Dropped dowel pin down by crankshaft

I messed up bad. I was bolting my camshafts back into place, and I managed to drop a dowel pin down into the slit in the middle of the engine where the cam chain goes. I could see it down there at first, and tried to get it with a magnet, a grabber, and some wire, but now it moved and I'm not sure I can find it anymore.

Tomorrow I plan to take the camshafts back out to make it easier to see and work. Any advice on how to get this thing out? I've never been further than this into an engine so I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking at all the way down there. If I have to take the engine apart further to get it, would I need any replacement gaskets or anything?

 

Can you get a small borescope camera the one that connects to a mobile phone or laptop you could tape to stout wire. With the cams out and the non tensioner cam chain guide removed you may be able to look left and right. Worth a try.

Engine apart is the last option. You can split the crankcase without removing the cylinder head and camshafts. Is the engine out of the frame?

 

oh no...Invest in a small flexible magnet, is it laying in the bottom of the oil pan ?
If so try going though the oil drain plug and the access being the clutch cover if need be.

 

DO NOT TURN THE MOTOR OVER. There is a very good possibility that it is between the cam chain and the sprocket on the crankshaft. You DO need to get the cams out of the way; with a decent small extension magnet and a good flashlight you should be able to fish it out. You can also safely remove the front cam chain guide if need be. If it made it to the sump, you may be able to fish it out through the oil drain plug hole.

DO NOT go pulling the motor apart just yet. And don't turn it over unless you are looking right at the dowel pin and only need to turn it a fraction. Last thing you want to do is squish it between the cam chain and lower sprocket.

Even if you have to get into serious disassembly, it's not a case-splitting situation. Worst case scenario you drop the sump.

 

Where exactly is the passage that leads to the sump in this area? I'm sorry, I'm not super familiar with the lower parts of the engine

 

the sump would also be called an oil pan it is the bottom of the motor. passage would be oil drain bolt in the front of sump

 

And it can be removed (if needed, which is yet to be determined) while the engine is in the frame, and without tipping the bike over.

 

My apologies; yes, the sump is the oil pan. The entire bottom of the motor is "open" above it, so if the pin didn't get caught on the cam chain, guide, or other internal bit, then it will be in the oil pan/sump.

Two notes about removal: Yes, it can be removed with the motor in the frame, but this requires removal of the exhaust system. You'll want to replace the rubber bushings on the collector box mount. You'll also need a new oil pan gasket. This is also why I recommend a fishing expedition with an extension magnet through the drain plug hole first.

If you do end up dropping the sump, be aware of and careful with the low oil pressure switch lead; the switch is located in the bottom of the sump. You need to get the lead wire out from under its retainer, then follow it up and unplug it from the harness to avoid ripping it clean off when you take the sump off.

 

Here is a picture of my lower crankcase on my 900f with the oil pan or sump removed, where the motor is open as bigfitz stated.

 

I would get one of the super thin magnets on an extendable handle. (looks like a skinny magnet on the end of a transistor radio antenna), and fish all round in there al lot before doing anything else. DAMHIKT

 

That or epoxy a neodymium magnet to a length of wire (loop the wire over the magnet before applying the epoxy). Easier to bend into shapes that will go almost everywhere in the sump. It may even be possible to get past some of the baffles that way.

 

I tried using all the tools I had to get the pin out through the engine, and none of them with fit into the oil sump. I couldn't see the pin in the engine anymore, so I decided to take the pan off. The pin wasn't in there, and so today I plan to try figuring out where the passages in the bottom of the engine where the pan was go and hopefully I'll get the pin out. My pan gasket was in terrible shape and broke into pieces as I removed the pan. I'd be fine just ordering a new gasket, but I also have gasket maker. Can I achieve good results using just gasket maker for this gasket?

 

Seriously? Was removing the sump so much fun you want to do it again?

I would leave the pan off until you find the pin. You may dislodge it poking about. IT MAY be sitting on top of the Hi-Vo chain or some other spot, and if it drops through, you want it to drop out, not into the sump you just reinstalled with a new gasket.

A mirror will help here too...

 

It may have bounced onto the floor, or it got caught on the outside of the engine, too. Also, are you sure it’s not swimming in one of the oil puddles by the Cam lobes?

 

I'm positive I dropped it down the center cam well. I could see it down there on top of the cam chain until I tried to fish it out with some wire and touching it moved it somewhere I couldn't see anymore.

 

Long shot but there is a plate bolted to the inside of the sump is it stuck in under that?

 

I think it's on top of the primary chain. If you look up into the bottom of the motor with the sump off, you will see not only the bottom of the cam chain wrapped around the crank, but a much larger, wider, multi-row chain wrapped around the crank next to it. I think it's sitting on the Hi-Vo chain, next to the crank on whichever side (front or rear) of the galley it went down, probably the rear. It's one of the only places I can think of that could catch it where you couldn't see it. And you could have easily knocked it there off the adjacent camshaft sprocket.

Just for giggles, have you tried leaning the bike way over to one side, then the other, to see if it drops through/out? Start by leaning it to the right... and hold it leaned over for a minute, in case the thing is stuck in oil and it takes a sec to fall away. Repeat to the left if unsuccessful, try to the right again.

I'm assuming the sump is still off and your work area is suitable for you to be able to tell if it does fall through? It's likely oil soaked so won't go "plink."

 

I'm somewhat confused by these responses. I can get a glimpse I think of the two chains bigfitz is talking about through one small hole near the front of the inside of the sump. I'll attach some pictures so you guys can see what I'm looking at and tell me if I didn't remove something I should have.

I tried leaning the bike right-left-right-left as far as I could on the center stand, and it didn't fall out.

After looking down the chain well some more, I can tell you that before, the pin was resting right in front of the crankshaft on top of the chain. It's definitely still in there somewhere. I tried wiggling the chain around and pulling it both ways around the crankshaft, but the pin didn't fall out.

Sorry about the terrible pictures, there's not much space to work under there.

 

no, you're good. My bad, I forgot the damn oil pump and all that crap is in the way.

What sort of "magnet on a stick" are you using? I have one similar to this, and it is strong enough to snag anything loose in its proximity.

 

You can get flexible ones for going round corners. I have the telescopic magnet too. One of the cheapest most useful tools on the market