I was tightening down the head studs and when I went and pulled the socket up the 10mm hex bit that was in it fell down....and went to the oil passage (stupid little screw didn't hold). So looking at the head from the bolt tightening sequence it fell down on the left oil passage from the #1 stud. I put a vacuum hose all the way down to feel it and it appears as though it went a long way (from the thud of it hitting I believe the oil pan when I hit it with the vacuum line). I am just confirming that the oil passage from the cylinder head goes to the oil pan...if it doesn't where does it go and am I screwed with this thing down there.

Thanks
Andy

get a magnetic extension and shove it down there... i have a perfect tool for this situation saved my ass many times...

I have an extendable magnet too. It only works if the passage is straight, obviously... You're welcome to borrow...

That's the oil drain from the head to the pan. I think you're probably right - it hit the pan. Problem is that it probably landed on top of the baffle, and didn't fall all the way down to the bottom, yet. It'll probably make it there after a few miles...

It's too large to do any damage to anything unless something physically hits it, which is possible but not very likely once it falls into the sump of the pan.

Once it's down there, you can probably get it out next oil change with a powerful magnet - stick it to the bottom of the pan and move it around. If the tool is down there, you'll drag it around the inside of the pan and you can coax it over to the drain hole. Might be able to stick one of your skinny little fingers up there and retrieve it.

If the magnet down the drain hole doesn't work, and you can't sleep at night knowing it's in there, you'll have to support the motor from above and remove the crossmember to be able to remove the pan. Or you can just start working on that B21F swap...

wtf?

I believe Matt meant to say the B21A +T swap...

I feel better, thanks Matt. I just didn't want have it do a bunch of damage and besides since i'm doing the synthetic swap I have to chagen the oil in a couple hundred km anyway (Dale I got 0w-50 and it was 23 bucks at walmart like you said for a flushing fluid). Ill go get another bit and finish my engine so I can race.

Yeah, sorry - that's what I meant.

The fog has lifted from my mind, these truly were not the droids I was looking for.

I love that sound.....the sweet sweet sound of an exhaust with not much to it....plus the sound of my engine running again. Re-torque the head, fill it up and i'm good to go.

Seems to be running well, Tyler the manifold was cracked all the way through so its useless to me. Matt I found out that it was the heater core hose that popped off not a freeze plug, but it seems as though I have a nice oil leak from something. I think its the oil return for the turbo but i'm not sure I will check that tomorrow.

Plus my dad totally cleaned my car today for no reason....it looks really nice when its totally shiny

Just because the manifold is cracked makes it useless? You've been reading to much into those discussions on T'Bricks...

How much boost pressure are you going to lose through a crack? None...

Unless it's split and ready to fall in half, I say bolt it on...

The thing is....I did bolt it on...and it leaked, and when I took it off I found a second crack too. You can take a look at it at the bbq and let me know.

You sure it wasn't leaking between the manifold and the turbo? I have run a 2 different cracked manifolds on my car, and neither of them had any leaking problems. I would guess that unless you can see light through it (when off the car) you should be ok. It will expand a bunch and seal it all up.

Make sure its not the turbo connection, or an exhaust manifold gasket put on wrong.

Jordan

Iagree with Jordan. I saw that manifold at Tyler's and there were no cracks in it that were big enough to leak. I'm thinking you have a problem elsewhere...