This came out when changed the oil this morning

[jay1028]

I know that there was nothing in the oil drain pan because I always check first. After pouring the drained oil into the 5qt empty oil container, this metal piece was left in the oil drain pan. I have been changing oil for many many years and never saw anything like this before That piece of material is soft and gray color and comes right off. Here are the dimensions:
.568 long, .480 OD, .375 ID, .050 wall. Material is not magnetized, but will stick to a magnet, so it is not brass or stainless.

What is it?

 

[ccm2001]

That fit trough the drain hole :s. Wierd never seen that

 

[ranger7ltr]

I would think that is ...

A dowel pin???But I can't think of how it would get inside your oil pan though... Well I can think of how it would get inside there but the engine would probably not be running very well as a result...

 

[DoraThe_Explorer]

How is your motor running? Any knocks or misfires?

I have never seen anything like that come from an engine before either. Just to throw out ideas... Is it possible that this was in your drain pan before draining the oil and you didn't notice it? Maybe it fell off of your workbench or something.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

What is it?

A mystery :scratch:

 

[beach]

That had to of been in the drain pan beforehand somehow. If that came through the engine.... well it wouldn't have been pretty lol. Has the pan ever been removed and worked on?

 

[jay1028]

Motor is running fine. Only thing that was done between oil changes was the front cover was replaced due to a small water leak. The water pump was replaced while they were in there.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Ditto. Hard to believe and very unlikely a .480" O.D. sleeve could easily get through a .551" (M14) drain plug hole . :scratch:

 

[Turdle]

Motor is running fine. Only thing that was done between oil changes was the front cover was replaced due to a small water leak. The water pump was replaced while they were in there.

Front cover locating dowel?

 

[chefduane]

Kinda looks like the tip of a timing chain guide, but with the top cover missing. Can't be though.. if one of those became dislodged you'd certainly hear it.

 

[crunchie_frog]

Front cover locating dowel?

^this

Another example of why a lot of us do our own work.

 

[jay1028]

crunchie_frog,

Exactly. That is why I do whatever I can, but this was a big job and I had to trust the dealer to do it. Looks like that trust has just gone out the door. I am not familiar enough about the front cover whether when it is removed, if you can access the oil pan to drop something into it. Whatever that part is, it is not needed because the motor has been running perfectly for five months since the work was done. i am the only one that changes the oil because it is so easy. This was just too much of a job. I read nightmares about the water pump long bolts breaking or rusted in the block. Not for me.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

^this

Another example of why a lot of us do our own work.

Unfortunately yes.

I agree looks like a dowel for the timing cover.

 

[crunchie_frog]

crunchie_frog,

Exactly. That is why I do whatever I can, but this was a big job and I had to trust the dealer to do it. Looks like that trust has just gone out the door. I am not familiar enough about the front cover whether when it is removed, if you can access the oil pan to drop something into it. Whatever that part is, it is not needed because the motor has been running perfectly for five months since the work was done. i am the only one that changes the oil because it is so easy. This was just too much of a job. I read nightmares about the water pump long bolts breaking or rusted in the block. Not for me.

Understood, I wasn't trying to be critical of what you did and water pump replacement on the 302 can be a rough job. It is just incredibly disappointing to me the type of service you get at most places, or at least that I has been my experience, which led to my comment.

In my opinion, your engine will be fine without the alignment pin. I think they could have easily fished it out of the oil pan with a magnet or something, they just chose not to do it.

 

[1998Exp]

Reinstalling the timing cover on this engine with the oil pan in place is quite a challenge of mating the alignment pins while the pan gasket is pushing it up. I have done this job a couple times, and it was a fight each time. Some just remove the alignment pins to make this easier and avoid damaging the pan gasket, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the other pin is missing as well. They must have dropped one into the pan, and as crunchie said, were a bit lazy to fish it. One would think that if an amateur like me managed to reinstall with the pins in place, a dealer should have been able to do the same, but most likely no ill effects from this - just but make sure that there is no oil or coolant leak.

Understood, I wasn't trying to be critical of what you did and water pump replacement on the 302 can be a rough job. It is just incredibly disappointing to me the type of service you get at most places, or at least that I has been my experience, which led to my comment.

In my opinion, your engine will be fine without the alignment pin. I think they could have easily fished it out of the oil pan with a magnet or something, they just chose not to do it.

 

[jay1028]

Thanks everyone for the comments. Now it all makes sense, Either it was a tech that didn't know what he did or he did and was too lazy.

I know if it took the piece back to them, they would deny it and say some else did it. I am just lucky that all the bolts came out in one piece. They advised me up front that if the bolts break and they have to drill and helicoil, it would be about $100 each bolt. When vehicles get this old, things get tough sometimes.

Thanks again.

 

[Mesozoic]

That doesn't look like a front cover locating dowel to me at all... it looks more like the cylinder head locating dowel that goes into the recess on the block side to aid in cylinder head installation.