I was removing the bolt on the side of the cam chain cover and dropped it into the crankcase . I've tried fishing it out with a magnet, but no luck there. Has anyone else done this? Could I get to it by pulling the clutch cover off? Should I just slam my head into a wall and cuss at the bolt? Any sugestions would be appreciated?

Matt

 

Here's My Sign

 

Flip the bike upside-down and shake

 

ouch, that sucks. So you dropped it on the front or rear cylinder? and you are positive it went down the cam chain tunnel? If the front cylinder, so on the left side if I'm thinking right, you could remove the clutch slave, left crankcase, alternator/stator and flywheel. Not all that easy but do-able and then you'd be at the bottom of the cam chain. On the right side of the bike you'd have to get the clutch out and then probbably have enough room to find it. another plan might be to go to the bottom and take the drain pan off and see if it made it all the way down - I can't recall how circuitous the route is to the bottom however. Good luck

 

A long shot but if you can use the magnet to magnetize a piece of coat hanger you may be able to catch it - kinda like magnetizing a screwdriver... you may have to leave the magnet on the coat hanger for it to have enough pull.

They also make those flexible tools with a magnet on the end.

http://www.buntingmagnetics.com/mag-main-flex.cfm

 

Sorry I forgot to mention it fell down the rear cam chain tunnel. The clutch / transmissoin is right below the rear cylinder.

 

Keep in mind I'm not that familiar with the SH yet but:

When I dropped a bolt in the pan of my car I was able to use a large magnet and move it to an easier place to then use a flexible magnet to pull it out. I was quite fortunate that the pan the bolt was in wasn't magnetic, but the bolt was.

 

Is the clutch cover gasket re-usable?

 

This may be dumb and I don't know how the engine is put together without my manual... but any chance it could fall into the oil pan? If so... possible shake or knock it into the pan or close where you can grab it from the bottom, and drop the pan to retrieve it.

J.

 

Try one of those pen-style extendable magnets. Be patient, you'll get it eventually.

 

no. its paper and at least not intended to be used again.

 

Not really, it usually brake apart. But instead of the gasket you could use gasket silicone. Works for me.

 

I'm sure by now you've tried every magnet you could. Those strong pickup magnets on an extendable handle are great if you don't have to go to far or around any corners. Some time ago I had a similar emergency as yours and had to come up with a better pickup magnet.

Using a very small but very strong neodymium ring magnet epoxied on the end of a long piece of brazing wire allowed me to go where no magnet could ever reach before.

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=R313

Good luck

 

sears also sells a small magnet mounted on flexible brazing type wire.

let us know if you are successful getting this out.

 

Try removing the oil pan first. Removing the clutch cover involves draining they coolant system since the water pump is part of it.

It didn't fall in the trans if that makes you feel any better. It's a V so as it fell it also rolled forward into the crankcase.

BTW, I get those calenders to give as Christmas presents. They are priceless and everybody loves 'em. My favorite: "Leaders are like Eagles. We don't have either around here."

 

I got it! Unfortunately it was after I removed the oil pan to find it wasn't in there . It was below the cct on top of a gear at the rear of the engine. I used a 1" extendable inspection mirror to find it and a magnet to retrieve it. Now I can get back to my valve adjustment. At least I could clean the oil pan in the parts washer while it was off.

 

Glad you got it, these incidents really set me off, the easy one hour job stretched to a multiple days PITA. I know the feeling...

 

Everytime I do somethign like that and am at the start point deciding, "should I stick a rag down in there in case I drop a bolt", occassionally I say nah, I wont' drop it, then I get a close call or read about it. ITs a good reminder of how to save myself a 2 day waste of time. Glad you were able to get it out.

 

Glad you were able to get it out.
I HOPED MY idea would help.
i was gonna recmend that tool @ sears, where it has a light at the end to loook into engines/walls/ [get your mind out the gutter].

a.a.m.o.f let me know how that valve adjust goes,i might do it.

not that i want to. but the hawk says '' YOU and only YOU NEED TO"