I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

[DOLadd69]

I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

While winterizing my 1998 Mercury 115 HP outboard, the black plastic tube on the fogging oil can poped off and disappeared into the spark plug hole of the third cylinder from the top. (in line 4 cyl engine) I probbed with some light wire and did not feel anything. I used a shop vacuum to draw it out of the cylinder and nothing came out. I suspect that it may have fallen down into one of the exhaust ports or something. Is there anything I can do short of taking the heads off?
Any way that it could work its way down the exhaust side? I don't yet have an engine manual so Im guessing here. One thing for certain is that I can't try and start the engine until I get that plastic out of it!

 

[halfmoa]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Taking the head off is probably the easiest place to start but I'd say it didn't make it that far. If you can borrow/rent a borescope camera that'll give you the best chance of finding it without disassembling your engine.

Also, shop vac sparks + fuel vapor = BOOM We used to buy cheap vaccuums from rummage sales and set them in a pail of gas, back off 200 feet and turn it on by plugging in the extention cord. Shrapnel everywhere. Please don't do that again!

 

[robert graham]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

While winterizing my 1998 Mercury 115 HP outboard, the black plastic tube on the fogging oil can poped off and disappeared into the spark plug hole of the third cylinder from the top. (in line 4 cyl engine) I probbed with some light wire and did not feel anything. I used a shop vacuum to draw it out of the cylinder and nothing came out. I suspect that it may have fallen down into one of the exhaust ports or something. Is there anything I can do short of taking the heads off?
Any way that it could work its way down the exhaust side? I don't yet have an engine manual so Im guessing here. One thing for certain is that I can't try and start the engine until I get that plastic out of it!

Maybe crank the engine over slowly by hand using the big nut on top of the flywheel until that piston is at top dead center...that means the plastic stray is confined to a very tight area of the combustion chamber and maybe you can retrieve it through the spark plug hole. A piece of wire with some duct tape on the end can provide a "sticky" retriever. I wouldn't want to remove a head for something like that!...truth is, you could probably just crank the motor up and let it "eat the plastic tube" and spit it out the exhaust. Good Luck!

 

[DOLadd69]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Taking the head off is probably the easiest place to start but I'd say it didn't make it that far. If you can borrow/rent a borescope camera that'll give you the best chance of finding it without disassembling your engine.

Also, shop vac sparks + fuel vapor = BOOM We used to buy cheap vaccuums from rummage sales and set them in a pail of gas, back off 200 feet and turn it on by plugging in the extention cord. Shrapnel everywhere. Please don't do that again!

I hadn't thought about that although I had run all of the gasoline out of the engine before trying the vacuum. I also had tried blowing through the intake manifold too. In the end I have decided to take it to a dealer that has one of those cameras. I'll probably be sore when I see the bill! $$$$$

 

[DOLadd69]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Good idea on using a manual crank. I actually turned the ignition safety switch to safe (so no spark) and tuched the starter very quickly. No sign of the straw. As for chewing it up I am most worried about the plastic melting and sticking to critical metal surfaces inside the engine. Imagine what it could do to the rings of that piston. It might even catch fire if it got hot enough.

 

[MacDaddy21]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

DOLadd69, If you have one of those skinny wire "claw grabber" tools, I would try that. It is small enough to fit in the spark plug hole and should be able to grab the straw after a couple tries.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200382240_200382240

 

[KRS62]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

shop vac?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Re: I accidentally introduced a plastic "straw" into a cylinder - how do I remove?

Don't mean to sound simplistic, but "so what"? If you can fish it out ok. But I wouldn't loose any sleep on it....now if it were a SS bolt then by all means.

Mark