is too small to do any damage in the water pump.

 

[Camaro Dave]

The magnet sounds like the best deal. I wouldn't start the motor either, because it will force the piece of metal where you'll never get it out and will cause problems later on. I have a tool with fingers that is used to extract parts from tight areas. If you have some Mechanical fingers, they might fit down the hole to pull the piece out. Just a thought.

 

[Ratpack]

I agree with CamaroDave, I have a flexible tool that has fingers that open when you push the button, and retract when you let off..if you can insert it with the small jaws open, then grab the piece, you can pull it out. Don't fire the motor, for sure. I got this flexible extractor at Sears...very handy piece to have for the non magnetic things that drop.

 

[67pat]

Someone suggested the tape or sticky grease thing...I have had some luck with a 1/4" drive extension with some blue form- a - gasket or silicon on the end of it.That stuff is pretty sticky and you might be able to get enough of a grab on it to at least get it closer to the hole...good luck

 

[fivestarstudios396]

Well guys thanks so much for all of the ideas, I tried them all, including Rare Earth Magnets, which I had a few of, Craftsman mechanical jaws, which I purchased, other dental tools, etc-
All I managed to do was get the brass piece pushed down in the head where now it cannot be felt at all-
Getting it out through the temp sender hole was futile anyway, it was not coming out, period-
Now my dillemma continues....Do I crank it to move it where I can pull the head off, or not??? That is the question!

 

[wiskeesour]

Ok, grab the front bumper close to the driver headlight, take your right hand and grab the rocker panel on the drivers side, lift the car up and shake it out.

Any one else need a problem solved, let me know.

your welcome.

 

[wiskeesour]

Ok, grab the front bumper close to the driver headlight, take your right hand and grab the rocker panel on the drivers side, lift the car up and shake it out.

Any one else need a problem solved, let me know.

your welcome.

It took me awhile to write this. I was laughing the whole time(although not at ANYONE'S expense). I am at a loss to help this guy. Everything I would suggest has already been tried.

 

[jr68]

Can you take a shop vac and funnel down the hose with rubber tubing and duct tape then put it in the hole and suck it out, check the vac later to see if you got it.

 

[dragracinrs]

I have had some luck with butyl Tape. you can get it at an rv store and you may be able to make a loop on a coat hanger put a small amount on the loop and go fishin. I use that stuff to hold bolts,nuts or what ever in sockets ect.

I wouldn't use a big ball of it just in case it falls off in the head.
Shop vacc. with smaller fuel line may pull it back to you as well.

 

[Steptoe]

The above given me a further idea
Pot a blob of epoxy glue on it, then press a piece of steel or something up against it and leave till the expoxy goes off....next day.

 

[Camaro Dave]

Can you take a shop vac and funnel down the hose with rubber tubing and duct tape then put it in the hole and suck it out, check the vac later to see if you got it.

Jerry, I think your idea really "sucks", but it might work!!! Lol

 

[Eric Kammerer]

I assume the cooling system isn't full at this point? If you put a plug in the sender hole, filled the sytem with water, and then removed the plug from the sender hole, you might get enough flow toward that hole to at least move the nubbin back where you can reach it (maybe even lucky enough that it would flow into the hole again).

I was just filling my system yesterday, and had to pull my sender out during mid fill. You get pretty good velocity coming out that small hole. I don't know if it will be enough to move the nubbin toward the hole, and it will be messy, but it might be worth a shot.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Well, it's everyone against Steptoe so I'm going to agree with him. Just leave it. The worst that is likely to happen is that it partially blocks a coolant hole. It might tell you by running hotter there but you'll probably never know it. :noway: If you want to play around with heads, come to my house. They're ready to go back to the shop after I've been doing more porting.:yes:

 

[jr68]

Jerry, I think your idea really "sucks", but it might work!!! Lol

 

[Farm Boy]

Screw a plug into the hole and forget about it. That little piece of metal in the head won’t hurt a thing. Coolant circulates from the block up to the heads. There is almost no chance it will overcome the flow and end up down in the block. If the coolant does manage to move the thing it will travel toward the thermostat. If it’s small enough to get past the thermostat it will end up in the radiator tank.