Alright, so I installed some helicoils on my valve cover bolts, everything went well, then a single coil wasn't threading all the way in. I screwed it out carefully with a screwdriver because the first thread was bent, I cut the extra two threads, and since it didn't work, I installed another that did. However, as I was pulling out the damaged coil with pliers it flew straight up and went right into the hole right next to the front right valve bolt.

I'm thinking it was just a small m6-1.00 coil and it will just break apart if I start the engine. I'm also thinking that's a bad idea, where does that hole lead to? Cause it fell straight down, I don't even see it with a flashlight. Could I just take off my headers, or maybe the oil pan to get it out? Is there a way to take off the head without disassembling everything inside if not?

I've been working on this 97 honda accord vtec 4 cylinder (f22b1), for about 10 years, I have every bolt on, except a new exhaust and some lights. Please, someone, help me come up with a solution where I don't have to rebuild my engine yet... especially since now all I have to do is put gas in it...

 

Pics..pics..can you run a magnet down the hole?

 

I would hope if you take the oil pan off, you can manually rotate the engine a few times to get the piece to fall out.

 

I have a magnet, but its too big to fit down (about half inch). You can't see it at all, it sounded like a plinko disc dropped, then it landed loudly on a piece of metal. The reason why I want to know where that hole goes, is because it either landed right on top of a cylinder, or right in the pan, maybe it got stuck inside the oil pressure. I actually don't know much about rebuilding engines, I can do anything but that. I used to have a friend that was going to teach me, and help me swap out the engine, but that never worked out, its just me, and my small pocketbook, getting this thing running.

I'm going to try a camera scope, then put one of those 3 pronged grabbers in another hole to reach it if I can find it, best case scenario. Then if that doesn't work, I'll drop the oil pan, even though I have brand new amsoil in it. My worst case scenario, I'll have to take it apart, and pray it works when I put it back together.

Any other options or tips would be great.

 

A pic of what hole it went down would be helpful..you can buy a magnet like the one with the three prong grabber..looks just like it but has a magnet instead of the three prong tip...I dont see it going into cylinder only if the spark plug was out of it..

 

Any of those holes in the cylinder head, under the valve cover, drain down into the oil pan. You would be best to drain your new oil into a clean container and remove the oil pan if you really feel the need to get it out.

That being said, if you install a magnetic drain plug it might pick it up after time. It will not get sucked up into the oil pump nor will it end up getting into the crank shaft, unless you turn the engine upside down. Once it is in the bottom of the oil pan, that is were it will stay. Until you remove the pan to get it out.

 

Alright, got the oil pan off, realized it was damaged, got a new pan, gaskets, and headers. Now, I can't find the Torque specs, or the sequence for my oil pan. Btw, the metal coil was at the bottom of the pan so that problems solved. I'd really like a quick reply if possible, I'm working on it today to put everything together, I don't always have the time to do it.

 

Maybe the torque specs on the headers to the block as well? Thank you in advance.