Dropped a straw in my gearbox!!!!

[Capn Jimbo]

I agree with the gentleman who noted that the vacuum hose is too large to insert, and thus may not create enough suction to pull the hose, but I suggest two things:


1. The side plate is off so this might allow more airflow or but could just as well might not.


2. You could duct tape another small hose like the one you're trying to remove to the vacumn hose. This could now be inserted and you can fish around to grab and remove the lost tube.


I'd try this with and without the plate off (or taped closed) and also through the side plate. I'll bet this can work. Please advise...

[AKA-None]

Ok let’s stop with the straw bit. It isn’t a straw in the normal sense of the word it’s a plastic tube. Much thicker and less likely to be simply ground up. So think mostly rigid plastic tube would you leave it? Personally no

[DefinitelyMe]

I used to have a little gadget for getting pickled onions out of the jar. This one is acquiring a gherkin, but you get the idea...... What are the chances you could find one in Antigua though....?

[jmschmidt]

Looks like you misinterpreted Kokanee's suggestion. After draining the oil you need to create air flow through the gear box by leaving the drain plug open at the bottom and applying a vacuum to the filler port or, if that doesn't work, try vacuuming from the drain port with filler port open. A vacuum can't work against itself. Shine a light into the drain port and peek into the filler-port to see if you can locate the straw. If that doesn't work prepare to field-strip your tranny.

[Capn Jimbo]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

I used to have a little gadget for getting pickled onions out of the jar. This one is acquiring a gherkin, but you get the idea...... What are the chances you could find one in Antigua though....?

Attachment 214697

Excellent. BTW I once bought a similar tool to fish the hydraulic lifters out of my 1983 Dodge Ram slant six engine. It also had a flexible wire tube - good for this - and was available at my auto parts store.


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...14510d/4772686

[mvweebles]

Way back in one of the early OP posts, he included a picture of side panel on the tranny with two hoses, presumably going to an oil cooler. This panel looks very accessible. Does anyone know what's on the inside and what the mechanism behind it is? I've never been inside a tranny - my fear would be some sort of precision or pressed fit mechanism behind the plate that is impossible for a mere mortal to reinstall with some sort of special tool.

Does anyone have a clue if this plate/housing can be easily removed, and if it might provide access to the sump of the tyranny?

Call it fear of unknown, but I personally would not be comfortable traveling any distance with a foreign object in there.

Peter

[mvweebles]

OP picture from post #2. What's behind the housing circled in red?

[kmacdonald]

Sell the boat and let the new owner worry about it.

[Swift Drift]

I just sourced an endoscope camera and some “mechanical fingers.” Going to see if I can get it out without tearing it out. We’ll see.

[Swift Drift]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

OP picture from post #2. What's behind the housing circled in red? Attachment 214699

I’ve already removed it and it doesn’t really provide a solution. We’ll see if my new tools reference above can perform a miracle.

[jamhass]

While you have the side cover off, check the oil cooler for corrosion, since it is now where you can inspect it.

[potbellypirate]

Hi Swifty, Harbor Freight has a relatively new item that may help your situation. Very long pair of needle nose pliers with extra joints allowing them to stay narrow. Length is approx. 16".
Also if you can apply air pressure to gearbox while vacuming it could greatly increase air flow. I would think the seals could handle at least 20 lbs. or so.
Also mechanics often put zip lock baggies containing proper amount of gear oil inside differential covers as an easy way to fill in hard to reach filler conditions. Plastic of ziplock baggies eventually become part of oil,
however auto differentials are beefier than transmissions and I don't know if they use the method in more complex differentials containing clutches etc. [Posi- Trak etc.]
I once dropped a nut bolting torque converter to flywheel into the bellhousing while installing transmission in my Ford Explorer. [Nightmare project]. Working thru starter hole as that is only way to access these nuts was hours long attempt trying to retrieve nut using wires magnets etc. The problem was the flywheel end ring dear almost totally blocking access into rest of bell housing. I didn't want to remove transmission to access bell housing as I had returned rented transmission jack, and also removing transmission is horrible project without automobile lift.
I couldn't rest easy knowing the nut could possibly bounce into ring gear and starter gear causing problems. My solution was to drill access hole thru bell housing using 1" hole saw to cut hole near bottom forward of flywheel to access that area. I still couldn't find the nut with much probing around torque converter and flywheel. Mystified, I replaced the starter and ran the engine which rattled the nut down to the hole area
allowing me to retrieve it. I don't know why Ford has studs on torque converters making it harder to install transmission. Chevy uses bolts making the process much easier. That's my 2 cents worth. I hope some of this will help your situation. Potbellypirate

[Montanan]

It is always a . . . . [fill in blank] when that happens.

For future reference.

I recommend the use of a large twisty straw the next time you use your drain kit, such twisty straws don't tend to be able to fall far into a small diameter hole as only the straight thin long end is inserted and the important [read communicative] bit remains outside. There be many shapes to chose from, the one depicted below can be take reference to the blank denoted above, perhaps. I believe there are Bastard shaped straws as well.

[billgewater]

Does this gearbox have any form of a filter on its transmission oil pump? Maybe a gearbox specialist can advise. I only ask because a filter would seem to be mandatory in case any rubbish such as bits off a gasket or rubber seal gets loose. Considering the very high oil pressures in some gearboxes (mine is at 220 psi) it would seem that the plastic should be ground down to fine bits. However a large lump of plastic in a fine oil line or needle bearing could still be disastrous. Yes. Contact a specialist.

[Wotname]

Interesting thread and I'm sorry that I can't offer any better advice than that which has already been posted.

You could possibly try pure water as the straw would technically float especially if it has some oil still in it. Pure water shouldn't damage the gearbox in any way as it can be removed with ethyl alcohol.

It did get me thinking about what liquids have a specific gravity of greater than say 1 so that the straw could be more easily floated out or at least floated up to the top.

Turns out that while there are a few, most won't be great in the gearbox and all are difficult to obtain.

A few of the stand out ones are:

Chloroform sg 1.47
Carbon tetrachloride sg 1.59
Bromine sg 3.12

I guess buying 2 litres of chloroform might raise some eyebrows but I understand it can made at home (DIY).