I removed my cylinder head from my D16Z6 today, and one of the head gasket alignment dowel pins promptly dropped out of the head. I heard it clink once and I absolutely could not find it anywhere, so I suspect it’s dropped down one of the oil passages. I can’t find any information about which holes in the cylinder deck are what. Prime suspect is the large hole on the intake side that lies directly behind the head bolt hole between cylinders 3 and 4. Anyone know if this leads straight to the oil pan?

Also, can the dowel be fished out with a magnet? Thanks.

 

I would be tempted to drag a magnet and see what you find!

 

I believe the dowels are magnetic.

 

Yes, the dowel pins are magnetic, so drag a magnet across the bottom of the oil pan and see if you can get it to grab it. If so, you MAY be able to fish it out through the drain plug hole, although it will be tight since the diameter of the dowel pin and the threaded hole are nearly the same size. If you cannot get it out there, you will have to drop the pan.

 

I'm not sure that will work. The baffling in the bottom of the steel Z6 oil pan will prevent the dowel from ever reaching the drain hole. As well the steel of the pan itself will make a magnet kind of ineffective on the dowel.

I just put my oil pan up tonight and noticed you can't see the drain plug hole nor is the gaps arround the baffle large enough to allow a dowel to pass to the cavity under the baffle.

Just took a pic of one of my other oil pans and there is only a super slim chance and that is if the dowel went into the oil dipstick hole, which if the dipstick is in place wouldn't happen. And trying to work it to the hole is super slim being it's in the baffle which is raised off the oil pan so magnets would be even less likely to affect the dowel.

 

Did you end up finding this?
I remember when I was rebuilding my B I could not find these after getting the head back from the shop.
Drove me crazy looking!
They were tucked away in a little bag that I forgot I had...